Well pleased with AF again,thought he jumped really well on what can be a track that finds them out.
He aint much to look at,not a big imposing sort,so he must have some engine.
Liked the way he finished the race when strongly challenged,and looked to be more to come imo.
Thats 2 chases round 2 tough courses for a novice,and jumped them both pretty much without fault.One of them being Cheltenham is a big bonus for my Arkle bet.

*closing

never thought he was struggling Stront,think the runner up ran a blinder,tracked AF all the way and his jumping kept him there all the way and enabled him to challenge at the end.
Its possible he idled in front,and probably got to the front soon enough,and i am positive he would be better off a faster pace which he should get in the Arkle.
Still he won,jumped really well and travelled great and having a race like that will do him no harm,and should stand him in good stead for bigger races to come.

Im sure you aint the only one thinking that Joist.
That was FNS 2nd run over fences and he probably would have won his other if he had not fallen.On hurdles form i would agree somewhat,but chasing is a different game,and it looks like FNS is a better chaser than hurdler,and he would not be the first to be better over fences.
Think hes got every right to get close if he jumps well with the race not suiting AF as much as if it had been a fast paced race.
Not bothered at all to be honest,all i wanted to see was AF continue from his run at Chelt,and show me he has the attributes to be a serious Arkle horse,and he did just that.
I expect him to continue improving,and i for one am quiet excited about him.

Cannot see Al ferof beating peddlers in the Arkle...

Budd ..my view is based on ..Peddlers was by far and away a better hurdler (16lbs?) ..Peddlers chase form has been professional and without mishap. Peddlers career form is better then al ferof having only been beaten twice ..I am not convinced that al ferof,s best distance will be 2 miles come March..and of course they could have ran against each other at Bangor ...Peddlers was waiting!

Alfie only beat For Non Stop a couple of lengths in the Challow last year when finishing third

Let's not forget in recent years Captain Chris, Forpadydeplaster, Tidal Bay, My Way De Solzen and Contraband all put in indifferent performances before they won their Arkles

FWIW I thought yesterday's performance was pretty impressive from him. He jumped very well and battled on when challenged by For Non Stop after dossing around a bit in front (imo)

A faster paced Arkle will suit him just fine

For now i'm very much in the Peddler's Cross camp because I think he's the absolute real deal, but Alfie is very much one to take seriously. Both performances have impressed me thus far.

Let's not forget in recent years Captain Chris, Forpadydeplaster, Tidal Bay, My Way De Solzen and Contraband all put in indifferent performances before they won their Arkles

very good point fft...i trip over this quite often.....i'm going to try to be a bit more positive about grands crus last time now....initially i wasn't impressed.

that run wouldnt bother me either...

Peddlars has stormed up the Cheltenham hill the last 2 years and will jump them into the ground, much nippier at the fences than AF

I think that in his two races Al Ferof has been more flamboyant in hin jumping, there were a few at Sandown when he really gave them some air, however Peddlers was low, slick and quick at his - for me they both have different jumping styles.

I much prefer Peddlers for the Arkle, especially with his slick and economical jumping style-he seems to get over them with the minimum of fuss.  I think you have to take the hurdles rating into account to be honest.  I accept that Al Ferof may have posted a better rating this year, but I think he wouldn't have got near Peddlers.

Also, I don't think Peddlers got enough credit for his most recent win at Bangor.  He gave almost a stone and an 8 length win to a 148 rated, Grade 1 winning hurdler, Minella Class; whereas Al Ferof beat by a horse off level weights by 1/4 of a length, rated 140 over hurdles.

For me Peddlers is the best hurdler to go chasing for many a year.  I have been impressed with Al Ferof though; I was amazed that he won the Supreme; but I can't fault the start he has made to his chasing career.

I'm also looking forward to Sprinter Sacre, he is entered into a novice chase at Donny on Friday; I hope he makes it out.

Isn't there an arkle stat about the highest rated hurdler lining up winning a lot of the time?

GCW - there's a strong trend that Arkle winners were rated 140+ over hurdles and about half of them were the highest rated hurdler in the lineup.

Teaspoon,if PC wanted to take on AF he could have run at Cheltenham,the harder track for a debut over fences.
Anyway trainers normally discuss plans with oneanother,and quiet often avoid each other.And i am glad cos i saw AF cope with Cheltenham very well which bodes well for the Arkle.

As for the hurdles rating,well obviously PC has the better,but as pointed out had AF been kept over Hurdles this season who knows what rating he would have then,so to some extent its not that relevant.He would not have been the 1st novice to improve enough to beat a Churdler the following season.
What is totally relevant is how they fare over fences,and so far both have proved they are genuine contenders.
AF has proved that he can jump round Cheltenham fine,and Sandown is tough for a novice.PC has jumped roung Bangor twice,big difference imo.Thats not to say PC would not jump round Cheltenham of course,all the signs say he will,but at least i know AF can.
I would not take the form of the 2 races they have had so far too literally,they are both novices that are still improving and it is a learning process for the horses.By the time March comes one could well have improved a lot more than the other,and its best to keep a fairly open mind about things,and we have still to see more candidates.
Im banging about AF cos i have a nice Antepost bet,and i like what i have seen,but i realise the threat PC poses at the same time,and cannot find a fault with him so far.

It doesnt worry me at all that Peddlers wins have been at Bangor, I love the way McCain has brought him along slowly, very similar to his novice hurdle career.

Yes it is a bonus to do your winning at tough tracks, but I don't think its the bee all and end all. I made that mistake last year with Ghizao-I read too much into the fact he'd done his winning at Cheltenham.

Okay, Ghizao is not as good as Al Ferof imo, but Peddlers is one hell of an opponent.

This is an argument I can see running until March. Lets hope the main four all get there and may the best horse win!!!

I think AF is one of those horses that you never know how good they are until they get beat. Jumps fantastically well to my eyes, but only ever really wants to do enough. I think he'd find more and more when faced with PC.

I dont have any strong feelings about who is the best of the two. Impossible to imo.

I am not convinced that is the best plan of action from McCain tbh, but who am I to disagree!

We know how good PC was over hurdles, fences is a different discipline. His next race is officially a Class 2, so hopefully there will be one or two horses to make in interesting.

The Arkle is shaping up to be one of the races of the Festival, especially if all the contenders turn up. Remember, highly rated hurdlers have an outstanding record in the race so AF, SS, CC, PC already look likely candidates. Hard to call at this stage but you would think Al Ferof has got to have a huge chance

^I would think so Duffy, especially if it's a relatively soft track like Bangor. I'd be a touch less woried in a case like Time For Rupert last season where he ran multiple times at Chelt, but from the perspective of the horse's education for its whole career, variety has to be good.

and in any case it was nicholls that ducked the first bangor race wasn't it.
Duffy,
i think that means you inferred that Nicholls ducked it,seeing as thats excactly what you said.

See absolutely no reason at all to send a horse to Bangor when you have a better race a lot nearer home,and one that gives your horse valuable experience on the course where his main target is run.
Maybe we should ask Mr Mccain why he chose a soft race at Bangor when he could have ran against AF in a graded race.
Dont think any ducking was done myself,they were just the races that suited at the time.