2024 Novice Chasers

[Kautostar]

He had 2 in 2022 (sort of) ontheropes was a non runner on the day.

[Zachx02]

Has Willie ever gone mob handed in the NH Chase?

Maybe when Katie Walsh used to ride?


Only really got Patrick now and from memory he doesn't throw random darts


Decided to answer my own question....... last 10 seasons....

2013 - 1 runner - Back In Focus - 1st - Patrick
2014 - 1 runner - Suntiep - 3rd - Patrick
2015 - 1 runner - Perfect Gentleman - Patrick
2016 - 3 runners - Pleasant Company 25/1 PU Lavery / Pont Alexandre 15/2 PU Patrick / Measureofmydreams 3rd 9/1 Katie
2017 - 2 runners - Haymount 33/1 3rd Patrick / Abre De Vie Katie PU
2018 - 2 runners - Rathvinden 1st Patrick / Lylonthepressure 5th Katie
2019 - 1 runner - Ballyward - Fell - Patrcik
2020 - 1 runner - Carefully Selected - Patrick UR
2021 - 1 runner - Lord Royal - Patrick 7th
2022 - 1 runner - Stattler - 1st - Patrick
2023 - 2 runners - Gaillard Du Mesnil 1st Patrick / Tenzing 4th N McParlan



I think the Katie Walsh bookings for the 3 years in a row skew is slightly too .... I'd say they just ran a horse because of her for those 3 years, giving us only 2 times they've entered more than 1 ....

He wants his son to win it, they'll aim 1 good dart .... that's my takeaway from this very limited 'research'

I'd say due to the fact he's getting more and more top level horses each year now, he might end up having more runners in it, maybe like the bumper set up he has where jodie townend rides the 2nd string? And ontheropes was an intended runner in 2022 I believe as quite a lot of us were on him but ended up being a NR

[FinalFurlong91]

Paul townend and mark Walsh will also have some input as to the destination of willies novice chasers. As will JP with his 3 corvette cross, Indiana dream and FTF

The corvette has a flat tire

[FinalFurlong91]

FTF around 50s on exchange for Arkle ..,,not priced with bookies

Know it sounds easy to write-off….but there will be switches coming …,we just don’t know where

Willie needs an Arkle horse & JP needs an Arkle trophy with ITP prob out

Jockey already mentioned pace & could drop in trip …and Walsh might want this to max out his rides

What price would it be if did go? Ran 160 RPR last time ….that’s right up with GW & above MN debut

Maybe worth little punt for protection if nothing else

Fact to file barely jumps quick enough for a turners let alone an arkle

[Guinness Village]

I think that it’s fairly obvious, corbetts cross isn’t good enough to win BANC. If he goes to the festival, then turners for me.
FTF to BANC. I believe that has always been willies plan. However GC west pops up and wins over 3m impressively, giving him a bit of a conundrum. Could FTF beat GW in the turners? Probably not. BANC it is then
if GW goes arkle, then that changes the playing field completely!!!
I reckon it all hinges on facile vega being resurrected as an arkle horse.
surely Willie will try and get him back on track soon

[Benjy23]

I'd say due to the fact he's getting more and more top level horses each year now, he might end up having more runners in it, maybe like the bumper set up he has where jodie townend rides the 2nd string? And ontheropes was an intended runner in 2022 I believe as quite a lot of us were on him but ended up being a NR

There's definitely an element of this with every race and Mullins now like. I'm sure there was stat last season knocking about regarding him having very select Arkle runners... Then he turned up with four.

The quantity of high level horses he now has, he'll be mob handed in all novice chases this year.

Although there's clearly going to be a preference towards the BANC over the NHC for most, and likely with most owners if they're onto a second choice amateur jock...

As a barely related side note, the BANC looks like the pick of the novice chases to me at this stage in terms of a competitive race. There's a load you could make a case for and the list seems to be growing!

[Kevloaf]

I'd say due to the fact he's getting more and more top level horses each year now, he might end up having more runners in it, maybe like the bumper set up he has where jodie townend rides the 2nd string? And ontheropes was an intended runner in 2022 I believe as quite a lot of us were on him but ended up being a NR

Yeah, maybe he'll run 2 .... maybe 3

Only 1 will have a chance of winning


Patrick will be on the only one that can win. I don't care about the also rans

I had 9 points on Minella Cocooner hoping he'd be qualified, or at least won and shortened by now, but that looks foolish

Embassy Gardens and Grangeclare West his only 2 qualified so far? GW looks BANC, I'm not on Embassy Gardens but I think Patrick will be on him or Nick Rockett ..... entries will be very important

[Kevloaf]

There's definitely an element of this with every race and Mullins now like. I'm sure there was stat last season knocking about regarding him having very select Arkle runners... Then he turned up with four.

The quantity of high level horses he now has, he'll be mob handed in all novice chases this year.

Although there's clearly going to be a preference towards the BANC over the NHC for most, and likely with most owners if they're onto a second choice amateur jock...

As a barely related side note, the BANC looks like the pick of the novice chases to me at this stage in terms of a competitive race. There's a load you could make a case for and the list seems to be growing!

I'd imagine it's likely to be related to the quality of his best dart though.... Facile Vega losing last time I'd say increases the likelyhood of more runners in the Arkle, but less likely to win in (not through probability of course)


He may well run more runners in the NH Chase, however just due to the nature of spreading the jockeys and amatuers, I'd say his '2nd/3rd/4th strings' in the Arkle/Turners/BANC will be better than the NH Chase ones, as his jockey options in the NH Chase are significantly lower than the standard of jockey he'd get in the actual novice chases


Patrck is further clear of whoever the 5th to 15th best amatuers are, compared to Paul and the jockeys behind him

[FinalFurlong91]

Fact to file will thump grangeclare in the flogas and then run in the BANC imo

Gaelic will run in the Irish arkle, if he wins he goes arkle if he loses turner's

after being thumped by fact to file at the DRF grangeclare will run in the grade 1 at fairyhouse

Nick rockett will run in the 3m1f grade 3 novice chase at naas end of january that stattller won and go NHC

Alternatively none of those things happen

Fun to plan what will happen though

Willie won't even know what runs in what yet, what the do in the next month or so will tell him where to run what

[Zachx02]

Fact to file will thump grangeclare in the flogas and then run in the BANC imo

Gaelic will run in the Irish arkle, if he wins he goes arkle if he loses turner's

after being thumped by fact to file at the DRF grangeclare will run in the grade 1 at fairyhouse

Nick rockett will run in the 3m1f grade 3 novice chase at naas end of january that stattller won and go NHC

Alternatively none of those things happen

Fun to plan what will happen though

Willie won't even know what runs in what yet, what the do in the next month or so will tell him where to run what

I don't agree on that with FTF and GCW, GCW looks a different animal over fences and made top horses look like handicappers in the nevilles last time whilst FTF just stayed behind a minella cocooner who clearly was there for a days education after a year out before being stepped up next time out to qualify for the NHC and zanahiyr who is probably one of those who didn't school great so they kept him over hurdles for a while and just decided to roll the dice over fences

[hardheld]

GW will surely go to Sandown on 3rd Feb. Needs to go right handed and easy grade 1 to pick up

[FinalFurlong91]

I don't agree on that with FTF and GCW, GCW looks a different animal over fences and made top horses look like handicappers in the nevilles last time whilst FTF just stayed behind a minella cocooner who clearly was there for a days education after a year out before being stepped up next time out to qualify for the NHC and zanahiyr who is probably one of those who didn't school great so they kept him over hurdles for a while and just decided to roll the dice over fences

The nevilles fell apart didn't it?

Favori de champdou hassled flooring porter stopping him from doing his fast/slow/fast tactics and ruined both their races

Corbetts cross jumped like a snooker table and simply doesnt look a natural chaser

That set it up perfectly for Grangeclare to win well

He won well and looks a better chaser but I'm still a bit dubious about that form and want to see him do it again

He's beaten corbetts cross twice now, by 3 lengths less in the grade 1. I suppose because i dont rate CC i find it hard to have grangeclare as BANC fav.

I reckon fact to file and Montys star (he clearly came on loads for his run behind corbetts and improved for the longer trip) would both be much stiffer opposition for GW

I look forward to seeing them again

This 3 mile chase division is very interesting compared to the 2m and 2m4f.

[Faugheen_Machine]

I'll watch it back again but didn't see much wrong with Corbetts Cross' jumping, especially in the second half of the race. He was a little slow on occasion but like a snooker table seems a tad harsh

I'd be pointing the finger at the ride he was given. Held up in last, giving away 10 to 15 lengths at the start of the race was balmy in a grade 1. I think the ride gives credence to Quevega's theory that they might be working backwards from a big target (Grand National).

[charlie]

Il Est Fran?ais drifting like a barge on the exchange. 23 for the BANC and 25 for the Turners. Connections sounded like they were favouring French campaign but that looks like he could be OFTS.

[Run4Home]

Il Est Fran?ais drifting like a barge on the exchange. 23 for the BANC and 25 for the Turners. Connections sounded like they were favouring French campaign but that looks like he could be OFTS.

Planning to give him a break and run in the Ingre or Murat as his prep for the Grand Steeple