2026 Novice Chasers

[Killiney]

Wendigo today is a classic case of what I believe is bookmakers over reaction and where I think we forum members still have a opportunity of value, if the fundamentals of the horse etc remain the same, or better

Has Wendigo’s chance to win the BANC really reduced after today?…….does he warrant the drift from 25/1 to 33/1?…..I don’t think so and here’s why;

- first run of the season - fitness
- first run in public over fences - experience
- over 1/2 mile less than the BANC (the same thing happened with GDC’s price last year after being beaten over an inadequate trip)
- over 1/2 mile less than where he ran a cracking race in last years potato race and flagged himself as a BANC horse this year
- todays track verses Cheltenham.
- not given a hard race - better races, kudos and prize money later in the season including BANC

Wendigo appeared to jump ok today?.., seemed to cruise most the way and maybe would have won if sent on earlier?…, so what’s he done wrong (apart from win) to his chances of winning the BANC?

If you fancied him before for the BANC, then I’d say stick and maybe have a bit of the 33/1 while it lasts!

I could not agree more - I will be reinforcing my interest.

 

[Istabraq]

The English have a pretty decent record in both the Arkle and especially the BANC so don't be one (Irish) dimensional

The Irish domination kicked in what, 10-12 years ago ?
For me they will always be the starting point in G1s especially novice races, of course it will change one day and we’ll adjust but for now I’m focussing over the water.
The Arkle has basically been Hendo and Ireland for years, I remember Alan King used to have plenty of success with mov chasers but he appears more flat focussed these days, the BANC has been shared around but Mullins has still won it more than anyone else in recent years…

 

[Eggs]

….Gordon Elliott;

Honesty Policy;
‘He’s a horse we like plenty. We have the option of staying hurdling or going chasing, but it hasn’t been discussed with his owner yet. He progressed really nicely last season and has all the promise to do even better this season whichever route he takes.’

Romeo Coolio;
‘He seems to be in great form and he’s going to go novice chasing. He always jumped his hurdles like a chaser in the making and his schooling over fences has really pleased us. I’d say we’ll start him off at a mid-range trip and see from there.’

The Wallpark;
‘He progressed really well last season, but ultimately came up a little short at the highest level of staying hurdles. We’re going to go novice chasing with him this season and he should win plenty of races.’

Wingmen;
‘He’s going novice chasing. His schooling over fences has been good and he looks like one for two-and-a-half miles or further.’

 

[BuckingThe Trend]

I can't help thinking Romeo Coolio is just a bit short of the very best novices. Always seems to find one better in the top races. Chasing may be the making of him but might he be one to consider for the new 2m4f Novice Handicap Chase on the Thursday won by Caldwell Potter this year. Caldwell Potter (OR 151) and Romeo Coolio (OR 150) novice hurdling form is very very similar.

Edit : Just spotted Wayward Lad has put a similar point up.

Romeo Coolio;
‘He seems to be in great form and he’s going to go novice chasing. He always jumped his hurdles like a chaser in the making and his schooling over fences has really pleased us. I’d say we’ll start him off at a mid-range trip and see from there.’

 

[Can't Catch Me]

Have backed Romeo Coolio at 33/1 for the BANC today. Been struggling to find much value this year... some truly shocking prices around. But this looks too big to my eyes. I think he's been crying out for a step up in trip and think its quite impressive what he managed to achieve over 2m considering everything about his breeding suggests 3m will be the making of him. Personally think he will be too good for the handicap.

Drinmore be a nice target for him and from there I can only see him going out in trip rather than coming back to 2m.

 

[Lobos]

Have backed Romeo Coolio at 33/1 for the BANC today. Been struggling to find much value this year... some truly shocking prices around. But this looks too big to my eyes. I think he's been crying out for a step up in trip and think its quite impressive what he managed to achieve over 2m considering everything about his breeding suggests 3m will be the making of him. Personally think he will be too good for the handicap.

Drinmore be a nice target for him and from there I can only see him going out in trip rather than coming back to 2m.

Looks the only race for him doesn't it. He's not winning an Arkle so it's BANC or nowt.

 

[Can't Catch Me]

'Starting at the mid range trip' comment has sealed the deal.

 

[BuckingThe Trend]

I personally would not dismiss the Jack Richards Handicap Chase for Romeo Coolio. Caldwell Potter had very similar form and rating to Romeo Coolio over hurdles. Looks made for it to me.

 

[Wayward Lad]

Have backed Romeo Coolio at 33/1 for the BANC today. Been struggling to find much value this year... some truly shocking prices around. But this looks too big to my eyes. I think he's been crying out for a step up in trip and think its quite impressive what he managed to achieve over 2m considering everything about his breeding suggests 3m will be the making of him. Personally think he will be too good for the handicap.

Drinmore be a nice target for him and from there I can only see him going out in trip rather than coming back to 2m.

The Cheltenham bumper has produced some BANC winners recently with Fact to File a couple of years ago second and in the same bumper, Lecky Watson fourth

 

[Lobos]

I personally would not dismiss the Jack Richards Handicap Chase for Romeo Coolio. Caldwell Potter had very similar form and rating to Romeo Coolio over hurdles. Looks made for it to me.

He'd have to have a relatively poor season running up to the Fez to run in it but yes, a possibility for sure. Firefox springs to mind.

 

[Can't Catch Me]

I personally would not dismiss the Jack Richards Handicap Chase for Romeo Coolio. Caldwell Potter had very similar form and rating to Romeo Coolio over hurdles. Looks made for it to me.

Agreed. If he disappoints in the early season Graded races, I'll be considering him for this without doubt.

 

[Runragged]

The fear of handicaps makes ante post betting so much harder, especially on novice chasers who have the option of their own handicap or taking on more experienced rivals and where they have such good records. Wendigo getting beat by a 127 rated hurdler off level weights only increases the chances of handicaps. The fact we are also discussing a 150 rated novice hurdler as a potential for handicaps shouldn't really be happening but after the win of Caldwell Potter last year then it has to be considered and factored in.

 

[Eggs]

….HdB,

Workahead likely to stay over hurdles;
‘He came back sore after his run in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. We’ll bring him along steadily and I’d say he won’t run until January. We might keep him over hurdles for this season given he’s going to have a shortened season.’

Good N’Kind;
‘He’s a nice horse and we like him. He had a little issue before Christmas, so that shortened last season for him, and he was a bit late winning his maiden hurdle. He summered very well, and the plan is for him to go novice chasing. He could start off as early as this coming weekend at Galway as long as there is a good ease in it. He’ll be one that should stay three miles.’

July Flower;
‘She was deadly the other day, we were delighted with her. She jumped brilliant, she really attacked her fences. It makes me wonder if we were running her over the wrong trip last season! I wouldn’t be opposed to dropping her back to two miles based on what she did the other day. She could take on the boys next in the Arkle Trial at the November Meeting at Cheltenham. That will give us a very good guide as to where she is.’

Sky Lord;
‘He didn’t run his race in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but he has come back in great form this season and we’re going novice chasing with him. He’s built like a chaser, and he likes a good dig in the ground. We’ll look to get him started in the coming weeks. He works with plenty of pace.’

The Big Westerner;
‘She looks great and is training well. She’s going novice chasing and we have our eye on a mares’ maiden chase at Cork in late-November to get her started. She looks the type that will improve for a fence and she’s exciting.’

 

[Wayward Lad]

The ‘Beast from the North’ called Derryhassen Paddy is declared to run next Thursday at Newcastle 2.38pm. The first time over fences in public, 3m the trip.

He’s apparently schooled well, is a big old unit, has ability and tenacity based upon his hurdling campaign last season, so worth a watch methinks

BANC maybe a bit sharp for him ?

2027 Gold Cup winner ?

 

[Eggs]

The ‘Beast from the North’ called Derryhassen Paddy is declared to run next Thursday at Newcastle 2.38pm. The first time over fences in public, 3m the trip.

He’s apparently schooled well, is a big old unit, has ability and tenacity based upon his hurdling campaign last season, so worth a watch methinks

BANC maybe a bit sharp for him ?

2027 Gold Cup winner ?

….i’d think he’d be the best from this side of the Irish Sea.

 

[Wayward Lad]

….i’d think he’d be the best from this side of the Irish Sea.

Agree

We had some big old prices about him for the potato race last year didn’t we Eggs (100/1?) so best we support him this year in a sphere he maybe even better suited to

 

[Eggs]

FINAL DEMAND​

It’s very difficult for a five-year-old point-to-pointer to come here and have the season he did last term. To me that’s huge so I’m hoping there’s a fair bit of improvement in him this year because of that. He’s had a summer’s grass, and everything has been right and he looks like one for the staying division over fences. He jumps well and I’d imagine he’s a Brown Advisory horse. We’ll start him off where we start him off but will be edging up in trip as the season goes by unless he’s a super sharp jumper. But looking at it I think he’s a stayer. It was a great performance at Cheltenham by The New Lion and we were happy with our guy in third. And the two horses are going in a different direction which is good for us. Mine is a huge, big horse, over 17 hands I think, a big, strong galloping horse. He’s everything you want in a three-mile chaser.

KOPEK DES BORDES​

When he won the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham it was a very poignant moment, but it was also a fantastic performance from the horse. What I loved was the way he handled Cheltenham. I’m thinking of going down the novice chase route, he’s a fine, big chasing type. People are asking me ‘are you not going down the Champion Hurdle route’ and if things don’t work out over fences maybe we could think about that But just to look at him he looks like a novice chaser, and you’d have to think the Arkle would be the route for him. We’ll start him out over fences and I’m not too worried about the trip the first day but as he hopefully progresses up the ladder then we’ll come back to two miles. To me that will be his trip down the line. He’s an amazing horse; he just has such huge raw ability. Do we know really how much is there? I know he fluffed his lines a bit at Punchestown at the end of the season, but I’ll forgive any horse that.

KOPECK DE MEE​

He’s going to go novice chasing. I think he can go any trip, but I’d imagine we’ll keep to the minimum for the time being. He does some nice work at home and can improve, though he still needs to prove it on the racetrack.

 

[Lobos]

Final Demand

"We’ll start him off where we start him off but will be edging up in trip as the season goes by unless he’s a super sharp jumper."

Willie loves to tease us.....

 

[Eggs]

SALVATOR MUNDI​

While his rating is only 156, Salvator Mundi has been very impressive on the days when things have gone really right for him. I can see him improving enough to be a Champion Hurdle horse, but the other option is to go chasing and look at him as an Arkle prospect. He can be very immature and difficult to ride but could possibly raise his game over fences.

 

[Lobos]

Burdett Road....

“He’s come out of Kempton really well and he’s actually schooled over a fence for the first time since, so we’ve got that angle now and we could go chasing with him,” said Owen.

“It’s a real possibility and at the minute we are thinking of going for the two-mile novice chase at the November meeting.

“He ran well at Kempton and Rubaud is of course very good round there and it was a little bit tactical but he ran really well "

JO