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Novice Chasers 2027

Got Crystal Island at 50s so not worried about that. What worries me more with Hendo is his lack of runners in the race in general. We know trainers hate it because it's too much for a novice. Hendo doesn't even run his staying novices in it 😂 Jango and Lulamba most recently only upped markedly when they came out of novice company. Lulamba yet to race in that sphere obviously but is doing.
As someone who likes to read between the lines :p what did you make of Henderson's comments on Crystal Island?

"He can start in a novice handicap, but the handicapper wasn’t that kind to him so he might have to start off in a beginners’ chase."

Currently rated 133 yet not well handicapped is ominous to me.
 
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As someone who likes to read between the lines :p what did you make of Henderson's comments on Crystal Island?

"He can start in a novice handicap, but the handicapper wasn’t that kind to him so he might have to start off in a beginners’ chase."

Currently rated 133 yet not well handicapped is ominous to me.
I was right though wasn't I 😂😂

Well it confused me because Hendo and Jerry McGrath have previously said he has schooled over fences and did well 🤣
 
I was right though wasn't I 😂😂

Well it confused me because Hendo and Jerry McGrath have previously said he has schooled over fences and did well 🤣
It's interesting as if he was trained by one of the big guns in Ireland then handicaps wouldn't even be under consideration, but then novice handicap chases don't seem to be a thing that side of the water. I would of thought for such an inexperienced horse you could find a nice Beginners Chase to begin with a handful of runners as opposed to sticking him in a competitive handicap anyway.
 
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Reading the Skelton tour flagged up a couple of interest potentially for that race also, but he didn't have one in it last season. Maybe the stronger hand he has will see him turning to it this season.
 
I agree Runragged, think Skelton will try to win the NH Chase, silly comment l I know, wants to win all.
But after last March, he's already noted 2 possible optikns in his stable tour.....
Dalston Lad
Fishery Lane
 
Oh my lord don't mention Champ. I had what for me was a big bet on Minella Indo back in my one race, one horse days 😂😂

He hasn't had a runner in it since the Turners was taken away. 1 in the last 5 years. Dusart. He has had staying chasers. We all know that. Wonder if there has been a shift in his yard on how they train them.
The Allaho/Indo related double paid well the next year as a result though, so long term we have a lot to thank Champ for
 
I agree Runragged, think Skelton will try to win the NH Chase, silly comment l I know, wants to win all.
But after last March, he's already noted 2 possible optikns in his stable tour.....
Dalston Lad
Fishery Lane

….make that 3 ;)

CARLENRIG​

“He is a lovely horse. He got a small injury when he fell in the Grade Two River Don Novices’ Hurdle up at Doncaster, but he won well at Cheltenham beforehand.

“I think he will make a fine novice chaser. We just need some slow ground to get him started over fences.

“He is graded material I think. He could be one for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham as he stays all day.”
 

Rebecca Curtis: Doujadou Q&A​

How did you assess last season?

"I always thought he was a very good horse. I suppose last season was more about teaching him a bit. He was second to Bossman Jack, after a long time off. He is a horse that likes to relax and make the running as I think that really suits him. Although he finished third at Newbury I think he was so keen all the way around. If he hadn't been like that, or he made the running, he would have probably been a lot closer. That was good form though as the winner, Le Frimeur, went on to win at Punchestown. He then won nicely at Ffos Las when he was able to bowl along out in front, which was good to see."

How has he done over the summer?

"He has strengthened up a lot over the summer. We left him out an extra month, but he now looks really good. He looks the best that I’ve seen him. He looks a lot better than he did last year. We left him out that bit longer as I always felt he was quite a weak horse last season and I knew that with the summer that we have had that it would be a while before the ground is safe for him."

What sort of plans have you got for him this season?

"He is a brilliant jumper and I’m really excited about him going over fences, but it won’t be until November time that you will see him. We will just get his first novice handicap chase out of the way and go from there I suppose. I’d like to think he can climb the ranks and run in some better novice chases later on in the season. He seems to stay quite well and he has got class too."

What do you think his optimum conditions are?

"I think he is one of them that doesn’t want extremes either way. He seems quite a classy horse so I wouldn’t run him in a bog, even though it was a bit like that on his first run last season at Chepstow. I’d say that he just wants nice soft ground. I think he has got the class to go down in trip, but at the moment I think he is a two and a half miler. I think he will stay three miles in time though. He has probably got more gears than a lot of my other good novice chasers that I’ve had. They have all been typical staying three milers, whereas he does have a bit of boot about him."
 
….make that 3 ;)

CARLENRIG​

“He is a lovely horse. He got a small injury when he fell in the Grade Two River Don Novices’ Hurdle up at Doncaster, but he won well at Cheltenham beforehand.

“I think he will make a fine novice chaser. We just need some slow ground to get him started over fences.

“He is graded material I think. He could be one for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham as he stays all day.”
Nice one eggs. I'd missed that. Jot that one down. Hopefully see him in a few graded races finishing mid division
 
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Derryhassen paddy entered at Cheltenham this weekend. Only need another couple for a shot at William hill at festival. Stable like getting one ready for that
A forgotten horse. Many, including myself, had him as a potential star Novice before his injury last season.
 
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Interesting race at Worcester tomorrow. Last year's edition threw up Wade Out and Wendigo who both went on to run in the National Hunt Chase and Brown Advisory, Olly Murphy has Scorpio Rising running tomorrow.

I think tomorrow will be Talk to the man's race with Klimt Madrik and Scorpio Rising both faring better over further. Assuming the rain is as frequent down there as it is up here that will suit the latter two with Talk to the man one to see if it suits.
 
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….Johnny’s Jury;

‘He obviously won the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, and he came to us and won a couple of hurdles prior to that. He was a little unlucky at Aintree, getting caught in behind a wall of horses and staying on to finish third late on. He will go novice chasing this year. Hopefully he will get a prep run and then go for the Grade 2 Esher Chase at Sandown.’
 
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Has there been any news on Naciso Has injury? What injury was it? They hoped he'd be back for Punchestown but he didn't make it.
 

Olly Murphy: Gee Force Flyer Q&A​

How did you assess last season?

"He had a good season last term, but he didn’t really get his ground at any point as he is a horse that relishes very soft conditions. He ran well on plenty of occasions before finishing third in the EBF Final and winning a maiden hurdle at Perth at the back end of the year."

How has he done over the summer?

"He has summered good and he seems to have strengthened up again, which is what we hoped would be the case for having another summer on his back."

What sort of plans have you got for him this season?

"The plan for this season would be to go jumping fences with him. We will get some experience into him in the autumn. However, he won’t be running on good, or good to soft ground early, so we would need to have rain. If all goes right throughout the season he could be a horse for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival."

What do you think his optimum conditions are?

"I would say he will probably start off in mid-November over two and a half miles in a novice handicap chase. If it happened to be slow on the day it would really suit him as he is a horse that relishes very testing conditions. He will stay very well and he is definitely a three-mile chaser in the making."