Bostons Angel

Several negatives for me firstly his jumping, fell at Thurles this season, unseated at Dromore last season.  Second lack of proven stamina in a class race (26f+) Lastly his prep - 7 races is a busy season...

He has been running consisently over 28F+ though, so hard to imagine stamina will be a problem.  7 runs in the season is a slight worry, but only 2 of those have been since christmas.  Accept that the jumping may be a negative - you cant have everything in a 85/1 shot.

I recall last year there were lots on here saying Sunnyhill Boy would never jump round.....

I've used a method for many years to assess the stamina and class combination needed for the race, BA fails it. He appears to stay reasonably well on obstacle courses but doesn't have the class 2 win or class 1 1-2-3 run at 26f+ that nearly every national winner has achieved beforehand.  Plodding round doesn't win nationals...

I've got Bostons Angel at 66/1 for 6 places and agree with the original post. He could easily run on to get a place. You have to remember he's not really had his ground this season and should be a lot better for good ground. He's probably not good enough to win barring a messy race but of all the outsiders he is one of the more likely who look like running well.

Horse reminds a bit of Royal Athlete, top novice kind of lost it's way a bit ends up with a nice weight if it can find it's old form

Comply or Die had a similar profile, I'm on at 110 down to 85

Comply Or Die had won a class 2 over 32f, can see no real similarity at all.

Bostons Angel has won a grueling Grade 1 over 24 furlongs. Again, he is a good ground horse who has not had good ground all winter. New forecasts suggest it could be good ground come next week and if he takes to the Cheltenham cross country fences its fairly certain he will take to the aintree fences. He has a live outsiders chance at the prices.

Racecourse chairman has said they won't allow good ground, will be watered to good to soft.  Grueling at 24f is insufficient evidence of true stamina for me.

got a place in the cross country and previos winner Silver Birch did the same

looks an out and out stayer to me

I've had a small each-way punt on him.

Silver Birch had won class 1 over 30f and class 2 over 27f over the national fences, again no real comparison.

ffs shut up man, fecking 100 to one shots are not gonna have everything

The OP asked what he was missing, apologies for giving my opinion.

66/1 6 places nrfb at VC looks the way to go on this one if you fancy it to plod round, hope that helps.

So coming 2nd in cross country race at Cheltenham over 31furlongs on heavy around Cheltenham doesn't prove he will get the national trip? Considering heavy isn't his ground too? For a 66/1 shot he's good value off a weight below 11stone. The reasons you have stated do not put me off him at the prices.

There's a lot of positives on this thread, and the negatives don't really dim my enthusiasm for this horse. Despite a few crabbing his jumping, I thought he largely jumped with zest in the cross country, but seemed to hang a bit in the ground. I like the comparisons with Royal Athlete and Silver Birch, and he'll have a jockey who knows his way around the course. Given the forecast, I think conditions won't be far short of perfect for him, and I think the 66/1 NRNB paying 6 places with VC looks very attractive in what I consider to be quite a poor renewal. Very little else makes much appeal at the prices, so I'm going to row in with this one.

On a related point, I always think of VC as a bit of a shower, so I'm surprised how well their prices generally are holding up considering their generous offer. Suspect that won't be the case as the week progresses, but fair play where it's due.

Good luck all.

Coming 2nd in the cross country race doesn't count no.  Not unless it is now a class 1 and I missed it...

Oh, so horses only stay 4 miles now if they have done it in a class 1....

You do realise Ballabriggs had never competed in a class 1, or gone further than 3 miles 1 furlong before he won his national in 2011?

Ballabriggs had a class 2 win in the Kim Muir which is 3m 1f 110yds - I use the Racing Post roundings which count 25.5f as 26f, sorry didn't make that clear.  I shortlisted and backed Ballabriggs.  26f+ as per RP, class 2 win or class 1 1-2-3 only winning horse that failed it in last 10 was Monty's Pass and he bucked a fair few other trends too.  It isn't just a stamina test, it is a stamina and class test.  In addition, I don't believe the cross country to be a serious stamina test at all as they are always on the turn and never build up a great pace.  I wouldn't be interested in any horse on the basis of one of those races alone.  Yes, one horse that placed there won here but he had proven himself already outside that sphere (Welsh National win and Becher Chase win!)  The idea that 31f of twisting and turning equates to 36f of flat all out galloping is ridiculous.

Just 2 in the last 25 years failed the equivalent test btw, the other horse was Red Maurader the year only 2 finished...

The RSA chase that Bostons Angel won is just as grueling as a Kim Muir win. Bostons Angel has never looked like a non-stayer so that doesn't worry me at all.

Was just a poor RSA rather than grueling, QE was looking the clear cut winner when he fell - though looking with hindsight the best horse in it was actually The Giant Bolster who u/r.  Ground was good wasn't a particularly strong pace.  Nothing about it says it was the equivalent of a high class stamina test.

Non runner

Indeed.  Somewhat disappointing.