2026 Novice Chasers

[opatcho]

lol i don’t want him going to Warwick, got Jonbon vibes all over

 

[Benjy23]

lol i don’t want him going to Warwick, got Jonbon vibes all over

That was Calico wasn't it.

I'll be against Lulamba either race I think.

 

[Liammet]

I can see Lulamba going Warwick this weekend

Calico is in form after two wins and only has the Newbury entry this weekend. I’d imagine they’d want to bypass him as he can be a very tough cookie to beat

A lot of rain due towards end of the week….

I’m on Lulamba but feel I need to start getting 1-2 outsiders covered lol

I think it will be Warwick or nothing for Lulamba

I can see Nicky pulling all his horses out at Newbury this weekend

He has said he contacted the clerk of the course and they have had over 100 ml of rain

He won’t risk giving them a hard race before the festival

 

[opatcho]

Not much love for Lulamba

Hard for me to move off him, given my AP position, and nothing else has really stood out

I’d prefer a NR from him this weekend, just to keep the dream alive lol (selfish I know)

 

[Lobos]

Not much love for Lulamba

Hard for me to move off him, given my AP position, and nothing else has really stood out

I’d prefer a NR from him this weekend, just to keep the dream alive lol (selfish I know)

Think his price is probably too short now so not surprised they've pushed him out.

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

Not much love for Lulamba

Hard for me to move off him, given my AP position, and nothing else has really stood out

I’d prefer a NR from him this weekend, just to keep the dream alive lol (selfish I know)

I wouldn’t worry
Sure he’ll turn up fit and ready in March.
He’s not had a build up as bad as his main rival.
Hes the one to beat and deserved fav..

 

[Benjy23]

Lulamba reminds me a bit of Final Demand. What has he actually beaten?

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

Lulamba reminds me a bit of Final Demand. What has he actually beaten?

I doubt he’s priced on what he’s beaten, and I doubt he would be the first Arkle winner to have not faced a serious rival before the race.
He was arguably the top 4 year old, and has looked a natural taken to fences and looked impressive .

 

[FredFlintstone]

I doubt he’s priced on what he’s beaten, and I doubt he would be the first Arkle winner to have not faced a serious rival before the race.
He was arguably the top 4 year old, and has looked a natural taken to fences and looked impressive .

Has Lulamba faced a serious rival in his career yet? Last years juveniles were brutal….

 

[jrjr]

I see The Wallpark has a Ten Up entry - wonder if JP is still thinking he’ll make the 145 and thus getting him qualified for the NHC. Would align with Jeriko Kim Muir and Jagwar Ultima. Seems strange to run him again so soon (last run 22/1) unless there’s a specific reason.

I’d started to think he’d be saved by Elliott for the Irish National but being a JP horse it might not be his choice to make.

16/1 NRNB with B365 for the NHC

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

I see The Wallpark has a Ten Up entry - wonder if JP is still thinking he’ll make the 145 and thus getting him qualified for the NHC. Would align with Jeriko Kim Muir and Jagwar Ultima. Seems strange to run him again so soon (last run 22/1) unless there’s a specific reason.

I’d started to think he’d be saved by Elliott for the Irish National but being a JP horse it might not be his choice to make.

16/1 NRNB with B365 for the NHC

It'll need a miracle (or bribe to the handicapper) to get a UK mark below 145. They surely save him for Fairyhouse.

There's nothing lost by taking the 16/1 though.

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

Has Lulamba faced a serious rival in his career yet? Last years juveniles were brutal….

Maybe not, only time will tell if any of the 4 year olds go on to compete at the top level.
He’s looking the best so far though, and at the moment looks the best prospect.
As for this season I’ve not seen a better traveller and jumper of a fence amongst the 2m novices.
We shall find out in March if he’s priced up correctly at the moment.
These are novices though and of course it’s possible there’s one or two better than him come the day.
It’s also possible he’s on the way to being top class.

 

[jrjr]

It'll need a miracle (or bribe to the handicapper) to get a UK mark below 145. They surely save him for Fairyhouse.

There's nothing lost by taking the 16/1 though.

Yeah, you're probably right - just the timing of the entry so soon after his last race, plus it being over the NHC qualifying distance, aroused my suspicions.

 

[riccirich]

It'll need a miracle (or bribe to the handicapper) to get a UK mark below 145. They surely save him for Fairyhouse.

There's nothing lost by taking the 16/1 though.

I dont think anyone should be shocked by the what the handicapper can do with jp horses at this point. If he ran bad again in the ten up and got dropped another 2lb to 141 by the Irish handicapper, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get exactly 4lb UK tax.

 

[Eggs]

…..Graham North from SL;

Another horse on the day who was aided by cheekpieces (and is now two from two in them) was Kaid d’Authie, who had already looked one of the season’s leading novices but even so put up a much-improved performance to win the Ladbrokes Novice Chase by four lengths from Western Fold.

Kaid d’Authie was another who ran unsuccessfully at Cheltenham last year but his cause that day wasn’t helped by steering a very wide course and though he followed in the footsteps of the likes of Fact To File, Galopin Des Champs and Monkfish, who all won this race in recent years, whether he’s up to winning the Brown Advisory I’m not sure; he should stay three miles but a 120 timefigure (149 is his best) is testament to the muddling nature of a race in which Final Demand never jumped fluently and ran well below his best.

 

[jrjr]

I dont think anyone should be shocked by the what the handicapper can do with jp horses at this point. If he ran bad again in the ten up and got dropped another 2lb to 141 by the Irish handicapper, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get exactly 4lb UK tax.

One point to bear in mind, if JP is thinking NHC then he'd need a top 4. Would be a hell of a juggling act to guarantee 4th and also run badly enough to drop weight.

Kim Muir would be an option but has Jeriko available for that and Jeriko not qualified for the NHC.

Who knows what JP is thinking - am sure there is a plan though..

 

[FredFlintstone]

Maybe not, only time will tell if any of the 4 year olds go on to compete at the top level.
He’s looking the best so far though, and at the moment looks the best prospect.
As for this season I’ve not seen a better traveller and jumper of a fence amongst the 2m novices.
We shall find out in March if he’s priced up correctly at the moment.
These are novices though and of course it’s possible there’s one or two better than him come the day.
It’s also possible he’s on the way to being top class.

He may have improved a lot for fences, but over hurdles finishing around the likes of Poniros, East India Dock, Place Nation and Hello Nieghbour is not strong hurdle form.

 

[riccirich]

One point to bear in mind, if JP is thinking NHC then he'd need a top 4. Would be a hell of a juggling act to guarantee 4th and also run badly enough to drop weight.

Kim Muir would be an option but has Jeriko available for that and Jeriko not qualified for the NHC.

Who knows what JP is thinking - am sure there is a plan though..

Looking at the field for the race there's only 7 entered, and they still all have to be declared, so its possible he could finish top 4 while still being well beat.

It does seem complicated though, so the easier plan might be to just get thumped again and hope for another few pounds taken off for the kim muir, and if that doesn't happen just run in the ultima or skip Cheltenham.

He ran johnnywho and sa majeste in the kim muir last year who were both fancied so he could go with multiple runners.

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

He may have improved a lot for fences, but over hurdles finishing around the likes of Poniros, East India Dock, Place Nation and Hello Nieghbour is not strong hurdle form.

I never said it was strong hurdle form.
I would give them a bit longer before writing them off though.
Poniros imo ran a promising race for the future the other day.
Anyway it’s all about fences for Lulamba and so far so good and from what I’ve seen so far a deserved fav for the Arkle.

 

[Runragged]

Looking at the field for the race there's only 7 entered, and they still all have to be declared, so its possible he could finish top 4 while still being well beat.

It does seem complicated though, so the easier plan might be to just get thumped again and hope for another few pounds taken off for the kim muir, and if that doesn't happen just run in the ultima or skip Cheltenham.

He ran johnnywho and sa majeste in the kim muir last year who were both fancied so he could go with multiple runners.

4 of the 7 runners may be looking for a top 4 finish, especially Soldier In Milan.