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2017 Grand Annual
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kinloch brae
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Pages incredibly slow to load. I thought Ordinary World and Ball D'Arc would have been the interesting ones but one hasn't been entered and other is extremely doubtful. In general the handicaps contain too much deadwood in the shape of horses who are rated too highly but will give the owners a day out. The potential improvers are squeezed out or in this instance inexplicably just don't turn up.
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The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup (Handicap)
Grade 3, £105,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 5.30pm, Friday, March 17, two miles and half a furlong (2m 62yds). For five-year-old and upwards. Penalties: after February 26, a winner of a chase 5lb. No penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed February 21 (77 entries), entries released February 23, weights revealed March 1. Six-day confirmation stage March 11, final declaration stage 10.00am, March 16. Maximum field of 24.
Grade 3, £105,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 5.30pm, Friday, March 17, two miles and half a furlong (2m 62yds). For five-year-old and upwards. Penalties: after February 26, a winner of a chase 5lb. No penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed February 21 (77 entries), entries released February 23, weights revealed March 1. Six-day confirmation stage March 11, final declaration stage 10.00am, March 16. Maximum field of 24.
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Faugheen_Machine
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Surely GE will be tempted to run Ball D'Arc with that rating.
Starchitect, Dandridge and Velvet Maker are others on the shortlist.
Starchitect, Dandridge and Velvet Maker are others on the shortlist.
Leman14
Fat Jockey Patron (est. Jan 2021)
Great minds FM!
I'd already gone in on BD and Starchitect pre-weights (NRNB) and VM and Dandridge are the other two that I'm tempted with :encouragement:
Faugheen_Machine
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Also, anyone heard anything on what Cloudy Dream's plans are? That's a really nice mark for him, currently available at 16s NRNB...
Faugheen_Machine
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matt tombs @thespieler 11h11 hours ago
Grand Annual - entry no 45 got a run last year. This year entry no 45 is rated 138 (1lb higher than got a run last year)
Grand Annual - entry no 45 got a run last year. This year entry no 45 is rated 138 (1lb higher than got a run last year)
Le Prezien beat Three Stars (who beat Ball D'arc off levels) by 14 lengths, albeit in receipt of 6 lbs. Can't believe the weight he's been given and will be a maximum bet for me if turning up here (think Nicholls is 60/40 in favour of running him here judging by various preview night comments)
I agree, certainly not the cleanest jumper. Just seems far and away the class in the field if lining up. Only other one that would interest me is cloudy dream, but i assume he will skip cheltenham for aintree
ComplyOrDie
Fat Jockey Patron (est. Jan 2021) & Moderator
I think you have fair points, hope he goes here, looks a solid bet, beat some good opposition this season, 2nd to Charbel who is highly thought of and many on here expect him to place in the Arkle, 2nd to Top Notch, again highly thought of and many expect him to place in the JLT and then also beat L'ami Serge who has since been reverted back to hurdles but is a fair horse himself.
Has been given a lovely weight provided those above him stick around for the race.
Jonnymac05
Previous Lurker
From a high of 171 two years ago
At his age he should still be a player and could be plotted - but looking at the last runs it has been well done if this is the case. Anything on wind ops or headgear ?
ComplyOrDie
Fat Jockey Patron (est. Jan 2021) & Moderator
No trainer has won this race more since the turn of the century than Paul Nicholls, so both Dodging Bullets & Le Prezien look solid bets, not to mention their form looks solid, despite Dodging Bullets being disappointing so far he has run in some hot races, and has dropped down the weights nicely now. He'll be spot on for this I'm sure.
Jonnymac05
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Yeah true. I just don't know if I'm going off his name or if it's just a big decline. Champion Chaser to Grand Annual in less than 3 years. I might be wrong in this but I'm sure I heard Nichols say he just wasn't the same horse.