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2017 Foxhunters Chase

Faugheen_Machine said:
Couldn't have been better. I think they probably knew they had to have him fitter this year as he only just won at Cheltenham last season and improved loads between then and Aintree.

Jamie Codd gave him an absolute outreach of a ride. I bet he comes on nicely for that. Topped up at 3/1.
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Agree with the above. I didn't think he was fully fit at Cheltenham last year.
 
Agree with everyone.
Enda can wrap this one in cotton wool for the next 33 days !

I was worried going into Chelt last year and agree that he wasn't at his best that day, horses take longer to get fit as they age but I think even Enda would have been disappointed with his Leopardstown run last season, perhaps the wet winter (15/16) stopped some of his work and the drier winter this year has meant no interruptions ?
Either way, very very pleased after that....
 
Just as a rather pointless side note.... would you fancy Foxrock to beat him at Cheltenham if he could run?
 
Lovely stuff there. Wins at Cheltenham, job done :encouragement:

If Foxrock was able to run - it would make things much tougher obviously but i'd still side with OTF this year based on that run.
Foxrock has been beaten easily in 2 runs at Cheltenham as well so question marks on how he acts there too.
 
If Edna keeps Derek O'Connor onboard (imagine he will) then Staker Wallace would be the place angle in the race at 16's. Given a very easy ride and got 3rd.

Only a 6 year old...could be the one to follow OTF's footsteps over the next few years
 
jono said:
If Edna keeps Derek O'Connor onboard (imagine he will) then Staker Wallace would be the place angle in the race at 16's. Given a very easy ride and got 3rd.

Only a 6 year old...could be the one to follow OTF's footsteps over the next few years
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I thought that myself. Was kept right out the back (like many JP second/third strings are) and ran on well late... you could absolutely see the same thing happening in the Fox Hunters.

Stopping me, is that I don't like placing a bet on a horse that I think can't win unless another falls. UInless the price is right. 4/1 a place, isn't magnificent value... to me. At this stage. ONe for the future though, although my opinion was swayed by KB on FFP saying it!
 
paz247 said:
Stalker Wallace won't go to Cheltenham
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Is that for sure paz? You're normally on the money to be fair! As I mentioned, I am not convinced it is a good bet just yet so any confirmation would be good.
 
Liammet said:
Leman
I am sure you are right,Wonderful Charm would need to finish first or second in another HC race. Before Feb 28th
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Wonderful Charm running today in the Hunter Chase at Haydock and odds on to win.

Finishing 1st or 2nd would qualify him for this....

The only potential danger to On The Fringe??
 
Ask The Weatherman and Sweet As a Nut could challenge OTF along with Wonderful Charm but apart from that I can't see much down the list elsewhere so far.

I'm wary of Wonderful Charm though - I like to focus on horses who have for the large majority of their racing career been hunter chasers or point to pointers rather than horses coming into late in their career
 
jono said:
Ask The Weatherman and Sweet As a Nut could challenge OTF along with Wonderful Charm but apart from that I can't see much down the list elsewhere so far.

I'm wary of Wonderful Charm though - I like to focus on horses who have for the large majority of their racing career been hunter chasers or point to pointers rather than horses coming into late in their career
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Hi Jono, really Novicey question coming up....

Other than the qualification criteria, how do Hunter Chases differ from a standard Chase?
The Cross-Country is a very different event, with specialist skills, but I don't know much about Hunter Chases...
 
If they could get Grand Jesture to race he would also be a danger as he's a talented horse. The slight problem with him is he's refused to race plenty of times in the last 2 years.
 
Leman14 said:
Hi Jono, really Novicey question coming up....

Other than the qualification criteria, how do Hunter Chases differ from a standard Chase?
The Cross-Country is a very different event, with specialist skills, but I don't know much about Hunter Chases...
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The horses have to have a Hunting licence ... and have used it. - This is from Wiki which sums it up pretty well.

"Hunter chases take place at national hunt racecourses, but are only open to horses that have hunter certificates. Hunter certificates are issued to horses that have hunted for at least four days in the season before racing starts in January. In addition, the jockey must be an amateur who has obtained a certificate from the hunt secretary.

Unlike point-to-points, licensed trainers as well as amateur trainers may have runners in Hunter Chases. This often causes controversy when big name trainers run former Grade 1 horses in Hunter Chases as amateur trainers feel they are unable to compete. New rules which took effect in 2009 will prevent horses which have finished in the first 3 of a Grade 1 or 2 chase in the previous season from taking part.

The two biggest Hunter Chases are the Aintree Fox Hunters' Chase and Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase. The Aintree Fox Hunters' is run as the feature race on the first day of the Grand National meeting over one circuit of the Grand National course. This gives amateur riders the chance to jump these famous fences before the professionals.

The Cheltenham Foxhunter is run after the Gold Cup over the same distance and is often referred to as the amateur Gold Cup."
 
Leman14 said:
Hi Jono, really Novicey question coming up....

Other than the qualification criteria, how do Hunter Chases differ from a standard Chase?
The Cross-Country is a very different event, with specialist skills, but I don't know much about Hunter Chases...
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I'm no expert so could be wrong Leman but as far as I can tell there is no real difference between the 2 types of chases (same course and distance as the Gold Cup a race before). The concern would be that horses like Wonderful Charm are coming into the sphere for a negative reason (on the downgrade, quirky, age etc) where as hunter chases will be much more likely to be in their prime/on an upward curve. There have been a few that have come close though in recent years though, Marito just beaten in second last year being one example.

Faugheen_Machine said:
If they could get Grand Jesture to race he would also be a danger as he's a talented horse. The slight problem with him is he's refused to race plenty of times in the last 2 years.
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Very frustrating horse! Codd has been riding GJ this season so that would certainly be a plus point on the day if that continued.
 
Latest on On The Fringe: :triumphant:

Every day Jamie rides him, he gets more familiar with the horse and he had a smile on his face pulling up after they worked at Leopardstown (on Sunday). The horse is as fresh as paint after that day out," Bolger told The Irish Times.

"He has actually had a better preparation this time. An abscess in a foot held him up for most of January last season and it was a rush to get him to Leopardstown. This time he nearly pinched the Leopardstown race against a very good and fitter horse in Foxrock.

"It was very encouraging and now we're just putting the final pieces of the jigsaw together with him. He's certainly in great form and gives no indication he isn't as good as ever."
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