2022 Cross Country Chase

[Spectre]

I’ve done those 3 in a Yankee with Heaven Help Us!

It looks as though some of us had similar thoughts. 20/1 was much too big to ignore, so I put Balko des Flos in a trixie with Heaven Help Us and Facile Vega.

[Stormez]

It looks as though some of us had similar thoughts. 20/1 was much too big to ignore, so I put Balko des Flos in a trixie with Heaven Help Us and Facile Vega.

Can see us all buying the beers on the Wednesday night now

[Odin]

It looks as though some of us had similar thoughts. 20/1 was much too big to ignore, so I put Balko des Flos in a trixie with Heaven Help Us and Facile Vega.

I added Champ (Stayers) for a Yankee after Sporting John flopped. I know you don't fancy him, but tbh I'd be OK with the other 3 winning/[placing and getting nothing from Champ!

[Overturn]

Do we know if the plan is definitely for shady operator to come here? Just having a trim and cash out of some doubles and have some nice ones with SO involved but seems to have been fairly quiet..

[Silverbirch]

This race is right mess isn't it...

Think we can tempt Urgent De Gregaine out of retirement?

[Istabraq]

Do we know if the plan is definitely for shady operator to come here? Just having a trim and cash out of some doubles and have some nice ones with SO involved but seems to have been fairly quiet..

I may have dreamt it but I thought I heard/read something around the time of his Risk of Thunder win in November that he was either taking in that race or coming to Cheltenham but the end target would be here March.
Given Enda's relationship with Cheltenham I'm sure they'll give the horse a look at the course at some point (if he hasn't already).
Absolutely no question in my mind he is a big player in this...

[Winging The Last]

This race is right mess isn't it...

Think we can tempt Urgent De Gregaine out of retirement?

Looks the worst race at the festival doesn't it. (Maybe Hunters as well but I've not really looked at that)

Big doubts over the top 4 in the betting with 365.

Easysland - has apparently been injured and is on the mend in his box. Not seen a race course since beaten in this race last year.
Tiger Roll - Looks like age has crept up on him. He could always pull it out of the fire and most had written him off last year but this year he looks like he's in much of a worse shape. Even Gordon is checking him carefully with the thought of retirement on his mind
Ajas - Not been seen since May when he flopped in France. His whole form book says he needs Heavy ground as well. I think there must be some issue with him currently with not being seen in a long time
Farclas - Not raced over any cross country course in public. Never been entered in on by Gordon either, and I'm sure he's never really even considered it properly. You would think he's looking at a big Irish handicap with him unless Tiger retires and there maybe a possibility he goes here

So huge doubts that any of them 4 show up. Then you are into double figures with Balco and Shady who most of the forum are on. Balco will surely come here with him racing there twice this season. Shady is still up in the air as he wasn't entered the last day (hopefully he gets an entry).

Then beyond that in the betting the rest that have a chance of coming here are very bang average. We just need a new Balthazar King or Tiger Roll to come out of the woodwork to reignite this division

There's plenty of value to be had in this division by the looks of it

[TiggerRoll]

Tiger Roll - Looks like age has crept up on him. He could always pull it out of the fire and most had written him off last year but this year he looks like he's in much of a worse shape. Even Gordon is checking him carefully with the thought of retirement on his mind

Evidently some bias in my view here given forum name etc but Tiger Roll has just been campaigned stupidly to try and prove to the UK handicapper he's not a mid 160s horse to my mind. Since last seen winning this race, he's gone to Aintree and proven he's not a Grade 1 horse over regulation fences and then returned there on awful ground which would have compounded his issue tenfold.

I don't think we really know anything to suggest he's on the downgrade and Gordon hasn't given us any clues imo, saying a 12yo is being minded and retirement is an option is just par for the course, no? I've still placed much more faith in his earlier stable tour stating 'if I had my way I'd train him for the XC and retire him if he won'. It's a bit of a fairytale but with the state of the race as you've outlined (other than Balko Des Flos and possibly Shady Operator), it's not like the dream is over just yet.

And don't get me started on why they don't just run him in handicaps to get his mark down a bit...

[Benjy23]

To be fair they've got him down to a reasonable enough mark haven't they? Who knows what mark he'd get for the national but his OR seems to have come down to 155?

Slightly concerned about Shady Operator myself. Was expecting to see his price start coming in if he was on target for the race. As has been pointed out, there's a lot of weakness in this market so you wouldn't think it'd take much for a bit of confidence in one to see it shorten.

[TiggerRoll]

To be fair they've got him down to a reasonable enough mark haven't they? Who knows what mark he'd get for the national but his OR seems to have come down to 155?

Slightly concerned about Shady Operator myself. Was expecting to see his price start coming in if he was on target for the race. As has been pointed out, there's a lot of weakness in this market so you wouldn't think it'd take much for a bit of confidence in one to see it shorten.

Before his latest run he still had a UK mark of 165 (entered Cheltenham in November but didn't take it up), vs the Irish mark of 155. It may have come down a little but it definitely it's fully reciprocated over here

[Madmoose]

Plus I’m sure Shady Operator was due to run at the December meeting but they entered and ran Midnight Maestro instead?

[FinalFurlong91]

Tiger roll pulled up and finished 6th of 6 in his 2 runs before the last festival

Once NRNB comes in il start backing him

if he turns up on decent ground id hope to see the real tiger once more

if he won and i hadn't backed him I'd be disgusted with myself hahaha

[ToniC]

I wrote tiger off this year, won’t be making the same mistake again but biding my time. Hopefully might get turned over in the boyne hurdle and get pushed a point or two if they go that route. As others have pointed out, the race looks dire at the moment, if shady operator doesn’t turn up I think tiger could win with me on his back

[Guinness Village]

King Balky.

[Lobos]

I wrote tiger off this year, won’t be making the same mistake again but biding my time. Hopefully might get turned over in the boyne hurdle and get pushed a point or two if they go that route. As others have pointed out, the race looks dire at the moment, if shady operator doesn’t turn up I think tiger could win with me on his back

Be careful they don't confirm that Easylands misses Cheltenham first ! The 6/1 won't last then.