2026 Novice Chasers

[riccirich]

If I was Elliott I would consider running Romeo Coolio against Kopek des Bordes at Christmas. A win and you can go to the Irish Arkle and stick over 2m. A loss and you could go to the Scilly Isles and then potentially up in trip further at the BANC.

Personally I would keep him at 2m. Kopek des Bordes looks to have a lot of ability but looks further from the finished article than Final Demand. Romeo Coolio looks very professional and could put Kopek des Bordes under pressure which might really bring out any flaws. I think it is his best chance at the Festival myself.

I would have actually been thinking final demand is the easier one to take on.

Kopeks already put him away comfortably, romeo looks to have improved for a fence but it's hard to say if that narrows the gap, you'd be sort of hoping kopeks jumping just falls apart.

Whereas I think final demands form up to now is not deserving of the standing he has. Beaten in the turners, and his best wins have been against last year's albert bartlett lot, which isn't looking the best bunch of horses so far as they're all getting beat on chasing debut and ratings wise aren't too good. I think the supreme form is better, so even though romeo fell short in that I could very easily see a world where he has the measure of final demand over the mid trip, and maybe 3m if he can see it out.

 

[Guinness Village]

Jack would definitely agree with you. Sounded like he was excited at the thought of Coolio running over 2 as he thought he wanted to always go that bit faster yesterday. No harm at all giving it a go against Kopek.

I can’t see them meeting before Cheltenham

 

[Magpie]

Final Demand looked very safe over the fences, so maybe more possible that Kopek has potential for more mistakes at a fast paced Arkle and Romeo could step in and pick up the pieces? Obviously early days and Kopek may improve substantially in jumping department.

 

[Lobos]

Final Demand looked very safe over the fences, so maybe more possibly that Kopek has potential for more mistakes at a fast paced Arkle and Romeo could step in and pick up the pieces? Obviously early days and Kopek may improve substantially in jumping department.

Kopek was pretty keen. He and Lulamba are still inexperienced in comparison to Coolio which could help Gordon's horse.

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

I would have actually been thinking final demand is the easier one to take on.

Kopeks already put him away comfortably, romeo looks to have improved for a fence but it's hard to say if that narrows the gap, you'd be sort of hoping kopeks jumping just falls apart.

Whereas I think final demands form up to now is not deserving of the standing he has. Beaten in the turners, and his best wins have been against last year's albert bartlett lot, which isn't looking the best bunch of horses so far as they're all getting beat on chasing debut and ratings wise aren't too good. I think the supreme form is better, so even though romeo fell short in that I could very easily see a world where he has the measure of final demand over the mid trip, and maybe 3m if he can see it out.

Kopek may have been better over hurdles, but my eyes tell me Romeo is the better jumper of a fence…. so far and early days of course.
Hes s better jumper of a fence than FD as well…..so far.

I think it’s a close call between RC going Arkle or BANC, and probably entries are how we may get clues, don’t think listening to his connections is going to help.
Anyway, it’s gambling and much more fun for me to try and work it out for myself, and much more rewarding if I get it right.

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Thoughts on Regent's Stroll for the Arkle?

Just -rewatched his debut and he jumped superbly for a first time in public over fences, he was also pretty keen (still believe Cobden could have held him a bit more than he did) but letting him bowl along in front over 2m has to be an option now?

I thought he was going to be a BANC type however watching the replay, coupled with re-watching his debut over hurdles over 2m, maybe I got him completely wrong.

I still think he's a proper talent. I hope they have bigger aspirations than the handicap chase at the festival!

I've taken some treble figures on the exchanges about him for the Arkle anyway.

 

[Killiney]

Thoughts on Regent's Stroll for the Arkle?

Just -rewatched his debut and he jumped superbly for a first time in public over fences, he was also pretty keen (still believe Cobden could have held him a bit more than he did) but letting him bowl along in front over 2m has to be an option now?

I thought he was going to be a BANC type however watching the replay, coupled with re-watching his debut over hurdles over 2m, maybe I got him completely wrong.

I still think he's a proper talent. I hope they have bigger aspirations than the handicap chase at the festival!

I've taken some treble figures on the exchanges about him for the Arkle anyway.

You would not be the only to get him wrong if he goes Arkle route. I’m thinking of stable comments eg. But you make a good argument .

 

[Benjy23]

Bigger aspirations like Aintree probably.

 

[Deleted member 4957]

Thoughts on Regent's Stroll for the Arkle?

Two questions for me:
1. The trainer and whether he's capable of dining at the top table anymore
2. Why has the horse ducked the last two festivals, skipping the champion bumper fair enough as some horses might not be ready but he was taken to Wincanton a week before Cheltenham last season for a pot under 4 grand so was fit...

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Two questions for me:
1. The trainer and whether he's capable of dining at the top table anymore
2. Why has the horse ducked the last two festivals, skipping the champion bumper fair enough as some horses might not be ready but he was taken to Wincanton a week before Cheltenham last season for a pot under 4 grand so was fit...

Fair questions.

The first one is a question I certainly have of him, and more to the point, does he want to? He's been leaking horses to other trainers seemingly left, right and centre, and doesn't seem overly concerned or bothered by it. He's 63 now, so I do wonder how much longer he'll carry on. He's certainly earnt enough to probably call it a day, and with his former proteges in Dan Skelton, Harry Derham & Harry Fry making it all the more competitive for him, retirement can't be far off.

I'm not too concerned by him missing the last two festivals. I think, as with a lot of Nicholls' horses, he was always a chaser in the making, so I get they would avoid the novice hurdle races with him, besides where would he have run? He had already lost to The New Lion in the Challow, so that was probably when decision was made not to go.

 

[Deleted member 4957]

Fair questions.

The first one is a question I certainly have of him, and more to the point, does he want to? He's been leaking horses to other trainers seemingly left, right and centre, and doesn't seem overly concerned or bothered by it. He's 63 now, so I do wonder how much longer he'll carry on. He's certainly earnt enough to probably call it a day, and with his former proteges in Dan Skelton, Harry Derham & Harry Fry making it all the more competitive for him, retirement can't be far off.

I'm not too concerned by him missing the last two festivals. I think, as with a lot of Nicholls' horses, he was always a chaser in the making, so I get they would avoid the novice hurdle races with him, besides where would he have run? He had already lost to The New Lion in the Challow, so that was probably when decision was made not to go.

Yeah he only had the 3 hurdle runs so wouldn't have made a handicap although I'm not sure what winning in a canter around Wincanton at 12s on achieved a week before the festival, he may well have been able to have gone anywhere a week earlier and do the same to qualify, but the way he stayed on at Newbury suggested the A Bartlett might have suited especially as the ground came good.
I forgot he started fav for that Challow too, remarkable really....

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Yeah he only had the 3 hurdle runs so wouldn't have made a handicap although I'm not sure what winning in a canter around Wincanton at 12s on achieved a week before the festival, he may well have been able to have gone anywhere a week earlier and do the same to qualify, but the way he stayed on at Newbury suggested the A Bartlett might have suited especially as the ground came good.
I forgot he started fav for that Challow too, remarkable really....

Yeah, he always looked clumsy over hurdles, I think that was brought up on here numerous times, but given the way he attacked his fences on debut I'd say he'll show his true ability this season.

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

Two questions for me:
1. The trainer and whether he's capable of dining at the top table anymore
2. Why has the horse ducked the last two festivals, skipping the champion bumper fair enough as some horses might not be ready but he was taken to Wincanton a week before Cheltenham last season for a pot under 4 grand so was fit...

1. Yes
2. No idea

 

[Eggs]

The Kinross handler also had news of Derryhassen Paddy, who finished third in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March but was far from fluent in the jumping department when beaten by Sixmilebridge on his chasing debut at Ayr last month.

“It didn’t go entirely to plan, albeit he was probably beaten by a good horse,” said Scudamore.

“We’ve got no real plans at the moment. We’re just regrouping, letting him recharge, we’ll get some more schooling into him and see what the best route is.

“Last year he probably looked a little bit lacklustre when he ran first time out. He hadn’t been away or galloped before he went to Ayr and maybe he was just a little bit lacklustre as his schooling had been very good, but he did look very rusty.

“Hopefully he’ll take a big step forward and we hope he can do it next time.”

 

[Benjy23]

I've chased out on Paddy. He looked shite and there's quite a few others who are looking decent. No point in keeping the faith. Don't particularly read the above as a positive statement either.

Hope I don't regret this...

 

[Lobos]

Time form... Coolio 159p

His jumping proved a real asset in the Drinmore, however, and he put in an assured round on his way to an easy eight-length success which has been rated as the best performance by a novice chaser in Britain or Ireland so far this season (Final Demand is rated 154P and expected to show significant improvement when it is required).

Envoi Allen (161) and Mighty Potter (160) posted the best performances in the Drinmore in the last decade and Romeo Coolio's victory has been rated of similar merit.

 

[YoungHustler]

Fair questions.

The first one is a question I certainly have of him, and more to the point, does he want to? He's been leaking horses to other trainers seemingly left, right and centre, and doesn't seem overly concerned or bothered by it. He's 63 now, so I do wonder how much longer he'll carry on. He's certainly earnt enough to probably call it a day, and with his former proteges in Dan Skelton, Harry Derham & Harry Fry making it all the more competitive for him, retirement can't be far off.

I'm not too concerned by him missing the last two festivals. I think, as with a lot of Nicholls' horses, he was always a chaser in the making, so I get they would avoid the novice hurdle races with him, besides where would he have run? He had already lost to The New Lion in the Challow, so that was probably when decision was made not to go.

I'm not a massive fan of Nicholls but I would think he'd be absolutely going mental at the loss of horses to other stables and venting in public would not be the right thing to do to show his concern. 63 is not old for a trainer, especially for someone who loves their job and I don't think he has lost his love for the game or his ability. It just takes a couple of good horses and I really hope he gets them.

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

I'm not a massive fan of Nicholls but I would think he'd be absolutely going mental at the loss of horses to other stables and venting in public would not be the right thing to do to show his concern. 63 is not old for a trainer, especially for someone who loves their job and I don't think he has lost his love for the game or his ability. It just takes a couple of good horses and I really hope he gets them.

Regents stroll and no drama could be festival players
I hope so

 

[Ellisgittings]

Thoughts on Regent's Stroll for the Arkle?

Just -rewatched his debut and he jumped superbly for a first time in public over fences, he was also pretty keen (still believe Cobden could have held him a bit more than he did) but letting him bowl along in front over 2m has to be an option now?

I thought he was going to be a BANC type however watching the replay, coupled with re-watching his debut over hurdles over 2m, maybe I got him completely wrong.

I still think he's a proper talent. I hope they have bigger aspirations than the handicap chase at the festival!

I've taken some treble figures on the exchanges about him for the Arkle anyway.

Regents is a lovely horse. But he wouldn't win an Arkle if he started now

 

[Ellisgittings]

I think the main point with Romeo is that he's already been beaten by Kopek. We don't know whether he's better than Final Demand (he's probably not tbh) but we know he isn't as good as Kopek. He'd have to do more than jump fences well to turn that around, or Kopek would have to do things much worse