2024 Novice Chasers

[SeanRock]

I'm not doubting he's a good horse but I'd be worried about his jumping right being more exaggerated over fences than hurdles, if he can jump well and in a straight line he's a big player alright. It could be I'm still scarred by that boodles run and that's affecting my thinking !

Despite Willies usual tendencies not to over school his lot be shocked if they hadn’t tried him over a few left handed around a bend at Clonsutton or at a racecourse gallop nearby. Especially given how open the Stayers division is connections won’t have thrown caution to the wind I wouldn’t have thought.

[Lobos]

I'm not doubting he's a good horse but I'd be worried about his jumping right being more exaggerated over fences than hurdles, if he can jump well and in a straight line he's a big player alright. It could be I'm still scarred by that boodles run and that's affecting my thinking !

He really should have won the Boodles. No other excuse IMO apart from not being good enough. Beaten fair and square again in Ballymore. He does need to step up his game if he's to win at the festival over fences. They may help him but I have a hunch he'll find one or two too good again. Cheltenham unfortunately might never be his course.

[SeanRock]

He really should have won the Boodles. No other excuse IMO apart from not being good enough. Beaten fair and square again in Ballymore. He does need to step up his game if he's to win at the festival over fences. They may help him but I have a hunch he'll find one or two too good again. Cheltenham unfortunately might never be his course.

Who do you reckon that one or two might be Lobos?

[Lobos]

[QUOTE=SeanRock;n438140]

Who do you reckon that one or two might be Lobos?

Nick Rockett, Corbetts Cross, The Frenchie maybe. Wouldn't like to say. Just think he's going to be another one of those perennial Festival losers.

[SeanRock]

I’m someone who places a huge emphasis on course form when making antepost selections for the festival but think it’s a bit shortsighted to write GW off for two seconds especially over what would have been a less than ideal distance last year.

I personally feel he’d have won the Albert Bartlett last year but Willie didn’t want to bottom him out running in the race & took a long term viewpoint as he’s done so successfully in the past.with his better staying chasers.

[AaronLad]

"Flooring Porter is in great shape and we’re looking forward to getting him out this weekend at Punchestown," said Cromwell. "It’s his first time going right-handed since he ran at Punchestown after he won his first Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

"The chase track is big and he’s more mature now so hopefully he's an easier ride. He’s a year older and even towards the end of last season you could see that he had matured.

"The timing of the race suits, and if we're ever going to try right-handed again, I think we should try it now. We can still go to Leopardstown at Christmas and it just looks an obvious race for him.

The above is from the racing post

I have to say this has surprised me. c'mon the flooring !!

[Odin]

Letsbeclearaboutit is unbeaten in two starts over fences, landing a Gowran beginners' chase in September before stretching ten lengths clear in Grade 3 company at Cork this month. He is pencilled in for the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

"Letsbeclearaboutit came out of Cork great," said Cromwell. "He jumped very well there. He missed a season with injury after his bumper year so there’s not that many miles on the clock, so hopefully there’s still plenty of good racing to be had with him."

The eight-year-old enjoyed a promising novice hurdle campaign last season, finishing fourth at Cheltenham and Aintree over three miles, but Cromwell is keen to keep him at shorter trips over fences, while he could also be joined by stablemate Perceval Legallois.

"He nearly over-travelled at Cheltenham and Aintree last season," he added. "He actually ran away with Keith Donoghue at Cheltenham so to finish fourth in an Albert Bartlett after doing that is a fair run.

"He’s taken to fences very well and it puts a bit of a lid on him as there’s more jumping. He gains so much with his jumping and he has plenty of gears so he could even come back in trip.


Same article. I had doubts about Letsbeclearabout it going NH Chase, but this has confirmed it for me - hopefully there will be a decent cashout available.... The right handed 2m4f Fairyhouse Grade 1 in April would be a very obvious spring target as mentioned by someone else on here

[The Giant Bolster]

I’m someone who places a huge emphasis on course form when making antepost selections for the festival but think it’s a bit shortsighted to write GW off for two seconds especially over what would have been a less than ideal distance last year.

I personally feel he’d have won the Albert Bartlett last year but Willie didn’t want to bottom him out running in the race & took a long term viewpoint as he’s done so successfully in the past.with his better staying chasers.

Completely agree. I think Gaelic Warrior was not only in the wrong race but it was run not to suit him (tactically and individually). He needed a strongly run race and - in my view - should have been sent forward. He was never going to beat IeP in anything close to a sprint. For him to finish a strong second was a good result. I don't see it as any kind of negative personally.

I can't wait to see him over fences. On hurdle ratings, he's clear of the opposition. Personally, I think if he can jump a fence then he could dominate the division.

[Rooster Booster]

Sorry is that Flooring Porters trainer talking about the upsides of not having many miles on the clock for a novice chaser sorry I couldn’t resist . I really did try I promise. You would have done the same but you would have enjoyed it more. You have a choice . Ignore this and accept me declaring you the winner or give in to your impulse and tell me why I’m wrong again .

When you do the latter I will still declare you the winner. I discovered this is the only way to go with my ex wife. Ex because it took me too long to figure it out

[AaronLad]

I can't wait to see him over fences. On hurdle ratings, he's clear of the opposition. Personally, I think if he can jump a fence then he could dominate the division.

He certainly has the potential to improve, but he certainly wouldn't be clear of the opposition on hurdle ratings, maybe those coming from novice races but not flooring porter or klassical dream, but i think you know that

[AaronLad]

Sorry is that Flooring Porters trainer talking about the upsides of not having many miles on the clock for a novice chaser sorry I couldn’t resist . I really did try I promise. You would have done the same but you would have enjoyed it more. You have a choice . Ignore this and accept me declaring you the winner or give in to your impulse and tell me why I’m wrong again .

When you do the latter I will still declare you the winner. I discovered this is the only way to go with my ex wife. Ex because it took me too long to figure it out

I have always maintained something younger could improve past him.
I don't think it likely though.
Cromwell running him saturday tells me two things, he's absoulutely showing no signs of being a tired old fella, and their targeting the punchestown gold cup in april hopefully as his first open chase.

[Carnage at Taunton]

Completely agree. I think Gaelic Warrior was not only in the wrong race but it was run not to suit him (tactically and individually). He needed a strongly run race and - in my view - should have been sent forward. He was never going to beat IeP in anything close to a sprint. For him to finish a strong second was a good result. I don't see it as any kind of negative personally.

I can't wait to see him over fences. On hurdle ratings, he's clear of the opposition. Personally, I think if he can jump a fence then he could dominate the division.

It would be hard to dominate any division if a horse running on a left handed track jumps to the right.

I am really intrigued to see him jump fences going left handed, going to be very interesting!!
He may not be too bad….. then again!

[The Giant Bolster]

He certainly has the potential to improve, but he certainly wouldn't be clear of the opposition on hurdle ratings, maybe those coming from novice races but not flooring porter or klassical dream, but i think you know that

Yes - you are right, I mean of the other novice hurdlers going chasing in this division.

Those who have raced in open company clearly will be rated higher. Though I'm a bit more sceptical of these horses going novice chasing since they usually find something from the novice hurdle ranks as better (obviously some exceptions). That said, I think Flooring Porter is definitely one to have in any book having shown he can jump well and brings good Festival form.

[Benjy23]

I'm in the Gaelic Warrior jumping poorly and reverting to hurdles camp as well, from an antepost open bets perspective at least. I think they'd at least give him a couple of tries though. He's not one I'm even tempted by as a novice chaser at the prices anyway though.

Flooring Porter going right handed could also be interesting.

[Rooster Booster]

I have always maintained something younger could improve past him.
I don't think it likely though.
Cromwell running him saturday tells me two things, he's absoulutely showing no signs of being a tired old fella, and their targeting the punchestown gold cup in april hopefully as his first open chase.

Well you’ve certainly covered the two alternatives but I respect you saying you don’t think it’s likely. I don’t know how likely it is, just likely enough to be priced about right. If he were younger with less miles in his legs I would say he is currently over priced because he’s not he is correctly priced imo. It would be good to get a view of the leading firms to understand from them why they haven’t got him shorter. He is a very well known and understood horse both by punters and layers alike and the market is quite mature now and this is where it seems to have settled for now and has done so for a reason.There must be a reason why they are not being knocked over. My guess is the next big milestone surrounding his price will be connected to his next race.

If you are less concerned about the miles in his legs than I am and presumably the market is then by inference you presumably think he is overpriced. Are you recommending him to others as value now?

If so and in keeping with me declaring you the winner I will happily join you and we can celebrate together.