Realt Dubh???

From Dec

Unfortunately he rapped a joint which has kept him out of action this season, which was very irritating as the John Durkan over 2m4f had been his big target. That is his best trip and I don’t see him getting further as he was cantering away with the Drinmore last season until finding disappointingly little. I doubt he will be ready for Christmas, but I will be looking to run him by the middle of next month and I would love to have him ready for the Ryanair Chase. He also appreciates better ground, so spring could be his time



From last week


The former champion trainer also had news regarding two of his stars from last season in Realt Dubh and Pandorama, who haven’t been seen since last spring. “Realt Dubh is back in training and he has been back in training for a while now so he seems to be over the setback which he had. However, Pandorama won’t be back in action until next year.” added Meade, who enjoyed three winners over the Christmas period including Cross Appeal in the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

Cheers BJG..... ryan air chase..interesting. Explains huge odds for champion chase.

Noel Meade has confirmed that his star chaser Realt Dubh is back in full work after suffering a small setback earlier in the season

The eight-year-old has not been seen on the racecourse since finishing second to Captain Chris in the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown last May and had been scheduled to return over the Christmas period.

Meade told sportinglife.com: "He was a bit sore on the outside of one of his suspensory ligaments as I think he just rapped himself but as he is such a good horse I didn't want to take any chances with him so we gave him a complete month off and then started slowly."

The trainer had been unsure as to which distance would be most suitable for his charge but he has taken the decision to enter him for two of the feature races at the Cheltenham Festival.

He added: "I've entered him in the Ryanair and the Queen Mother Champion Chase with the Ryanair the more likely.

"He got well enough hammered in the Arkle last year as he probably wasn't good enough having got outpaced but he came back and won a two-and-a-half mile Grade One and I'd say that the 2m5f of the Ryanair looks to be his trip."

"I would hope he would run mid-February and then go to Cheltenham."

Similar assistance required on Jessies Dream, ran a cracker last year going the longest way round and see his odds for the Ryanair are similar to the gold cup ?
Surely if turning up on the thursday would be interesting at 25,s considering the way he jumped and travelled last year.

Anyone know the proposed agenda - target?

his is the last I saw for Jessies:
http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=racing/12/01/09/RACING_Dream.html&BID=465

Before that they were talking about the Denman (Aon) at Newbury on Feb 11, so who knows?

ta

Realth Dubh should be running in the Gold Cup,why doesnt meade step him up in trip?will easily stay the trip

titch - more on Jessies Dream - likley come back in the Irish Hennessey, Red Mills as the backup plan:

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/gordon-elliott-cheltenham-festival-cheltenham-leopardstown-jessies-dream-set-for-irish-hennessy-return/978334/top/

cheers for that

Realt Dubh should be aimed at the CC if fit, looks a poor renewal

^^^^^^Agreed

CC??
are you kidding me,He's as slow as a boat ffs,look at his run in the Arkle,Couldnt keep with them through out and plodded on for a place

That's not what happened in the Arkle OnTheSnaff. He travelled like a dream before being outpaced in the straight, rather than struggling to keep up and 'plodding on'. Major Ryanair player imo.

totally agree with slabster - Realt Dubh cruised down the hill and traded at 5/4 on betfair

He travelled like a dream at his own pace,which was quite some way off the leaders,was never gonna make up so much ground,i very much doubt he was capable of travelling like that had he have been up with the leaders because he would have been out of his comfort zone

He closed up on the leaders on the bridle turning in, and was only found wanting up the hill. He made up the ground on Finians and then proceeded to lose it again. He was only a couple of lengths off the leaders half a mile out and looked to be well within his comfort zone to me.

Realt Dubh could make a belated seasonal debut next month after pleasing trainer Noel Meade in his progress over the last few weeks.

The eight-year-old has not run since finishing second to Captain Chris in the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown in May on his final start of a campaign that saw him win three Grade 1 races over fences in nine starts.

After having had a busy time, his reappearance this term has been delayed after he was held up in the autumn.

Realt Dubh now looks set for a spring campaign with his entries already including the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

"I'm very happy with him. His progress is good, he's doing everything according to plan," said Meade.

"He's ready to step up doing a bit of fast work to see where we go. I'd say we're three weeks away.

"I'll just see where we are going with him in that time, but it's so far, so good with him at the minute."

"He's ready to step up doing a bit of fast work to see where we go. I'd say we're three weeks away.


PRESUME THESE ARE HIS OPTIONS ?

Sat 18-Feb-12 Gowran Park N 5+ 40000 20F Grade 2 Steeplechase 5yo and up (Red Mills)
Sun 26-Feb-12 Naas N 5+ 46500 16F Grade 2 Steeplechase 5yo and up (Newlands)



Other options ?

http://www.goracing.ie/AssetLibrary/Files/HRI/Resource_Centre/2012JanAprNHProvSumm.pdf

my contact says naas for the 2 miler is the target
- although seems very close to cheltenham

Sun 26-Feb-12 Naas N 5+ 46500 16F Grade 2 Steeplechase 5yo and up (Newlands)

TKS clipper

Still think they should go Queen Mother; Ryanair looks a lot stronger race this year

Any further news on this one? Fancy it strongly for the ryanair.

l read somewhere the other day that he heads straight to the Ryanair without a prep run. l fancy this horse too but not without a seasonal pipeopener as it would be some performance to win off a massive layoff in what looks like being one the most competitive races of the whole festival.

I think Realt Dubh is owned by the same family which owns Noble Prince. I would have thought therefore that the two horses may be kept apart, with Realt for the Queen Mother and Noble for the Ryanair.

There was a story about this in the RP on Saturday. I might be misremembering but I think the trainer said RD will go straight to the Ryanair.

I think Realt Dubh is owned by the same family which owns Noble Prince. I would have thought therefore that the two horses may be kept apart, with Realt for the Queen Mother and Noble for the Ryanair.

Realt Dubh is owned by the son of the owner of Noble Prince, nothing like getting one over on a family member at Cheltenham. l expect both to go for this race, they didn't keep them a part in their novice season so why now??

bland82 - you may well be right, I was just flagging up the ownership dimension which hadn't been mentioned elsewhere in the thread. They were however kept apart at Cheltenham last year.

the clipper 25 Feb 12 17:56
Realt Dubh - my information is that despite not running in
10 months he will be in a seven runner Champion Chase

I sort of believe he might have information about which race it will run in. I find it harder to believe he knows everyone's running plans and that the QMCC will have 7 runners.

Didn't trainer say Ryanair? Hope so, I've backed him!