2025 Novice Chasers

[Lobos]

BANC:

Ballyburn (IRE)
Better Days Ahead (IRE)
Dancing City (FR)
Gorgeous Tom (IRE)
Haiti Couleurs (FR)
Lecky Watson (IRE)
Quai de Bourbon (FR)
Stellar Story (IRE)
The Changing Man (IRE)

No Croke Park.

Perhaps one or both of Haiti Couleurs and TCM will take their chances??

[ComplyOrDie]

Perhaps one or both of Haiti Couleurs and TCM will take their chances??

Connections have mentioned TCM could come here, to be fair. I wonder if they'll roll the dice.

[Quevega]

Well all the changes didn't work did they

Banc is still a small field. Going to be 5 or 6 runners most likely

the changes have simply meant we dont get to see impaire et passe and croke park at the festival

can they change the 2m4f race back to a grade 1 for next year please.

Would have been lovely seeing them beat by an odds on Ballyburn again wouldn’t it ?

[Quevega]

Connections have mentioned TCM could come here, to be fair. I wonder if they'll roll the dice.

be just like them

[DonnyBoy]

Maybe Croke Park is going for the Novice Handicap Chase. Its the only enrty left for it.

[Lobos]

Connections have mentioned TCM could come here, to be fair. I wonder if they'll roll the dice.

Yep, HC the same. Race isn't that deep so they might.

[Quevega]

Yep, HC the same. Race isn't that deep so they might.

It’s deep enough for them to be 8th and 9th in the betting in a field of 9.

[FinalFurlong91]

Would have been lovely seeing them beat by an odds on Ballyburn again wouldn’t it ?

That's what's going to happen in the BANC anyway

[Lobos]

It’s deep enough for them to be 8th and 9th in the betting in a field of 9.

BANC has produced some odd results over the years. Plenty of semi shock winners.

[Ice]

BANC:

Ballyburn (IRE)
Better Days Ahead (IRE)
Dancing City (FR)
Gorgeous Tom (IRE)
Haiti Couleurs (FR)
Lecky Watson (IRE)
Quai de Bourbon (FR)
Stellar Story (IRE)
The Changing Man (IRE)

No Croke Park.

Gutted about croke park, had him at 100/1, even if he hadn't won I'd have been smug just seeing him in the race at a fraction of that price !

[Istabraq]

BANC has produced some odd results over the years. Plenty of semi shock winners.

Has it ?
I can't think of a rogue winner...

[Quevega]

That's what's going to happen in the BANC anyway

Lobos says it's got depth

And with the NH chase available also, what do you think then happens to the likes of Stellar Story and Lecky Watson ?
There are Not enough good horses fullstop - so having four races to split them up in for the bigger stables would just dilute.

This year, with the usual injuries (which happen every year) and dominant horses (also common) in a sparsely populated arena we would have had 4 races of fields of around four or five runners with odds on favourites in them all.

We'll likely end up with 2 races with just one or two extra runners and strong favourites but at least the replacement races are more competitive.

[Eggs]

….the dream lives on nortonscoin200, 100-1 Lecky

[Burrough Hill Man]

With Croke Park out I'm trying to see where the early pace will come from. Lecky Watson has led in both his starts so will probably take it up. I can't help feel it will be a modest pace though and can see Ballyburn tucking in but taking a keen hold.
Can see it benefitting a horse with a kick such as Gorgeous Tom and have added him to my small list of fancies

[nortonscoin200]

….the dream lives on nortonscoin200, 100-1 Lecky

Really looking forward to seeing how he gets on Eggs.

Last season over hurdles he pulled hard and was held up but imagine they'll let him bowl along in front (like he did in his two previous chase runs) and he could take some passing if it turns into a slugfest.

He's second top rated behind Ballyburn on rprs and it'll be interesting to see who gets the ride.

Paul is the only jockey to have won on him (record of 1121) but he'll not doubt be on Ballyburn and I imagine Danny will ride Dancing City as he did in the AB last year. Could be Brian Hayes who rode Lecky in the Bartlett.

Be great if he makes the frame and at least that objective no longer has the ring of cloud cuckoo land.

Bring it on......