2025 Novice Chasers

[ComplyOrDie]

I think he’ll learn a lot from that today.

He only just got pipped over 3m on a heavy ground new course which is deemed far more of a stamina test than the old course. He then ran a great race at Aintree to finish second only 4 weeks later.

I reckon 3m round the old course will be perfect for him. Plenty time to sort the exuberance in the jumping department and that will just come with experience. He’s one to be excited about imo.

I think this too.

I think he can go from the front like The Real Whacker, jump like a stag, and put others jumping under pressure.

I was dead against The Real Whacker. Lesson learnt though.

[Carnage at Taunton]

Firefox will do well to beat Heart Wood over that distance on Sunday.

Yep, ratings would suggest that
Imo if Firefox wins or is a close enough 2nd to Heartwood, then that would be fine for connections at this stage of the season.

[SeanRock]

Have taken a stab at the 66/1 about Staffordshire Knot for the BANC before his run tomorrow at Fairyhouse, he has solid form in the book behind the likes of Brighterdaysahead over hurdles last year & is very much bred to be better over fences being a Shantou out of an Oscar mare.

The formline with Brighterdaysahead looks solid now, even to lesser extent the form with Groovykindoflovw got franked last week, happy to put a line through his Punchestown run as he seemed to be overcooked as can often happen at that meeting.

Elliott/Gigginstown seems to be plotting Stellar Story & Croke Park for handicaps given they’ll have two runs already after the weekend so maybe connections have higher hopes for this fella going chasing.

[Lobos]

Best Novice Chasing performance of the season by a long way from TJM. Jumped them silly. BP and Harry were both very bullish about him and we know why now. Reminds me very much of Mr Mulligan who went on to finish 2nd in the BANC and then win the GC. He must have a big chance of adding to the English cracking record in the race.

[Fouroverthrutwo]

I think this too.

I think he can go from the front like The Real Whacker, jump like a stag, and put others jumping under pressure.

I was dead against The Real Whacker. Lesson learnt though.

I think this three. Very exuberant over the first few fences and then very bold at a few later on. Hopefully the experience will be invaluable and he can become a little smarter over his fences moving forward. I'd love to see him in the BANC on good to soft ground around the old course.

[Yosser]

Have taken a stab at the 66/1 about Staffordshire Knot for the BANC before his run tomorrow at Fairyhouse, he has solid form in the book behind the likes of Brighterdaysahead over hurdles last year & is very much bred to be better over fences being a Shantou out of an Oscar mare.

The formline with Brighterdaysahead looks solid now, even to lesser extent the form with Groovykindoflovw got franked last week, happy to put a line through his Punchestown run as he seemed to be overcooked as can often happen at that meeting.

Elliott/Gigginstown seems to be plotting Stellar Story & Croke Park for handicaps given they’ll have two runs already after the weekend so maybe connections have higher hopes for this fella going chasing.

Has Staffordshire Knot always been Gigginstown? I miss some really silly things sometimes in amongst trying to keep track of everything I hadn't even considered him to be honest. I like the angle though. I will use today as a watching brief because defeat for a few of them today will have different ramifications and market movements.

[ComplyOrDie]

Has Staffordshire Knot always been Gigginstown? I miss some really silly things sometimes in amongst trying to keep track of everything I hadn't even considered him to be honest. I like the angle though. I will use today as a watching brief because defeat for a few of them today will have different ramifications and market movements.

No, he was Caldwell Construction.

They got him at the dispersal sale.

[Yosser]

No, he was Caldwell Construction.

They got him at the dispersal sale.

ahhhhh yes. In my (irregularly warped) mind i have a mental image of small yellow and black squares but not the Donnelly ones. I am a barnpot sometimes. Now you have said it, it makes sense. I still had no idea Gigginstown had bought him though. It's interesting as you would probably think Gordon persuaded them too thinking he would make a good chaser.

[jrjr]

Looks like the money is coming for IEP today, if he wins (and does it convincingly) then he could put himself in the frame for the BANC.

In the latest Mullins interview, Wille said he'd let his best chasers (name checked Ballyburn, IEP, and It's for Me) run and let them dictate their races. It’s For Me wouldn’t strike me as a BANC horse and it seems Ballyburn will be campaigned over 2M for now.

Just gathering my thoughts reallly - a few doubles with IEP in the BANC and Bally/ITP/It’s For Me might be a sensible option.

[Quevega]

The betting for the first at Fairyhouse looks like all connections know that IEP will be given an easy lead and no one will challenge.
We'll see how it pans out.

[Quevega]

maybe they knew waterford was gonna be pulled also. NR

[Yosser]

The further he went the better he got. He is no 2 miler

[HoldenTheReins]

The further he went the better he got. He is no 2 miler

I think he'd be better with pace to aim at, 2 miler

[Quevega]

Definitely settles nicely for a longer trip.
Other Mullins horse led him out also, so being in behind probably better for longer trips also

[darlojim]

2m or 3m

He could do either

Electric turn of foot when asked for a little bit

Plenty to work on