2017 Arkle Trophy Chase

[Istabraq]

Broken just about every ante post rule I ever set myself and hit Altior at 5s.
We know this horse is special, we have to assume he can jump fences and if this one makes it to Cheltenham he'll be close to Evs on the day.
When the Champion Hurdle market starts getting populated I'll cover the Arkle bet with a few quid on this race just in case he doesn't jump and they re-route him mid season...

[Faugheen_Machine]

The racing post have some quotes from NJH. Basically says he thinks he could be a champion hurdle horse but if they don't go over fences now they never will. I have rather more invested than I am comfortable with but can't see anything that has the same class, providing he takes to fences

[gjt7756]

So if all goes well for altior over fences then are we safely assuming that yorkhill goes for the JLT, the current double on that pays 27/1 with betfair, only 21's with paddy power who have altior as short as 7/2 already

[billymag]

You know where you heard it first lads lol ;-)

[jono]

Top information billymag Just seen the announcement on Altior...just what I wanted to hear. So excited to see this one over fences

[Istabraq]

Bet 365 into 4s now, still 5s available with Hills and Victor...

[Vanilla]

Brilliant news.

Hopefully all goes well over the winter and he lines up in The Arkle

[Kevloaf]

I got on the Altior / Yorkhill double when billymag broke the news (basically the same as my Min / Yorkhill double) so thanks for that. I've also hit the 5s with a single bet and had the double with Douvan.

If Min turns up hell be a solid each way price in my opinion buton the day, if Altior is evens I can see myself doubling every bet I have that day on. Absolute banker material. As good as if thistlecrack was going for the world hurdle.

[Kevloaf]

BetVictor are still 41/1 for the Altior, Yorkhill double!

[Kevloaf]

They also have Barters Hill at 20s for the RSA so I have got the treble .... Novice chases boxed off.

[gjt7756]

I love the hype and want to back altior of the boards as well, but for now he's in a few yankees and Canadians and that will do until I see him jump round on his first chase start, would rather take him at a point lower after seeing him jump, altior yorkhill and aux Ptit sons are my only first season chase bets so far

[mayo]

The racing post have some quotes from NJH. Basically says he thinks he could be a champion hurdle horse but if they don't go over fences now they never will. I have rather more invested than I am comfortable with but can't see anything that has the same class, providing he takes to fences

Altior is very prominent in the market for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, being general 7-1 third favourite behind Faugheen, but is set to tread a different path to the Cheltenham Festival.

"We had always hoped he was a bit special and I am glad to say hopes were realised last season," said Henderson, whose exciting High Chaparral gelding is a general 4-1 chance for the Racing Post Arkle.

"We have spent the summer deliberating as to whether he should stay over hurdles with a view to having a look at the Champion, or switch to fences and aim at the Arkle.

"After a lot of thought, discussion and, at times, a lot of indecision, we have decided to take the novice chase route."

Henderson continued: "He is now a six-year-old, rising seven, and if we do not go chasing now I suspect we might never. Second, it was very obvious that he had grown considerably through the summer and although he was always a big horse, he now looks like a chaser, and as much as it would be tempting to see if he was good enough for a Champion Hurdle, which I think he is, we have plumped for fences."

[jono]

Probably the only thing i've seen as a negative on Altior by a few people is the fact he is by High Chaparral, apparently has a poor record over fences? I have pretty much zero knowledge of the breeding/pedigree side of horse racing so can't comment on this angle. Would this be a concern?

[Istabraq]

Novice chases boxed off.

Love that !

[Istabraq]

Probably the only thing i've seen as a negative on Altior by a few people is the fact he is by High Chaparral, apparently has a poor record over fences? I have pretty much zero knowledge of the breeding/pedigree side of horse racing so can't comment on this angle. Would this be a concern?

That'll be a point of debate for some, sure.
NH horses are bred from flat horses so none are specifically bred to jump fences, some horses just adapt better than others so it wouldn't worry me.

And they used to say Monjeur horses couldn't get up the hill !