2017 Champion Chase

[Kevloaf]

Valsuer Lido will probably end up in the wrong race again. Gigginstown will definitely have an entry in it and he has placed over that trip twice? I can see Road To Riches in the betting and can only think of Outlander who is down there on the list too actually that would run. R2R would need to improve massively in my humble on about the last 4 or 5 runs to be anywhere near consideration.

[paz247]

CF for the World Hurdle? Does your friend know something we don't? They always said he was a scopey, chasing type and the King George was too far?

Just something he's watched in the way the horse has raced Kevloaf, he's been saying it since his supreme win, who knows, we all have our different thoughts

[Istabraq]

Don't get me started on Champagne Fever, a fantastic horse ruined so others in the yard ran in their preferred races.
The horse should have been in the Potato race the year he won the Supreme, they only ran CF in the race because connections had Ballycasey for the Potato race only for Ballycasey to pulll out lame on the day of the race.
CF beat Jezki, MTOY and Dodging Bullets over an inadequate trip, probably one of the best renewals in years, proving how versatile and talented the horse was for me and that win gave connections the excuse to keep the horse at 2m so they ran him in the Arkle.
Everyone had his King George effort down as that of a non stayer, the horse was pulling Ruby for over a mile and just wouldn't settle, I think that's because he'd been trained for 2m efforts so was used to traveling quicker than 3m pace and just refused to settle, so connections never tried him over the trip he needs again, for me this is because they have Djakadam amongst others and they don;t like their horses competing against each other.
As for the WH, I have no doubts he'll get the trip and if fit would have a hell of a chance, but if Faugheen, Annie Power and VVM make March fit and well one of them will be heading for the WH ahead of CF who will probably end up lumping 12st in the 3m handicap chase on day one and get chinned by something off 10st.
A horse who, in my opinion, should have won an RSA and Gold cup....

[cwright23]

Think we all get caught up in the willie Mullins bandwagon a little to much trying to second guess him 6 months out to get a horse at 4/1 instead of 6/5 that might still not be good enough on the day to win.. The "without" market can be very tasty in the run up to the festival especially if the books have for example vatour at evens for the Ryanair even though it's still not his confirmed target and you fancy one at 25/1 in the without market.. Vatour gets injured or re routed and your horse halves in price without coming out of his box.. Or if vatour does run and yours comes a brave second you win as the winner

[jono]

Be very interesting how they campaign Vautour this season. On the face of it the King George would be the logical mid season target however Willie was pretty clear straight after his Ryanair win this year that that race had taken his toll a lot more than he expected and it completely bottomed him. It took a hell of a long time to get him back, with it being touch and go for him running at the festival because of that race* It would be brave to run him in the same race again this year.

Staying in Ireland taking in the Lexus could be slightly easier opposition but the ground is often a bog so can't see happening, plus Ricci is always keen to see the likes of Vautour and Faugheen over in England.

*that is if you believe what was said and it wasn't just an excuse for why they switched him to the Ryanair for Ruby's benefit..

[mayo]

John Durkan would be obvious race for Vautour if they want a light campaign. Djakadam went there last year. Could switch them.

[Vanilla]

After Annie Power's victory this year Ruby said, ''I was a bit concerned after her last piece of work, but it was Douvan she worked with so maybe I shouldn't have been so concerned''

[Kevloaf]

The confidence behind Douvan is just relentless. In my opinion there isn't any reason to try him over further until he has won the Champion Chase. Kauto Star was 2/1 fav for the CC when he fell before being upped in trip winning the King George and Gold Cup and if this one is as good as they keep saying he'll need to be pretty special over quite a few trips. I get the idea that Ruby wants an absolute superstar to end on and Douvan doing a Champion Chase and Gold Cup could well be it!

Douvan - All in.

[gjt7756]

I won't be backing anything else in this all year until the festival comes and we get the betting without market

[Istabraq]

I won't be backing anything else in this all year until the festival comes and we get the betting without market

That's been my policy for a while.
Only exception is Cross Country and Foxhunters where targets are clear....

[Kevloaf]

I should clarify I won't be putting a bet on Douvan until the day...

[mayo]

Willie- clear as mud


Douvan has done very well and he is very relaxed. Rachel Robbins is looking after him now that Gail Carlisle has gone to America.

"It is just a question as to whether we stay at two miles with him this season or up him to three miles.

"He settles very well and you'd think that he could get three miles but he is so good over two miles, why change it?

"He looks great and like them all, he put on a lot of weight over the summer."

[Kevloaf]

In the same article they seem to be strongly suggesting trhat Un De Sceaux will end up in the Ryanair and Vautour has 'Gold Cup form' so I just cannot see any way at all that Douvan won't be lining up in the Champion Chase.

How often do they turn down a penalty kick?

[KingSprinterSacre]

In the same article they seem to be strongly suggesting trhat Un De Sceaux will end up in the Ryanair and Vautour has 'Gold Cup form' so I just cannot see any way at all that Douvan won't be lining up in the Champion Chase.

How often do they turn down a penalty kick?

It certainly is not a penalty kick. While special he is, beating up on Sizing John and taking on Sprinter Sacre are two very different things.
Everything is in douvan favour as Sprinter will be 11 come Cheltenham. Hoping Sprinter can hold his form this year but in my eyes he is the greatest 2miler ever. Douvan looks an absolute beast and is in my top few favourite horses, but only 1 can hold your heart - I will be there in March again hoping to see something magical. We'll get it from one of the two, just hope its Sprinter one last time.

[Morning Glory]

It certainly is not a penalty kick. While special he is, beating up on Sizing John and taking on Sprinter Sacre are two very different things.
Everything is in douvan favour as Sprinter will be 11 come Cheltenham. Hoping Sprinter can hold his form this year but in my eyes he is the greatest 2miler ever. Douvan looks an absolute beast and is in my top few favourite horses, but only 1 can hold your heart - I will be there in March again hoping to see something magical. We'll get it from one of the two, just hope its Sprinter one last time.

Sprinter still has a chance at 11 imo. He has been lightly raced over the last few seasons. It is funny with these horses though - Moscow was a shadow of his previous brillance in his last season.