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2026 Novice Chasers

Rooster Booster said:
This is exactly where I ended up when I tried to consider all the moving parts. I think with the pool of horses that there has been in recent times I think this should come under serious consideration. I’d say it’s a lot less about intermediate trip specialists and more about the extra 2 furlongs . If I think of all those 170 plus Ryanair performances and the horses that achieved them I feel very few of the trainers would have had much concern about their horse over 3 miles.
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Allaho proved he stayed 3 miles and absolutely routed them at punchestown

3m2f though just a test he wouldnt have got. Though coming back to my point the other day if he wasnt with willie he would likely have been given a go and may have had everything else cooked so far out he couldve walked up the hill and won.

I cant see a single negative making the race 2f shorter would have

Other than on the slow boats, who lets be honest shouldnt be winning what is supposed to be the premier race in jumps racing anyway
 
FinalFurlong91 said:
Allaho proved he stayed 3 miles and absolutely routed them at punchestown

3m2f though just a test he wouldnt have got. Though coming back to my point the other day if he wasnt with willie he would likely have been given a go and may have had everything else cooked so far out he couldve walked up the hill and won.

I cant see a single negative making the race 2f shorter would have

Other than on the slow boats, who lets be honest shouldnt be winning what is supposed to be the premier race in jumps racing anyway
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I’m with you . Ive been trying to find that show stopping negative as well and all I’ve been able to come up with have been emotional arguments deeply ingrained in nostalgia and tradition and then my mind turns the breathtaking races we could have had if we had no Ryanair and the GC had been over 3 miles. The list of horses that would come back into the mix over the years would read like a who’s who.

Then I thought of those celebrated horses that we have held in the highest regard because they managed to win a Gold Cup and asked myself how many greats would have been seriously inconvenienced over 2 furlongs shorter and I’m not coming up with a heap of horses.

I can see an argument that horses like Kauto and Dessie deserve legendary status because they won despite not because of those 2 furlongs and that adds to their legacy but is that in itself enough of an argument.

Can somebody smarter than me come up with anything that isn’t steeped in emotion nostalgia and tradition. Perhaps those things should be treasured more than I am treasuring them ?

My final point. You just know certain racing celebrities would just hate it and it would be worth it just to see them all having meltdowns in front of our very eyes.
 
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I've seen better renewals of the Reynoldstown .................... anyone remember Invictus beating Bobs Worth, Alfi Spinner and Silviniano Conti?
 
Be watching Jukebox Kids mark with interest.
Hopefully gets 4 or 5 for that. And no more.
Be very competitive in Ultima or NH chase that one.
 
Nice performance from The Jukebox Kid - some very fluent jumps and always came up for Ben Jones when he asked him. Be interesting to see where he goes next
 
NRNB a must as Pauling just mentioned Irish national - :unsure:
 
Kopek Des Bordes came through a weekend schooling session with flying colours and is on course for the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

The Willie Mullins-trained son of No Risk At All was an odds-on winner of the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival and while not seen in public since a 13-length chasing debut win at Navan in November, Patrick Mullins reports the six-year-old to be in good shape for the Grade 1 test in 15 days' time.

He told Sporting Life: “We sent Kopek Des Bordes for another schooling session after racing in Fairyhouse and he went very well, did everything we expected and more.

"Paul (Townend) was delighted with him."
 
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Eggs said:
Kopek Des Bordes came through a weekend schooling session with flying colours and is on course for the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

The Willie Mullins-trained son of No Risk At All was an odds-on winner of the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival and while not seen in public since a 13-length chasing debut win at Navan in November, Patrick Mullins reports the six-year-old to be in good shape for the Grade 1 test in 15 days' time.

He told Sporting Life: “We sent Kopek Des Bordes for another schooling session after racing in Fairyhouse and he went very well, did everything we expected and more.

"Paul (Townend) was delighted with him."
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Super news.

Looking forward to a great match up
 
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Guinness Village said:
Any news on kitzbuhel? All seems to have gone very quiet after his most recent run.
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His tendency to jump out to the right would have to be a worry

Also,it was a heavy fall he took at Sandown which is a negative going into Cheltenham

He has been mainly campaigned on right handed courses apart from Aintree last year where he didn’t perform

I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t show up and would be more on my radar for Punchestown
 
Lucy Wadham is inclined to aim for the Arkle with emphatic Pendil winner Jax Junior.

The seven-year-old was the 8-11 favourite to win the Kempton Grade Two, and duly obliged when coming home six-and-a-half lengths to the good under Tom Cannon ahead of a prior Listed winner in Jasmine Bliss.

It was his third win of what is shaping up to be a fruitful term, and all being well the triumph will lead him to line up in the Arkle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival next month.

“I was absolutely delighted, it was a wonderful run,” said Wadham.

“He did everything easily, including being quite nimble when Go West made quite a bad error right in front of him.

“He didn’t even come off the bridle, it was lovely to see.

“Since he’s learned to settle he has been finishing his races very strongly and he’s not slow, he’s got a great turn of foot and was going 35 miles an hour over the last two fences.

“I know on figures he was entitled to win, but the way he did it was very striking.

“We’re very excited about him for the rest of the season. If everything is right with him – and he seems very well – I think we will have a crack at the Arkle.

“If he missed that we would obviously have Aintree, but at the moment we’re thinking of the Arkle.”
 
Oscars brother confirmed as intending to come over.
Looks like for some of the graded races at least that JP's team have had a conflab, outlining likely travellers/runners etc.
best to watch markets closely.
 
Steel Ally will go for the Arkle and we’ll be hoping to pick up any pieces if the top horses don’t perform, I suppose,” said the trainer.

“He deserves his chance on what he’s done this season and I think he’s versatile ground-wise. His better jumping performance was on better ground, I’d say.

“I know they’ll go quickly, but I think on a nicer surface you’ll see a better round of jumping from our lad.

“I’m not really fussed what the ground is, but touch wood one thing we do hopefully have in the bank is that he jumps well and he stays, which is what you want.”
 
OK Mambonumberfive and No Questions Asked fans (Arkle, Plate, Annual and JW) They are both in the majority of these.
Ben jones released a youtube about their chances yesterday also. So no questions is on 11,8 and Mambo on 11,5 for the handicaps roughly . Remember wanderpol also in the grand annual.
Here me out I think when he gets his act together Mambo is a graded horse. Mighty bandit form boost also this weekend . Anyway - meaning hes well handicapped in handicaps...
here me out........would they potentially use no questions and mambo in the same race to keep the weight down for Mambo. Surely they will just split them ?

Anyone have strong thoughts on how these 3 separate. Woods would be on sixmile in the Jack richards (if he goes for it) so he cant be jockey number 2 in the jack richards, meaning i think pauling may only run one horse in the jack richards.
I cant crunch the permutations to work it all out :) any help.
 
punterorplonker said:
OK Mambonumberfive and No Questions Asked fans (Arkle, Plate, Annual and JW) They are both in the majority of these.
Ben jones released a youtube about their chances yesterday also. So no questions is on 11,8 and Mambo on 11,5 for the handicaps roughly . Remember wanderpol also in the grand annual.
Here me out I think when he gets his act together Mambo is a graded horse. Mighty bandit form boost also this weekend . Anyway - meaning hes well handicapped in handicaps...
here me out........would they potentially use no questions and mambo in the same race to keep the weight down for Mambo. Surely they will just split them ?

Anyone have strong thoughts on how these 3 separate. Woods would be on sixmile in the Jack richards (if he goes for it) so he cant be jockey number 2 in the jack richards, meaning i think pauling may only run one horse in the jack richards.
I cant crunch the permutations to work it all out :) any help.
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Slightly off on a tangent but if you like Mambo and Mighty Bandit then you've got to fancy Highlands Legacy in the GA.

Beaten under a length by Mambo at Aintree giving Mambo 1lb (Glengouly in 3rd then won at Cheltenham a couple of races later)
Beaten under 2 lengths by Bandit at Newbury getting 5lbs (Lookaway in 3rd has won twice since)

Strong form, plus two other wins this season including lto at Windsor despite an error at one of the early fences.

Current ratings
Mambo 146
Mighty Bandit 142 (re rated tomorrow following Saturday's win)
Highlands 133

Only entry at festival is the GA, a bit lower in the ratings than the usual winner but v hard to crab his form and likely to run a big race.
 
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