2024 Novice Chasers

[Carnage at Taunton]

Iroko.....

“At Aintree he looked like he wanted a trip, but maybe he had a hard enough race at Cheltenham and he just ran a bit flat at Aintree. Maybe that wasn’t his true reading.
“Whether you go for a smaller race then go up a level or go straight up a level next we will just have to see.

“On a tighter track like Kempton on better ground you could go three miles, but we will see how we go. The Kauto Star could be considered.

“If it is soft ground at Cheltenham he would probably stay at two and a half miles and if it was quick he would go over three miles.”


TWAR is the bet......or was.

Today and any race @18 that eggs quoted was probably the bet in hindsight, I looked at it at and decided no.
Would not be interested at current odds, whether any race or individual races.
I will be keeping an eye on him though.
I did like the performance.

[Exar Essay]

HDB on Inthepocket via ATR stable tour : "He is schooling really well over fences and the starting point we have in mind for him is the maiden chase at Navan on November 18th. Being a Grade 1-winning novice hurdler you’d have to be excited about him going chasing and hopefully he should take to it well."

Am I right in thinking this is where connections said Marine Nationale would start out too?

Yes. In an interview with Ginger Joe on Twitter, Barry Connell said he’d start out there. What a clash that would be in November.

[Lobos]

Great clash. Big test for the both of them and could rock the Arkle market.

[jack1092]

Stonebruises at the ready...

[YoungHustler]

Iroko.....

“At Aintree he looked like he wanted a trip, but maybe he had a hard enough race at Cheltenham and he just ran a bit flat at Aintree. Maybe that wasn’t his true reading.
“Whether you go for a smaller race then go up a level or go straight up a level next we will just have to see.

“On a tighter track like Kempton on better ground you could go three miles, but we will see how we go. The Kauto Star could be considered.

“If it is soft ground at Cheltenham he would probably stay at two and a half miles and if it was quick he would go over three miles.”


TWAR is the bet......or was.

Happy to be on Iroko only for the BANC. Unless he's got considerably faster, I just don't think he'll be quick enough for the Turners. Just can't get the image of him being scrubbed along for the last 4f of last years Martin Pipe and he'll be meeting horses who won't be stopping after the last in the Turners.

[Lobos]

Happy to be on Iroko only for the BANC. Unless he's got considerably faster, I just don't think he'll be quick enough for the Turners. Just can't get the image of him being scrubbed along for the last 4f of last years Martin Pipe and he'll be meeting horses who won't be stopping after the last in the Turners.

You may well be right but there's a big difference between jumping hurdles and jumping fences. A Hurdler who looks for the world he'd need a trip when sent chasing can often be caught out for stamina when sent over the bigger obstacles.

[Exar Essay]

You may well be right but there's a big difference between jumping hurdles and jumping fences. A Hurdler who looks for the world he'd need a trip when sent chasing can often be caught out for stamina when sent over the bigger obstacles.

We've been here before haven't we. A Pipe winner with tons of ability who clearly gets 3 miles ... ends up in the Turners. Why didn't I take the 14/1 TWAR

[Runragged]

As a French bred 6yo in the BANC that's two pretty big trends to bust for Iroko! Still, sometimes when these trends get blown then they are done in style. It's enough to put me off even considering backing the horse for the race now though whilst would have a big concern whether he can lay up close enough in a Turners, especially as the race favours those ridden close to the pace (Very hard to make up ground on the New course).

[Black Dog]

We've been here before haven't we. A Pipe winner with tons of ability who clearly gets 3 miles ... ends up in the Turners. Why didn't I take the 14/1 TWAR

Only two Pipe winners have contested the Turners in the following year; Sir Des Champs and Galopin des Champs. Only one other has run in a festival novice chase 12 months later,that was Don Poli.

[Exar Essay]

Only two Pipe winners have contested the Turners in the following year; Sir Des Champs and Galopin des Champs. Only one other has run in a festival novice chase 12 months later,that was Don Poli.

Yes. All 3 were 6yo when contesting their novice chase, with two winning and one, well, yeah, all but winning.

[FinalFurlong91]

Giovinco runs in a handicap at Aintree off 143 giving a stone to the field

Needs to be winning really

[Rooster Booster]

So far on various threads Ive seen that Iroko is the wrong age, the wrong ethnicity, and is trained by rookies who train in Britain. It’s fair to say this horse has been dealt a poor hand ……perhaps firms should be compelled to issue a warning ….you are backing a red headed step child do you want to continue.

[ComplyOrDie]

Giovinco runs in a handicap at Aintree off 143 giving a stone to the field

Needs to be winning really

Agree, and I think he will do, provided he stays up.

[Block 205]

I suspect that many people will understandably immediately dismiss this after what happened to him over hurdles, but Nickle Back has sluiced up in a couple of handicap chases in the last few weeks and has gone up from his initial mark of 125 to 135 and then 147, which is within 5lb of the OR of 6 of the last 10 Turners winners, with plenty of potential for improvement.

To me, seeing him over fences is much more reminiscent of his sole hurdle win at Fontwell two years ago (RPR 140) when he looked like a horse of great potential, before he was off the track for over a year, and then raced like a bit of a nutter for all of last season, during which time his hurdle rating dropped to 126 (hence his lowly initial chase mark). If he can stay fit and make some further improvement over fences with another couple of runs, it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that he could go out strongly from the front, have a bit of a breather and then go again in the manner of Uxizandre when winning the Ryanair, and might just leave those in behind with a bit of catching up to do.

He's available at 33/1 for the Turners, which is a bit shorter than I'd have liked (I was hoping that there might be some 50/1 around), but it would probably only take one more decent performance before I'd be tempted, especially if he avoids being overly keen, which was always his Achilles heel when he reappeared over hurdles after the long break. I'd be interested to hear other views, but having backed him for the Ballymore at big prices two years ago after that impressive Fontwell win, I'm keen to keep the faith!

[Benjy23]

Love a left field shout! Reckon he's one if you could get added on the exchanges he'd get laid at a decent price...