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Queen Mother Champion Chase 2019

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thistlecracker

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I rewatched Altoirs QMCC this year and the power and effort coming up the hill was monsterous.

One thing that did come to mind was the ease min rose up to come round the bend, altior was off the bridle a long way out and fair play to Nico to instrument that continued performance. Now I haven’t looked at the time of the race but considering altior was off the bridle so early, could we see a step up in trip this year?

I know there were suggestions after Cheltenham of being stepped up as a test before the summer break but from what I recall they were shelved due to ground/ time to recover after Cheltenham.

I checked skybet and current odds are:
12/1 Ryanair
33/1 Gc
 
There was talk in the media of stepping him up in trip, even talking about the King George as an ideal race, but he won the Champion Chase by 7 lengths or thereabouts so why would you?

He isn't going from Champion Chase winner to Ryanair the following season. Not a chance.
 
Footpad is way better than Min.
 
Faugheen_Machine said:
There was talk in the media of stepping him up in trip, even talking about the King George as an ideal race, but he won the Champion Chase by 7 lengths or thereabouts so why would you?

He isn't going from Champion Chase winner to Ryanair the following season. Not a chance.
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Correct - they MIGHT take in the Bowl this year do you think as an experiement. They don't need to but he's got nothing to prove at 2m either? I'd love to see it AWAY from Cheltenham...

archie said:
Footpad is way better than Min.
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Correct. I think they'll meet this season - if I was the trainer (and archie feel free to pass my wisdom on to Willie:highly_amused:) - I'd use Footpad versus Min as a bit of a sighter. Footpad would need to show he's better than Min and then we can start dreaming of the clash at Cheltenham. There isn't many things more exciting than two mile chasers out of the top drawer going at it!
 
Kevloaf said:
Correct - they MIGHT take in the Bowl this year do you think as an experiement. They don't need to but he's got nothing to prove at 2m either? I'd love to see it AWAY from Cheltenham..
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Do you mean the Melling Kev? Surely much more likely than the Bowl.
 
If I was giving Willie advice, it would be QM - Footpad, Ryanair - Min, Douvan - KG & Gold Cup.

I'm hoping to stay at his local next month so I'll pass that on if I see him.
 
Henderson should have put Altior in the smelling this past year, that would have set up a King George attempt this year and then you can possibly have a crack at GC as a9yr old

Now that didn’t happen I don’t see him stepping up to 3m at all even for the King George, they won’t go from 2m straight to it and as has been mentioned beforehand I don’t see Altior taking in the Ryanair at any point in his career.


I just hope one of Douvan or Footpad make it to Cheltenham along with Altior fully flying, we’ve had three world class 2m chasers over the last 6-7 years and not seen one show down between any of them
 
He won the Champion Chase by 7 lengths!

No matter where he came off the bridle, he still won the biggest 2m race of the season by 7 lengths.

There’s no way whatsoever he goes for anything but the CC this season.

I’ve never seen a horse relish the hill like he does. He powers up it.

I also think he’s another league above Footpad or anything else over 2m
 
Faugheen_Machine said:
Do you mean the Melling Kev? Surely much more likely than the Bowl.
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Yes, I absolutely meant the Melling. :very_drunk:

I've not even opened the rum yet either.... what nonsense will I be spouting in a few hours if I am making school boy errors like this now :p
 
Kevloaf said:
Yes, I absolutely meant the Melling. :very_drunk:

I've not even opened the rum yet either.... what nonsense will I be spouting in a few hours if I am making school boy errors like this now :p
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'Altior to beat Footpad'? :devilish:
 
Regarding Footpad I've been a bit hesitant about getting too excited about him, but I was looking at 6 year olds who have run well in the Arkle, I think my cut off was 10L off the winner to be included. I went back 10 years I think but the results were staggering, the average improvement was 15.75lb from final novice rating to the highest rating achieved during the season after.

Horse Pos Race Rating Pos Race H.R.
Sommersby 2 Arkle 156 3 QMCC 170 14
Riverside Theatre 5 Arkle 154 1 Ryanair 170 16
Sprinter Sacre 1 Arkle 169 1 QMCC 188 19
Cue Card 2 Arkle 155 1 Ryanair 170 15
Western War Horse 1 Arkle 161 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Dodging Bullets 4 Arkle 156 1 QMCC 171 15
Douvan 1 Arkle 169 7 QMCC 174 5
Sizing John 2 Arkle 150 1 Gold Cup 168 18
Fox Norton 3 Arkle 145 2 QMCC 169 24
 
This is the race im most looking forward to Altior V Footpad having a ding dong battle to the finish.For me its Footpad by a head but its gunna be a close call.
 
somer1 said:
This is the race im most looking forward to Altior V Footpad having a ding dong battle to the finish.For me its Footpad by a head but its gunna be a close call.
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Altior powers by as they go up the hill :devilish:
 
somer1 said:
This is the race im most looking forward to Altior V Footpad having a ding dong battle to the finish.For me its Footpad by a head but its gunna be a close call.
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I think the only way it’s a close call is if Ruby sends Footpad off early and sets a blistering gallop and Altior has 10 lengths to make up as they come up the hill.

Even then I would still fancy Altior up the hill.

I really hope the racing world builds it up as a head to head. We might get some 4/5 Altior on the day if Footpad goes unbeaten until March. In which case, I’ll be having a lump on Altior.

I think he’s one of the best 2m ever. Right up there with Sprinter.
 
I would say one of the two will change trips this year in an attempt to avoid eachother..

Obviously no idea which!
 
I can't see Altior changing trips, and tbh IF Footpad isn't as good as Douvan (Willie will know) then he may step up, but I can't see Douvan not running in this either, as I don't see him as anything other than a 2 miler.

Ultimately, Douvan has been incredibly unlucky in this race so far, I think from this years running we can see he wasn't 100% the previous year, whether you believed the original diagnosis or not. He was a different animal this time around when unfortunately falling.

Douvan is better than Min (despite my best efforts not to believe this ;)) and for that reason I think Min will also step up in trip.

Douvan doesn't seem to be spoken of as much now Footpad is on the scene, yet Douvan could be better than Footpad at home, I don't get the price discrepancy between the 2 at this moment in time, aside from the potential Footpad has, he is still plenty short enough right now IMO.
 
ComplyOrDie said:
I can't see Altior changing trips, and tbh IF Footpad isn't as good as Douvan (Willie will know) then he may step up, but I can't see Douvan not running in this either, as I don't see him as anything other than a 2 miler.

Ultimately, Douvan has been incredibly unlucky in this race so far, I think from this years running we can see he wasn't 100% the previous year, whether you believed the original diagnosis or not. He was a different animal this time around when unfortunately falling.

Douvan is better than Min (despite my best efforts not to believe this ;)) and for that reason I think Min will also step up in trip.

Douvan doesn't seem to be spoken of as much now Footpad is on the scene, yet Douvan could be better than Footpad at home, I don't get the price discrepancy between the 2 at this moment in time, aside from the potential Footpad has, he is still plenty short enough right now IMO.
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Was thinking about this over the weekend, and agree with everything you've said.

Thanks for saving me ten minutes tapping away, and putting them across better than I likely would have :)
 
The difference with Footpad and Douvan is that the owner picks the face for the former, and that isn't the case in the latter.

If Munir/Suede want Footpad in the Champion Chase, he'll be in the Champion Chase. I feel like their switch of him to be aimed at the Aintree Festival despite knowing full well Willie wanted Footpad to run in Ireland to help win him the Trainers Title was a very large statement and unfortunately he didn't make either.

The fact he didn't make it just goes to show you should strike while the iron is hot, and in my opinion if Footpad is fit that week in March, he'll be taking on Altior rather than avoiding him. (Also, Altior won't be avoiding anything, he's the Champion Chaser).

That way Ricci can still have a runner, and Ruby will be on the one with the best chance. That wouldn't be Min.
 
Kevloaf said:
The difference with Footpad and Douvan is that the owner picks the face for the former, and that isn't the case in the latter.

If Munir/Suede want Footpad in the Champion Chase, he'll be in the Champion Chase. I feel like their switch of him to be aimed at the Aintree Festival despite knowing full well Willie wanted Footpad to run in Ireland to help win him the Trainers Title was a very large statement and unfortunately he didn't make either.

The fact he didn't make it just goes to show you should strike while the iron is hot, and in my opinion if Footpad is fit that week in March, he'll be taking on Altior rather than avoiding him. (Also, Altior won't be avoiding anything, he's the Champion Chaser).

That way Ricci can still have a runner, and Ruby will be on the one with the best chance. That wouldn't be Min.
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I agree, I think both Footpad & Douvan end up in this race, which is why the price discrepancy has me perplexed.

Footpad has done nothing Douvan hasn't already done.
 
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