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2025 Novice Chasers

As you say no harm watching tomorrow's race before making a decision about him. The price may be a fair bit lower but to be able to have a better take on him based on tomorrow's performance isn't a bad thing. He won the Monksfield Novice Hurdle and then ran in the Lawlors, two races that Gordon uses for his top hurdlers so he was clearly well thought of. Gordon said in his stable tour that he is stronger this season so he may just have done too much too soon last. Both Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead were entered for tomorrow's race but not declared so I've taken it as a good sign that CP has taken up his entry ahead of them.
 
Lobos said:
As you say no harm watching tomorrow's race before making a decision about him. The price may be a fair bit lower but to be able to have a better take on him based on tomorrow's performance isn't a bad thing. He won the Monksfield Novice Hurdle and then ran in the Lawlors, two races that Gordon uses for his top hurdlers so he was clearly well thought of. Gordon said in his stable tour that he is stronger this season so he may just have done too much too soon last. Both Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead were entered for tomorrow's race but not declared so I've taken it as a good sign that CP has taken up his entry ahead of them.
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Aye definitely the way I’ll be playing him if at all. Doubt he would go less than 25/1 which is still a fair bet with more info and debuts from others to then decide.

The fact he is running on ground not to his liking shall we say (thumped by you oughta know 11 lengths on yielding) then only ever ran on soft or worse, screams get a run in him first, rather than a pecking order, imo of course.

He could just be the NHC play, easily keep him under 145 with his current hurdle rating.
 
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Yep, he's one of many that could run in the NHC for Gord. A good ride for JK hopefully on his first ride back after suspension.
 
I don't think Elliott has ever started one of his good staying chasers straight over 3m on their first chase start. Trainers are creatures of habit - his top staying chasers will start out at either mid November at Fairyhouse over 2m5, Navan over 2m4 or the Galway race Search For Glory won. Let's see who he declares at Fairyhouse and Navan.

Edit

Just to follow on from this, these are the horses he's ran in those races

Galway
Search for Glory 2024
Favori de Champdou 2023
Folcano and Dunboyne 2022
The Bosses Oscar 2021
Pencilfuloflead, Coko Beach, Braeside 2020
​​​​​​Battleoverdoyen, Galvin 2019
Blow by Blow 2018
If you go further back, Don Cossack is in there.

Generally a race for the real stayers he has.

Fairyhouse
2023 was abandoned
Gerri Colombe 2022
Fury Road 2021
Floueur 2020
Galvin 2019
Poli Toi 2018
Woods Well 2017

Navan
American Mike 2023 (mid Nov)
Abandoned 2022
Farouk D'Alene 2021 (early Dec)
Conflated 2020


Delta Work ran in the shorter Down Royal race but not sure I've missed any of his decent stayers in recent years.
 
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Decided to take a rather simplistic view on the two novice hurdle winners
Slade Steel Win Supreme go to Arkle
Ballyburn win Ballymore go to Arkle as imo the best nov hurdler should go to the best nov chase.
I can see them not meeting till March if (hopefully!!) they both take to fences well.
I’m not subscribing to the opinion that SS will avoid Ballyburn as he did over hurdles.Chasing whole different ball game.

I do however reserve the right to change my mind as the season develops , as often happens!!
Also not subscribing to the opinion that HDB will split his.
Not if they both prove that 2m at this stage is the best for both ITP and SS.
 
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Also the JP crew will decide where ITP goes
 
….plenty of Oddschecker blue for Croke Park after that win but bits of 50-1 still available for BANC.
 
Eggs said:
….plenty of Oddschecker blue for Croke Park after that win but bits of 50-1 still available for BANC.
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Which was to be expected given the bookies these days. He’ll settle at half the price he was 33’s more than likely.

He jumped well, was a nice chasing introduction, but beating Iris Emery 3/4 of a length keeps his rating right where Elliott would want it imo.
 
Croke Park was OK, but even at 50/1 I'm in no rush to back him after that. I don't like horses starting out at 3m for the BANC, and it says to me he'll be one for a handicap, possibly, whether that be at the festival or elsewhere.
 
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Drinmore possible for Croke Park next. Nice introduction today. Jumped well, idled when he went clear and jock says plenty more to come.
 
Very slick jumper. Did what he needed to. He definitely isn't a horse with any pace but a good clear round of jumping over 3m could be enough in stronger races. He will obviously come on for the run but as with Found A Fifty that was a bit of an exhibition in jumping. It's a good start I'd say. I'm looking forward to seeing what An Tobar can do over fences of my other bigger priced runners. I think he will improve immeasurably but we shall see. 66/1 is a good price for a HDB novice chaser with a bit of back class over fences. I see him in the same kind of mould as Croke Park. Too big to show what he is all about over hurdles. Same with Gidleigh Park.
 
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Could someone do me a favour and ask hills to price up Croke park any race? Just want to see what they come back with, sky have 10/1 was hoping for more than that to be honest :black_eyed:

Maybe request couple other random Elliott horses with it.
 
Better Days Ahead pencilled in for 2 1/2m Chase at Navan . Same race as American Mike beat F2F in.
 
Craigy14 said:
Now that’s more like it for an Elliott BANC horse mate! :boxing:
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Absolutely. Let's hope his run is every bit as encouraging as Croke Park.
 
Lobos said:
Absolutely. Let's hope his run is every bit as encouraging as Croke Park.
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I think I’ve convinced myself Croke Park is going to be in a handicap.

I don’t know if it’s just so obvious, his hurdle mark, starting over 3m and you’ve mentioned dropping to 2 and a half in the grade 1, which imo is nowhere near the distance he wants, to finish down the field there (depending on opposition of course), after a chase victory on seasonal debut.

Elliott is the master of handicaps and he has the NHC a handicap now to aim at. Better days ahead and stellar story are too high to aim at the NHC and both are festival winners. If hills give a reasonable price any race I’ll be backing it as if it’s 14/1+ he ain’t going off anywhere near that in a handicap.
 
Yeah could be a good shout. He's already said he's got loads in the Novice Chase Staying Division so he's got to split them up somehow........He's got the BANC, NHC and Turners to play with as well as missing Cheltenham for other races at Home.

Can't get out of my head the fact Croke Park was Gords number 1 for the Albert and that Stellar Story would not have ran in it but for him missing the race. He's already said Stellar Story may be one for the Handicap route so perhaps they'll play with his rating. As for Better Days Ahead I've not made my mind up about him yet. Think I'll wait and see where he starts out and who he's up against first. His price will hold up in the meantime as the BANC is a hot race on paper and Ballyburn may yet go that route. I'd have Ballyburn, Majborough, Dancing City and Slade Steel above anything that Gord has anyway so I'm in no rush to back anything else. Only did Croke Park for peanuts as he was a silly price.
 
Do you have the quotes regarding Croke Park & Stellar Story for the Bartlett Lobos ?

FWIW, I thought Search For Glory was more impressive than Croke Park, on chase debut. He finished down the field in the Bartlett, but went off shorter than Stellar Story on the day.

Minefield trying to work out the Elliott/Giggs horses this season.
 
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