Ryanair Chase 2018

[Gibbo82]

Looking at the weather in the forecast there could be a bit of give in the ground, this has to suit UDS?

[ComplyOrDie]

Looking at the weather in the forecast there could be a bit of give in the ground, this has to suit UDS?

And Waiting Patiently?

[Gibbo82]

Do we think WP turns up here only if there is soft in the description?

[Robbante]

I don’t think they want to run Waiting Patiently. They obviously have a path marked out for him, and with the King George the stated aim they possibly think he could make into a gold cup horse. If that’s the case then fair enough not caring about the Ryanair. If it’s soft and he’s in good form they might take it in, but on good to soft, with it not being a priority, I don’t think they’ll run

[BigChaang]

I get the impression that the Festival is'nt the be all and end all for the Trainer / owner . and yes , looking at the Bigger picture ,
maybe the K.george is their goal , for now any way.

[squiggsy68]

I'd be very surprised if WP turned up regardless of the ground , they seem to have concerns about undulations and they're never going to go away.

They have concerns about his joints, and I suspect they have an idea how many races he might be able to take over his whole career if he's looked after properly. I suspect he'll turn up at Chelt before he's finished (assuming all stays well with him) but not this season.

[charlie]

I've gone in again on Balko Des Flos. It's a shame WP is unlikely to turn up but good for my bets as he wins if he goes

[Bigfish]

Un de Sceaux has become a Cheltenham banker for me now. Conditions will be perfect for him. No contest.

[jono]

If it's soft ground at this years festival and they still don't run Waiting Patiently...i think they are mad are seriously question the ambitions for this year.

Don't get me wrong I completely respect the decision to bypass the festival if the ground goes against him but he would have had the perfect prep, beating half the Ryanair field already and ground to suit. Sure the festival isn't the "be all and end all", but where else do they run? Aintree and Punchestown would have ground against him. Yes the King George is in their minds (and i'm very keen on him for it on the basis the ground may never be good enough for Might Bite to excel there) but running at Cheltenham on ground that is ok for the horse would surely have no detrimental effect on it's chances?

And importantly for me are they then always going to ignore Cheltenham? If they see him as a King George horse / 3 miler then the Gold Cup HAS to be the main aim at some point in his career. I just don't think you can ignore it. Certainly not unless you get proven that it just isn't suitable after several attempts (i.e Silviniaco Conti). And if that is the case - it would be a massive worry that they would be going into the Gold Cup almost certainly with no experience at the track or festival (never ran at any major festival).

If they see no detrimental reasons for the horses wellbeing then it is absolutely the ideal time to run him at the festival and see if he is suited to the course and festival. To just sidestep the festival because they are not too fussed about the race is crazy imo.

[FaugheenTheMachine]

Brian Hughes has just said on ATR he can’t see Waiting Patiently will go, they’ll wait for the flat track at Aintree

[Bigfish]

I believe that they are respecting Malcolm Jefferson's wish and honouring it. If he had agreed with the owners a plan for WP which he expressed no doubt before his death then It wouldn't be retracted now.

[jono]

I believe that they are respecting Malcolm Jefferson's wish and honouring it. If he had agreed with the owners a plan for WP which he expressed no doubt before his death then It wouldn't be retracted now.

Thats more than fair enough. There will obviously have been plenty of talk behind the scenes between connections and if there was a wish to do so from Malcolm then I think that's the right call. Though I didn't seem to get a major reservation bar the ground concerns before his death though from the media interviews / snippets myself but that doesn't mean much!

I just think it's a mistake not to try out Cheltenham at this stage. If they never end up going to the festival with him then it's probably irrelevant but I think the Gold Cup will come into play over the next 2 years and be almost impossible to resist and that they may regret not getting festival experience into him

[Scooby91]

I just have to mention that the "PROFESSIONAL" tips of balko des flos in this that seems to be coming out everywhere. has made his price horrendous. He's this year's empire of dirt. He will continue to shorten further. And he's absolutely no chance of winning here. He will however only shorten up further and further.

[Faugheen_Machine]

He's a horrible price.

I keep seeing pundits using last year's JLT as a reason to back him. Yes, he was still traveling well when he came down but it was 3 fences out, and they were all still in contention.

If he was 20/1+ I could understand people latching on to him but not at 7/1 (and shorter).

[Can't Catch Me]

Couldn't agree more chaps!