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Fortria Chase Navan

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  • Fortria Chase Navan

    Presume Sizing/ Realt Dubh dont go?

    A match between old guy in Big Zeb and new kid in Flemenstar?

    Murphy positive about Zebby but cant see him winning myself...

    Colm Murphy is delighted with the current condition of his veteran Big Zeb ahead of Sunday's Irish Form Book Fortria Chase at Navan.

    Now an 11-year-old, Big Zeb has won the Grade Two contest for the last three years, along with the 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase and five other Grade Ones.

    His form dropped off slightly last term and it appeared that age was catching up with him towards the end of the season, but Murphy has never been happier with him at this stage of a campaign.

    "He seems very well and it will be nice to get him started again," said Murphy on At The Races.

    "It's going to be very competitive for Zeb this year. He seems well and we'll be disappointed if he can't put up a really good show.

    "It's been a very lucky race for him, he's won it three times and it will be nice to go back there but I suppose it depends what's in it.

    "We're going there hopeful. I can say he's never been better but he's never been 11 before so we're hoping for a nice run."

  • #2
    Tony Keenan against Flemenstar.

    In the likely absence of Sizing Europe, Flemenstar will be a warm order in the Fortria but while he was visually impressive last term I doubt the form value of beating the likes of Lambro, Gift Of Dgab, Frisco Depot and Rathlin. Consequently, he's worth laying at a short price as there's enough in the field to beat him with Big Zeb, Blazing Tempo and Realt Dubh (who travelled notably well before a mistake a second last in the JNWine.com Chase) all possible runners.
    Has Lucky William had a setback ?

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    • #3
      Opposing last years novices not wise this year !

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      • #4
        Paddy Power:Flemenstar (4/5) , Realt Dubh (3) , Big Zeb (5) , Foildubh (8) , Mr Cracker (25)

        Realt Dubh a bet or too soon after Down Royal ?

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        • #5
          Peter Casey has stressed that the Irish Form Book Fortria Chase at Navan on Sunday is a starting point for his flagship horse Flemenstar.

          The County Meath trainer is hoping the seven-year-old is fit enough to do himself justice in the Grade Two contest, in which he will meet Big Zeb, winner of this race for the last three years.

          Casey is happy to give Flemenstar his seasonal debut on the same card as 12 months ago, when he was runner-up to Bog Warrior, with this year's prolific winner Baily Green back in third.

          Flemenstar went the rest of the season unbeaten in five races, culminating in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April.

          "We started him off in the beginners chase here last year when he was second to Bog Warrior. It's great to get him back on the track. This is just the start of the season," said Casey.

          "He's as far as you'd want to have him at the moment anyway, but maybe we would like him a bit more forward. He's not been back with us long. We didn't get him back until quite late. The owner kept him longer at home this year. He's in good form, not a bother on him, and we'll see how we go."

          Big Zeb has been a tremendous servant to Colm Murphy's stable, winning a host of major prizes topped by the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March 2010.

          However, he needs to bounce back from a disappointing final run of the last campaign when he trailed home 20 lengths behind Sizing Europe in third place in Punchestown's Champion Chase, a race he had won 12 months earlier.

          His rider Robbie Power told At The Races: "He's shown plenty of his old spark. I've been down to give him a pop over fences and he's been working well and his preparation has gone well.

          "He's a handy enough horse to get fit. Colm's had him away a couple of times and he's fairly straight. I don't think fitness will be too much of an issue. Flemenstar was a very good novice last season and it looks a very hot race."

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          • #6
            . Flemenstar returns in the Fortria Chase on Sunday, takes on Big Zeb, 11-year-old Big Zeb trying to win the race for the fourth straight year. I can say that he has never been in better form, said Colm Murphy, but I can also say that he has never been 11 before. Or something.

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            • #7
              One for Big Zeb here

              The overriding theme at the beginning of this jumps season has been one of change. It was quite clear even before the retirement of Kauto Star that a new generation of young chasers was coming and this suspicion has been confirmed through the first heavyweight bouts of the season.

              Stablemates Kauto Stone and Silviniaco Conti, both only six and both having their second season over fences in Britain, were impressive in their respective races, while Cue Card, also just a six-year-old, produced a taking display on his seasonal debut in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last week.

              Yet you'd struggle to name a novice chaser more impressive than Peter Casey's Flemenstar last year and he kicks off his season today in the Grade Two Fortria Chase at Navan. The son of Flemensfirth won five of his six starts over fences last season, which included two Grade One events by a combined winning margin of 30 lengths.

              The seven-year-old is a short favourite to begin his campaign with a win today but his trainer has already warned that his charge is not yet operating at 100 per cent and for that reason it may well be worth backing Big Zeb to get one back for the older brigade.

              Colm Murphy's horse, now entering his eighth season, disappointed in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham and in the equivalent event back at Punchestown, but he has won the last three renewals of this race, each on his seasonal debut, and in contrast to Flemenstar, was reported to be working really well this week.

              It's a bit of a surprise to see Realt Dubh make a quick return to action after a gruelling test of his stamina on his first attempt at three miles at Down Royal last week and for that reason he may be best watched here. He and Flemenstar are the two to concentrate on for the long term of this season but Big Zeb, a six-time Grade One winner over this distance, may prove a tough nut to crack on this occasion.
              Coming around to backing him. You would imagine Murphy should have him tuned to last for this - as Nicholls had Kauto Star in Betfair last year- There arent going to be that many prizes within his reach at 11.

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              • #8
                Hope Big Zeb wins but no bet here.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sprinter View Post
                  Hope Big Zeb wins but no bet here.
                  Yep. Dont think Voler did much to advertise Big Zeb there.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Navanman View Post
                    Has Lucky William had a setback ?
                    Yep.

                    Lucky William, a Grade One-winning novice chaser at the Punchestown Festival, will not be in action until the second half of the season.
                    Trained by Tom Cooper, the eight-year-old unseated his rider in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham but finished the season with a valuable win at Fairyhouse before lowering the colours of the likes of Blackstairmountain, First Lieutenant and Menorah in the Ryanair Novice Chase.With a handicap mark of 148 and some classy chasers around in Ireland, Cooper feels he may struggle to place him when he does return to action.

                    "He won't be back until the second half of the season," said Cooper.

                    "He got laid up a couple of weeks ago and it's just set him back.

                    "It could be tough for him this season as we've got the likes of Flemenstar and Sir Des Champs who are second season chasers."

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