2024 Novice Chasers

[Istabraq]

I'm in the Gaelic Warrior jumping poorly and reverting to hurdles camp as well,

I hope you;re right Benjy.
Is it complete madness to think that Mullins believes the horse, with back issues, needs to be looked after and a couple of spins in 3rd gear over fences will put him right for G1 open company hurdles races in the Spring ?
The more I think about it the more I believe he just doesn't want the horse taking on G1 opposition over timber before Feb/March, and probably doesn't want the horse sitting in a box for months either...

[AaronLad]

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.

I couldn't possibly recommend him as value.
I did concede the other day i was possibly a bit hasty suggesting i couldn't believe he was still that price, but i clearly valued the form of his chase debut more than others and took advantage of that.
Between broadway boy coming 2nd to flooring porter and winning last weekend, his own chase debut was franked by mofasa. It's a strong form line.
With the ease in which i think flooring porter beat broadway boy, and with subsequent events, flooring porters cheltenham form, he's certainly being overlooked.

Saturday has thrown a spanner in the works as far as my own plan with him goes.
I couldn't possibly back him wtaf going right handed, but if he does win, what price then?
So my only play now is hoping he loses and the bookies push him out, but i'd certainly not be piling in to him if that's the case.

[Quevega]

I hope you;re right Benjy.
Is it complete madness to think that Mullins believes the horse, with back issues, needs to be looked after and a couple of spins in 3rd gear over fences will put him right for G1 open company hurdles races in the Spring ?
The more I think about it the more I believe he just doesn't want the horse taking on G1 opposition over timber before Feb/March, and probably doesn't want the horse sitting in a box for months either...

How much have you got on him for the stayers ?
I've got my fingers crossed for you myself.
FWIW Like I've said previously, I think you may get your wish, or at least, there's a reasonable chance of it.
Then he'll come second again

[Rooster Booster]

I couldn't possibly recommend him as value.
I did concede the other day i was possibly a bit hasty suggesting i couldn't believe he was still that price, but i clearly valued the form of his chase debut more than others and took advantage of that.
Between broadway boy coming 2nd to flooring porter and winning last weekend, his own chase debut was franked by mofasa. It's a strong form line.
With the ease in which i think flooring porter beat broadway boy, and with subsequent events, flooring porters cheltenham form, he's certainly being overlooked.

Saturday has thrown a spanner in the works as far as my own plan with him goes.
I couldn't possibly back him wtaf going right handed, but if he does win, what price then?
So my only play now is hoping he loses and the bookies push him out, but i'd certainly not be piling in to him if that's the case.

Okay so we are both in heated agreement that his current price is fair. I think so despite having greater concerns than you do about the miles in his legs. This means that I am giving him more credence to his actual ability than you are which is quite ironic.

If your bet was at current price or higher you don’t need to defend it with me. If I think his current price is fair then obviously I think any bigger taken is good value.

I might just join you anyway simply because I want you to collect

[Istabraq]

How much have you got on him for the stayers ?
I've got my fingers crossed for you myself.
FWIW Like I've said previously, I think you may get your wish, or at least, there's a reasonable chance of it.
Then he'll come second again

No single, but he's the final leg of a patent/treble with the first two already in, so he's fairly important to my week.
Only comfort would come in the form of Good Time Johnny for the race, but it won't, so I'll clutch at any straw I can find with Gaelic going back over hurdles....

[charlie]

Piss easy race but KD looks an absolute natural over fences.

Another start vs better horses will tell us where we stand re BANC vs NHC, but as a backer of the latter I cant be much happier with that.

He didn't race keenly at all and just lobbed along which is exactly what I wanted to see, even more so than neat jumping.

As I said, nothing race and basically a public school but he did it well and on we go.

[jack1092]

Piss easy race but KD looks an absolute natural over fences.

Another start vs better horses will tell us where we stand re BANC vs NHC, but as a backer of the latter I cant be much happier with that.

He didn't race keenly at all and just lobbed along which is exactly what I wanted to see, even more so than neat jumping.

As I said, nothing race and basically a public school but he did it well and on we go.

Jumped great....as for not racing keenly, i'd say he's raced his usual style, on the bridle but how much he has off it is the question. He's the type for me that does most of his work on the bridle no matter what.

Can't say i predicted either kD or Cocooner to be people's NHC fancies given how they race!

[Lobos]

Superb round of jumping. Looked an old hand at it. Didn't touch a twig. Just wouldn't back him for anything though as imo he's better Right Handed and maybe Cheltenham again in March isn't his thing

[Rooster Booster]

Piss easy race but KD looks an absolute natural over fences.

Another start vs better horses will tell us where we stand re BANC vs NHC, but as a backer of the latter I cant be much happier with that.

He didn't race keenly at all and just lobbed along which is exactly what I wanted to see, even more so than neat jumping.

As I said, nothing race and basically a public school but he did it well and on we go.

Absolutely jumped like a dream early days but great initial shout on your part.

[AaronLad]

Piss easy race but KD looks an absolute natural over fences.

Another start vs better horses will tell us where we stand re BANC vs NHC, but as a backer of the latter I cant be much happier with that.

He didn't race keenly at all and just lobbed along which is exactly what I wanted to see, even more so than neat jumping.

As I said, nothing race and basically a public school but he did it well and on we go.

Very nice chase debut, did everything right.
Before today since joining willie mullins he's run in 1 maiden 1 grade 2 and 14 grade 1's.
I don't think willie could've expected that to have gone any better.
I think you're very correct in saying his next race against better opposition will be decisive in where he goes.
with his racing record if he wins well again nto surely he deserves his shot at a grade 1.
Great start for him.

[Irish Rugby]

Klassical Dream. If this wasn't Mullins or even Klassical Dream who does come to the table with a quirky background, after that standard of jumping over 2m6f on decent ground as well, you'd have to think BANC. Also, he jumped like an experienced classy staying chaser.

His next race will tell us all. Need to see him battling and winning against Graded horses, I assume over Christmas.

[AaronLad]

Townend said: "He was foot-perfect everywhere. He was very measured and he behaved himself relatively well too. He was lining up the fences himself and I never had to interfere.

"I just had to encourage him and avoid falling off! He was good and clever too. He just ran down the hill a little with me to the first down the back, but he was able to sort himself out and that was a nice thing to take from it too.

"He has done plenty of schooling and Willie has always toyed with the idea of going chasing. But then again he was achieving an awful lot over hurdles, he was a high-class horse to be going chasing. But there's a lot of fire still in his belly and he took to it really well."

From the racing post, townend on klassical dream

[Kevloaf]

I think, I remember them describing him as a chaser like Champagne Fever back in his novice hurdle season, in terms of his build.

Looks good

[SeanRock]

I’d just have a niggly doubt about his ability to get home over 3m plus around Cheltenham, he’s come around the home turn swinging in the stayers on a couple of occasions & found very little. Personally think he’s better suited to a flat speed track where he can get others in trouble with his cruising speed & hardly has to come off the bridle at all!

If I was Willie I’d probably avoid the festival & go Leopardstown then Fairyhouse. Unless he has something like the Turners in mind for him…

[AaronLad]

I’d just have a niggly doubt about his ability to get home over 3m plus around Cheltenham, he’s come around the home turn swinging in the stayers on a couple of occasions & found very little. Personally think he’s better suited to a flat speed track where he can get others in trouble with his cruising speed & hardly has to come off the bridle at all!

If I was Willie I’d probably avoid the festival & go Leopardstown then Fairyhouse. Unless he has something like the Turners in mind for him…

With the Banc on the old course and the nhc, wouldn't it be a bit easier than 3miles hurdles on the new course?