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2026 Hunters Chase

Barry O'Neill booked to ride Chemical Energy says Gordon on the Tatts preview night
Massive booking. Huge positive. One of top 3/4 Amateurs out there. CE a low 140 horse which should put him right there. Has clearly ran really well around Cheltenham as well. Better ground will help him. I like.
 
Massive booking. Huge positive. One of top 3/4 Amateurs out there. CE a low 140 horse which should put him right there. Has clearly ran really well around Cheltenham as well. Better ground will help him. I like.

…..I posted this on 14th Jan from Jamie Codd;

‘I also like to keep a close eye on the Hunter Chase division at this time of year. It’s usually about now that a few lurkers can start to start show their hands, but I will say that last year’s winner Wonderwall and the very consistent Its On The Line hold strong claims again. I might be wrong, but I’m not sure there’s an emerging horse to trouble them. CHEMICAL ENERGY might not be up and coming, but he’s still just a 10-year-old, and at 16-1 I think he could rattle a few cages in the race, myself. He’s a very classy horse, and fresh from two easy Point-to-Point wins for Gordon Elliott and the Morans, I think the plan is to go straight to the Cheltenham Festival. He’s been part of Gordon’s Cheltenham squad quite a few times, including when I rode him to finish a very good second to Gaillard Du Mesnil in the 2023 National Hunt Chase. He also ran quite well in the Martin Pipe over hurdles, and has a 61-length victory over fences at Cheltenham to his name too. Gordon is an expert in freshening horses like this up, and if he turns up on the day and the ground is nice, I think Chemical Energy will have a fantastic chance.’
 
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…..I posted this on 14th Jan from Jamie Codd;

‘I also like to keep a close eye on the Hunter Chase division at this time of year. It’s usually about now that a few lurkers can start to start show their hands, but I will say that last year’s winner Wonderwall and the very consistent Its On The Line hold strong claims again. I might be wrong, but I’m not sure there’s an emerging horse to trouble them. CHEMICAL ENERGY might not be up and coming, but he’s still just a 10-year-old, and at 16-1 I think he could rattle a few cages in the race, myself. He’s a very classy horse, and fresh from two easy Point-to-Point wins for Gordon Elliott and the Morans, I think the plan is to go straight to the Cheltenham Festival. He’s been part of Gordon’s Cheltenham squad quite a few times, including when I rode him to finish a very good second to Gaillard Du Mesnil in the 2023 National Hunt Chase. He also ran quite well in the Martin Pipe over hurdles, and has a 61-length victory over fences at Cheltenham to his name too. Gordon is an expert in freshening horses like this up, and if he turns up on the day and the ground is nice, I think Chemical Energy will have a fantastic chance.’
I’d backed him from a way out in 23 to see the ground go against him , hope he gets his ground this year though as it’s raining again I’d not be too sure.
 
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Ran pretty well if the ground went against him. Repeat of that probably take this surely.

Not a race I get overly involved in and you'll probable see why but... Chemical Energy and Stattler my two against the field here.

Probably be won by some pointer I've never heard of at 66/1.
 
Ran pretty well if the ground went against him. Repeat of that probably take this surely.

Not a race I get overly involved in and you'll probable see why but... Chemical Energy and Stattler my two against the field here.

Probably be won by some pointer I've never heard of at 66/1.
Patrick didn't seem too confident on Stattler on the PP podcast.
 
With regret I have to report that Jeff won't appear amongst the Festival entries tomorrow. If anyone has backed him I'd recommend cashing out if you can.
Thanks for the heads up that was helpful (cash out wise). Hope Jeff is ok
 
Patrick didn't seem too confident on Stattler on the PP podcast.

Any reasons? I'll try to give it a listen but won't be able to until tomorrow.

I'd have thought he'd be classier than most of these. And while I wouldn't be his biggest fan, I also think anything Patrick rides here will go off single figures.
 
Any reasons? I'll try to give it a listen but won't be able to until tomorrow.

I'd have thought he'd be classier than most of these. And while I wouldn't be his biggest fan, I also think anything Patrick rides here will go off single figures.
Patrick said he gives preference to Hunter chase horses and that horses like stattler that step across to hunter chaser don't have a great record. He thinks it will be 4th time lucky for Its on the Line.
 
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Patrick said he gives preference to Hunter chase horses and that horses like stattler that step across to hunter chaser don't have a great record. He thinks it will be 4th time lucky for Its on the Line.

Cheers. That's a bit like what I said to be fair :LOL: Always backing the wrong types in this but now's not the time to learn
 
Patrick said he gives preference to Hunter chase horses and that horses like stattler that step across to hunter chaser don't have a great record. He thinks it will be 4th time lucky for Its on the Line.
Have seen a few Hunter Chase posts saying that last year's 1-2 could have it between them again as no new blood coming through from the Hunter Chase ranks.
 
Yeah, I was guilty for years of looking at ex chasers entering this division and thinking they were too classy, the reality is they are only sent here because they have regressed sufficiently they can't compete anymore.
We all remember Stattler winning a NH Chase, sadly it's no longer 2022...
 
Have seen a few Hunter Chase posts saying that last year's 1-2 could have it between them again as no new blood coming through from the Hunter Chase ranks.
I've played Barton Snow in this, he is unbeaten in Hunters Chases stepped up to 3m last time out might have a little chance.
 
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Has anyone done any real work on this race ?
I spent a bit of time on it today and can't understand why Panda Boy isn't fav, I must be missing something.
His two recent wins read well and it's fair to say he's as good now as he's ever been, struggling to see how there are three horses shorter than him, 8/1 looks a play....
 
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Has anyone done any real work on this race ?
I spent a bit of time on it today and can't understand why Panda Boy isn't fav, I must be missing something.
His two recent wins read well and it's fair to say he's as good now as he's ever been, struggling to see how there are three horses shorter than him, 8/1 looks a play....

….one I took 33-1 WTAF on so happy with that assessment. Codd has been very keen on Chemical Energy and looks like he’ll have a top pilot on. The other one I like is Golden Son, Nicholls has said it’s his no1 and I’d be sure he’s trying to line up a Festival winner for his daughter.
 
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….one I took 33-1 WTAF on so happy with that assessment. Codd has been very keen on Chemical Energy and looks like he’ll have a top pilot on. The other one I like is Golden Son, Nicholls has said it’s his no1 and I’d be sure he’s trying to line up a Festival winner for his daughter.
Agree with @Istabraq and @Eggs - they’re the two I’ve sided with. Panda Boy is such a tough competitor and he doesn’t seem to have lost any of his zest. He could outstay them all. And if there’s gonna be a new kid on the block Golden Son could well be the one. His level of form this season puts him right in the mix and Nicholls has a decent record in this.
 
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I originally fancied Shearer , then Nichols
said Golden son was probably the no 1..
so backed him as well
Then I did Panda boy as the race went off at naas. Also Music Drive , he was 4th last year
So well covered in this Race I think.
 
Anyone know what Jane Mangan has put up yet?