Vic Venturi warms up for possible tilts at hunter chases at Cheltenham and Aintree with a run at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The 12-year-old takes on 16 rivals in the Raymond Smith Memorial Hunters Chase, on the back of wins in two Irish point-to-points.

Trainer Dessie Hughes has the John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree in April as the gelding's main objective.

"This will be the start of him getting ready for Aintree. He may run at Cheltenham first in the Foxhunter Chase there," said the County Kildare handler.

"The Fox Hunters' at Aintree will be his main aim, but we'll see how he goes on Sunday."

Tony Martin is looking forward to saddling Saddlers Storm and Northern Alliance in the three-mile heat.

"They are two old horses we've had a few years now and they are ready to go on Sunday," said the County Meath trainer.

They all stay in the Foxhunters - it just takes some longer than others

Wont be looking at the race in too much depth till i know the runners,but of the fancied runners,i would say That Backstage looks a worthy fav and i see Jamie Codd rode him in his last race,he looks to me as the most likely winner at this stage,and if JC rides its a plus for the horse for sure.

Chapoturgeons best forms over shorter distances,and the way they go in this race usually,i suspect he wont get home,but if im wrong hes a danger.

CORK ALL STAR, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2007, could bid for more Cheltenham Festival glory in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase.

The nine-year-old, formerly trained by Jessica Harrington, has not raced under rules since November 2008, but returned to action in a point-to-point at Cottenham on Sunday.

New trainer Joanna Quinlan said on Wednesday: "He had been at home at [his owner's] Swordlestown Stud for over two years after picking up a knee injury and he came to me six weeks ago. He is perfectly sound now and has delighted us with everything he has done.

"The aim is run in the open point-to-point for men at Highham at the end of the month and then we aim to run in a hunter chase at Fakenham or Huntingdon.

"If he qualifies we want to run him in the Christie's Foxhunter at Cheltenham and then the big hunter chase at Punchestown."

Does anyone know if he will run ?

South Dorset postpone

The South Dorset at Milborne St Andrew is the latest meeting to fall foul of the wintery conditions currently gripping the country so another missed qualification opportunity for Chapo getting a bit tight now

Backed OTF last year and was very disappointed he had every chance and he never looked like placing in what looked a pretty weak renewal before, during and after.  Only young so has chance of improving I suppose

Catch Me - I'm encouraged that you're encouraged by Off The Fringe's performance, I took the 7s with P Power earlier today for Cheltenham and when watching todays race I thought he jumped brilliantly but then found surprisingly little after finding room on the fence, though as you say this may be consistent with a horse short of work - lets hope he imrpoves for March....

Agree with that Different travelled like best horse in race,over-priced at 16 Spoilsports, jockey was pretty bullish in interview after.

I'm annoyed that I missed the 16s on Salsify, I still think the 12s is decent value though. Chapoturgeon is entered in a Hunter Chase at both Fakenham and Sandown on Saturday so it should be fine, and Barber's Shop is in about five this week so we'll see how he looks. Silverburn is entered in quite a few this week as well, I hope he can get a win for his big bro.

Since December 1st 2009 and before February 28th 2012 in Great Britain or Ireland have:

a) Been placed first or second on two occasions in a Hunter Chase,
b) Won two open races at Point-To-Point meetings
or
c) Won one open race at a Point-To-Point meeting and have been placed first or second in a Hunter Chase

✔ = Qualified
½ = Must win an open race or be placed first or second in a Hunter Chase to qualify
× = Has not won an open race or been placed first or second in a Hunter Chase since December 1st 2009

As at 13/02/2012:
Name ?
According To John ✔
Aggie’s Lad ✔
Amicelli ✔
Backstage ✔
Barbers Shop ×
Blackstaff ✔
Boxer Georg ✔
Bradley ✔
Billyvoddan ✔
Cedrus Libani ✔
Chapoturgeon ½
Cloudy Lane ½
Cork All Star ✔
Current Exchange ✔
Danehill Willy ×
Description ✔
Divine Intavention ✔
Earth Dream ½
Eleazar ✔
Enter Paradise ✔
Footy Facts ✔
For The Staff ½
Gwanako ×
Herons Well ✔
Hills Of Aran ×
Just Amazing ✔
Just Smudge ½
Leac An Scail ✔
Lorikarad ✔
Martys Mission ×
Master Medic ½
Merchant Royal ✔
Merry Vic ✔
Mister Socks ½
Monkerty Tunkerty ✔
My Flora ✔
Noble Ben ½
Now Listen To Me ½
Oca De Thaix ✔
Oedipe ½
Officier De Reserve ×
Offshore Account ✔
Ollie Magern ×
On The Fringe ✔
Oscar Delta ✔
Palypso De Creek ½
Pathian Prince ✔
Putney Bridge ×
Qozak ×
Racing Demon ×
Rosies Peacock ✔
Roulez Cool ✔
Rowdy Rampage ✔
Salsify ✔
Sea Scout ✔
Sericina ✔
Silverburn ×
Simonsberg ✔
Southwestern ✔
Special Portrait ✔
Sunday City ×
Surenaga ✔
Teddy’s Reflection ×
Templer ✔
Theatre Diva ✔
The Polomoche ✔
Turko ✔
Turthen ✔
Viking Splash ✔
Zilcash ✔

Note: Not all qualified horses are listed.
If there are any horses that are likely to enter that you think should be added to the list please email hunterchases@yahoo.com

just watched cloudy lane race that horse has no chance in the foxhunters

shando.....have to agree.  Something is niggling at me with Cloudy Lane,,,he will stay, no doubt about that, but I can just see him not maintaining a position on second circuit and then staying past a few for 5/4th place

Barbers Shop entered in a 4 runner Hunter Chase at Fakenham tomorrow against two penalised opponents....

The stat could correctly be expressed as 4 of last 7 years won by traditional hunters which is rather less impressive.

However, horses aged under 10 still have aa cracking record (19/21).

Stron - strange how I knew that stat but still backed Juveignor a couple of years ago.
Classic case of heart ruling head, something that 25 years of festival punting on I still haven't mastered !

I amde it a schoolboy error then and I still make it one now, but thanks for making me feel better.
Fact is, stats/trends are an accumilation of what's gone before, and there's a reason some stats/trends keep re-occuring when the conditions of any race do not alter - 5yo in champion hurdles, novices in champion races etc, there's a reason these things very rarely happen....

Yes for sure, and of course every now and then you get the exception such as Master Minded who without doubt was the best 5yo chaser in history, these events must be taken as 'one-offs' and they merely distort the stat/trend.
I take your point re changing priorities of top yards and the fact this race may well be targeted in a way it wasn't before, but I'm still reluctant to back a horse that has been through the handicap sphere and is on the downgrade before tackling this race, an unexposed improver (therefore from traditional hunting background) will always get my interest.

I disagree actually.  As much as I am interested in rising stars (I back On the Fringe last year - mainly because of lack of horses with decent form under rules - and Kingscliff when he won) I also look specifically for a decent handicapper who isn't too long in the tooth.  Chapoturgeon and Gwanako were the too I pulled out this year.

Thanks for your hard work on the qualifiers BJG - I asked BF to put Gwanako in the list as I thought second in a PTP was good enough. Was kicking myself as he won easily today (despite backing him at 2/1) as I only had a tenner on at 40s until I reread it.  Main reason I limited stakes was that I wasn't sure why he was allowed to be that price and nothing else there to back him. Now I know

Anybody who likes hunter chases,I found this website and its free.  http://hunterchases.com/

Chapoturgeon qualified today