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2026 Champion Chase

Was just talking visually about him. Brooksie ain't that bad a yardstick though.
He went into that race 135 and was put up to 149, annihalated at Punchestown but Majborough did that to them all but he came back to HQ a couple of weeks ago and was well behind Calico.
He's clearly a talented horse but I wouldn't be using him as a yardstick when talking champion chase candidates.

I see Kalif has drifted to 2/1 today, presumably doubts about the ground, though that might look a great price if they get decent rain in the next couple of hours and he takes his chance....
 
I reckon he'll love the ground. Probably down to punters thinking JPR being straighter and Skelton's being super fit. No excuses though. He has to beat those even if he isn't 100%. He should be fit enough though if they are thinking Tingle Creek next. That's only 4 weeks away and he'll not be doing very much after today.
 
I reckon he'll love the ground. Probably down to punters thinking JPR being straighter and Skelton's being super fit. No excuses though. He has to beat those even if he isn't 100%. He should be fit enough though if they are thinking Tingle Creek next. That's only 4 weeks away and he'll not be doing very much after today.
We don't know what the ground is, it was on the quick side of good yesterday, could be good, good to soft or outright soft by 2.25...
 
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Top weight or not, that was an absolute hiding.

Form maybe not all that after all!
 
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Well, that was desperate from Kalif. Never looked happy.
 
PN can’t make much of a defence of that , weight or no weight looked out on his feet. Good performance from the winner
 
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Well, that was desperate from Kalif. Never looked happy.

The start of a Jack Richards campaign for him then!

Knew he would lose as I used him in three roll ups, and my strike rate this season is beyond dreadful.

I had a lot of success last year, I don't even want to read the figure this time around!
 
Winner not a bad buy from the Skelton yard, got the horse for peanuts.
 
The start of a Jack Richards campaign for him then!

Knew he would lose as I used him in three roll ups, and my strike rate this season is beyond dreadful.

I had a lot of success last year, I don't even want to read the figure this time around!
😂😂

Roll ups are definitely a ticket to the poor house.

Makes life easier for Maj . One less to beat.
 
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33-1 looks a much more realistic price for Kalif now IMO
a forgivable run at this stage.
 
33-1 looks a much more realistic price for Kalif now IMO
a forgivable run at this stage.
Yep. That can't be his running surely. Definitely wouldn't be topping up on him though !
 
Big ambitions were held for Grade 1-winning novice Kalif Du Berlais, but he looked out of his comfort zone a long way out.

"He travelled fine and jumped okay but the writing was on the wall at the last down the back," said Harry Cobden. "He looked like he wanted a trip there. That's horses for you – they make you look silly when you think you're going to win."

Gold Cup Horse now then....😂
 
Had a quick look at the Haldon Cup, Kalif will have to be a very very good horse (still 5) to beat JPR today at the weights, and being top weight! Plus nicholls wantijng a bit more rain for him

That's a lot against him today

Backed Kalif antepost for QM, and I do want him to win today to put him self forward as a champion chaser.

The importance of having a prep run and the race is the target

Expected this to be a tough one, going by the weights, and first time out, to weight and all that

the money game in hard for the winner and Harry rode he well from the front. Gave the rest, 1st time out, no chance to get into rhythm or breather

Kalif would need to run well next time out though to stand a chance in March. Tingle Creek? Hmmm against some proper good, experienced horses.

I’ve already on at 20/1, I wouldn’t want to add to that but a lesson for next year, don’t need to back these types before 1st run as risk of defeat and price going out
 
He's Gone from this....

"Now we only hope he can reach the next level, and the idea is to run in the Haldon Gold Cup in early-November, and I hope he will be lining up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham come March. I don’t want to over-hype the horse, but I have never hidden the high regard in which I hold him and he could have the chasing world at his feet".

To him needing to go up in trip cos he was outpaced by handicappers.
If I owned him I'd be asking serious questions myself.
Like "What the fuck have you been watching on the gallops"

IMO he was too bad to be true, and if he ran like that over any trip then he'd get beat similar.
So any improvement next time will be due to him being in better shape or form for whatever reason.

I had took the 33-1 but have now handed that back for now.
Quite happy he's not running in the tingle creek as that potentially could have really made their mind up.
I'll wait for a while and see what they do next.
 
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When he first hit the racecourse he said he was a future Gold Cup horse and that we would see him in a Kauto Star.

Champion Hurdle horse next season.
 

Quilixios

He was running a big race in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March when he came down at the final fence. He didn’t run again after that last season, but he seems to be in really good form at home now. He’s working well. He's aiming for Leopardstown at Christmas.
 
Nice little race that in the 15:02

Inthepocket
Champ Kiely
Ile Atlantique
Only By Night

I think Inthepocket wasnt 100% right last season and feel that weight advantage will come into play here
I thought Champ Kiely was more of a 3 miler tbh, and could be using this as a opener. Want to see more from Only By Night before I back her this season.

I think Ile Atlantique is Willie 2 miler in this race, the DRF coming too soon after his win. Think he's the one to back in this race