Cheltenham Festival
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AL FEROF......??
AL FEROF......??
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sure if I was holding a nice ticket for PC at 8/1 or something I would ideally like to see him have a go at a Grade 1 track for experience
but equally I would not be worried if he went straight there can easily see AF and PC battling it out up the run in |
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so can i my friend and some battle that would be!!
Still have to see Sprinter Sacre,and Menorah needs to be seen again,its no 2 horse race.Expect one or 2 others will surface as well. |
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Going to be one of the races of the Festival
I deffo think it is only worth focusing on the highest rated hurdlers in the field |
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I currently have Peddlers at, in my view, a huge price for the Arkle.
But to be honest, it doesn't bother me at all that he's not running in Grade 1's. McCain took a very similar route with him when he won the Neptune as a novice, Haydock > Bangor > Haydock > Cheltenham. He swerved high profile races such as the Challow, because he was confident in the horse he had and didn't want to run him into the ground before Cheltenham. I think it's great what McCain is doing. Building up Peddlers confidence slowly as a novice, and then will probably compete in the big grade 1's and 2's next year (ie Tingle Creek, VC Chase, Game Spirit etc). If Peddlers doesn't win the Arkle, I personally will put no blame at all on McCain if he decides to keep him up north in lesser races. I'm sure others would disagree though. |
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I would totally agree with you,they know what they have and they know how to train him.
It wont be the fault of the trainer if he dont win the Arkle,if a horse or even horses proves to be better that will be the reason. |
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Any horse can make a few jumping errors round Cheltenham, Kauto Star fell in the QMCC, so you just have to take that on the chin. Peddlers or Al Ferof could have a bad day jumping wise and not run their race, any horse could. I don't think you can counter act that fact by running in any number of prep races because none will really prepare you for the white hot competition that is a race like the Arkle
licking my lips at the prospect |
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nobody has mentioned For Non stop's last race at Ascot where he was beaten 27 lengths by Overturn..Granted it was over hurdles but surely that cannot be a positive in the Al ferof Book?
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don't see how you can draw any conclusions about Al Ferof based on that run over hurdles
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course you cant,although some will look at anything to try to make a point.
Its all about jumping fences over 2m as far as i am concerned,AF has done it well and so did FNS the other day. |
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yup
whenever I consider an angle I am always asking: how likely is this to be SIGNIFICANT? And FNS getting beat by Overturn over hurdles must have next to zero significance in terms of the Arkle contenders |
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^ It must have some significance, even if it is very minor. I wouldn't crab AF at all based on his chases to date but of course it would have been nicer to have seen him come home a little further in front.
Guess what I'm trying to say is that although it is not a negative in my book, a more comprehensive victory would have been a greater positive. If he'd won by 8 or 10 he'd be favourite. |
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I think it would have been a lot bigger win had the race been run to suit.AF definitely needs a strongly run race to bring out the best in him.
Also We may well be underestimating FNS as a chaser,that was his 2nd chase and he would probably have won his other if he had not fallen. Early days for these novices. |
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You could also make a point that Al Ferof runs better in the spring. it minor but could be significant on his progression curve this season!
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I really cant wait to see Al Ferof v Peddlers. Its going to be great to find out who is best on the day!
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Is it just me or is the RSA looking like its going to be a much better race overall? Arkle is building to just Peddlars V Al Ferof whereas in the RSA we could see Grand Crus V Bobs Worth V Last Installment V First Lieutenant V Sonofvic etc etc
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nice boost for the form of Al Ferof today
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was it?
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i think so,a novice beating seasoned handicappers.
certainly dont do any harm. |
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fair enough i suppose...al ferof beat him seven could have been double tbf.....oiseau de nuit beaten 4 lengths giving a stone off 152....3 others in close proximity...ok i suppose....certainly nothing wrong with it without you left thinking...wow how good must al ferof be.
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we might get more idea soon though.entered in the Victor Chandler at Ascot in a couple of weeks.
Finians also entered amongst others,not sure what to make of Nicholls entering AF to be honest. |
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Might prove a shrewd move by Paul Nicholls. The race could cut up badly, giving the horse an ideal Arkle prep and bagging some good prize money too, even if he doesn't win.
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if he win goes for Q/M ME THINKS
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bl00dy hope not.
nah,cannot see that happening,they cannot think he can beat Sizing,not to mention Big Zeb,no way. |
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A change of plan since MM's injury ??
Anyone know if Nicholls has sent one of his Arkle candidates into open company before ? |
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Who else has Nicholls got for the QM? No Masterminded, Woolcombe Folly or Ghizao aren't good enough. I think he's testing the water. If Al Ferof beats Finians, they might be tempted!
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Tataniano injured aswell.
Maybe Nicholls is just thinking of the prize money, trainers title and all that. |
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Is there a better trainer of 2 m chasers? This is one area where one has to give him credit for knowing what he's doing!
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There is no better trainer of Chasers full stop,imo.
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36/38 on here which is fair if you thought he would run in QM.
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Sint, I agree, but his record with 2 milers is absolutely spectacular.
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Get the feeling Nicholls hasn't got as many 'big names' for the Champion races at Cheltenham as he has in previous years and so is testing the water to see if he can produce a live one. Can't see Al Ferof living with Finian's in the VC nevermind at Cheltenham
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On stiff undulating tracks like Ascot and Cheltenham I think Al Ferof would give Finians Rainbow plenty to think about, on flattish tracks I think Finians would have the call.
Personnally I think Al ferof will prove much the better chaser of these two in time. |
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Gutted I missed the 11/4 on Finnians, that was a HUGE price!!!
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Good news that Cue Card is going for the Arkle.With him in it the winner is going to have to stay well!!
Al Ferof needs a good pace to produce his best imo,and with CC and Sprinter that should happen. Hopefully they will do the same as they did in the Supreme and set the race up for AF.Hopefully!!! Glad Ruby Walsh is on board,hes going to have to use all his experience to pace this race right for sure. |
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Supreme take II!!
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Just trying to think backwards.
I know I'msingingtheblues (and some of his stayers, notably Strong Flow) ran in open company before the festival but the likes of Twist Magic, ThisthatandTother, Noland and his two winners (Azertyuiop and Flagship) did not. I personally do not see this as a positive sign. |
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Its obviously the time he wants to get a run into him and must fit into his prep for March.Even if he wins he wont run in the QM imo.
Nicholls must know he cannot beat SE or BZ,cos i am pretty darn sure he cant!! But winning a race like that will be great confidence booster for the Arkle. |
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or running well,which is more likely i would think
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If I was an Al Ferof backer I would want to see him out soon, but I wouldn't be too keen on taking on Finians, Wishful Thinking and Gauvain.
He's already had a couple of fairly hard races by novice standards, and I'd prefer it if he had a nice Novice race to keep him fit and gain some more experience. I might give Nicholls a ring and tell him, I think he'd listen to me  |
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Have to have faith in those that know the horse best i guess.
As long as he lines up in the Arkle,i am quiet happy to go along with whatever his trainer decides is best for the horse. |