GRANDS CRUS LIKELY TO GO FOR RSA

Must be a slow news day, was never going anywhere else.

Are you an insider in the Pipe camp or just don't read the papers? Owner had previously stated he was 70/30 in favour of the Gold Cup. As it now appears as if it is 90/10 in the other direction that original statement looks like a load of balony. Hiding behind the excuse that Newbury are not re-staging the novice chase doesn't wash. Four novice chases as opposed to three would that really have made that much difference? You might well be right and the public were led up another blind alley.

Mug pricewise SC backers SEETHING

No, nothing to do with the Pipe camp, I just never believed it would go anywhere else. And repeatedly said so on here and to anyone else that would listen

superb news

well pleased,need to back a couple in the RSA and that news helps the prices.

Great news - laid the family jewels on it in the Gold Cup

Link? Can't see anywhere...

no **** Sherlock!

By Jon Lees 11:26AM 12 FEB 2012

GRANDS CRUS is likely to head straight to Cheltenham with the RSA Chase his more likely goal in the wake of the novice chase he was due to contest on Saturday's abandoned Newbury card not being included in the rescheduled fixture on Friday.

Trainer David Pipe believes Saturday's Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot may come too close to the festival, where Grands Crus is favourite for the RSA and also hold a Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup entry.

Joint-owner Roger Stanley said: "David thinks it will be a little too close and wouldn't want him to have a harder race on better ground at this stage. He's happy with him and feels he doesn't need to put another race into him. It looks like he'll go straight to Cheltenham.

"The Gold Cup is probably a bit difficult when you've only had three chases but we're going to leave it late and decide. Let's have a look at how the Gold Cup settles down and who's in form and who's in the RSA. There's no rush to decide."

If I'm reading that right they say a race on Friday would have been fine but a race on Saturday would come too close to the Festival. Er, OK.

Leaving aside individual betting interest it is very poor news for the Festival showpiece. Now reduced to a match between a horse who is past his best and a dodgy jumper with a supporting cast of effectively upgraded handicappers. The RSA was always going to be competitive whichever way Grands Crus went.

Think they should consider the Ryanair tbph.

Why? The only people who would benefit from that would be bookmakers - not even sure he is entered. He would be just as inexperienced over a trip he hasn't even been running over.

Grands Crus is entered in the Ryanair and his first chase was over the Ryanair trip at Cheltenham.

As for Kauto Star being a horse who is past his best - that is true, but he's still at the sort of level Best Mate and Desert Orchid were when they won their Gold Cups. He's not exactly descended to hunter chases yet.

This years Gold Cup has 15 Grade 1 winners entered of which something like 8 will probably run (though they are dropping by the day). It's not a bad renewal.

I think they still have reservations about the RSA. Ryanair would be a good stepping stone to next year's Gold Cup (similar to the Imperial Commander route).

Ryanair a more prestigous race than the RSA too, plus the Ryanair looks pretty wide open at the moment.

Of course would need to be supplemented to run.

No GC isn't entered in the Ryanair but he could still be supplemented for it.

Apologies, you're right different & thieves.

I agree completely it might be his best option.

I have some 8/1 about Grand Crus for the RSA so I'm glad to hear the Gold Cup route looks to have been shelved. This RSA is his to throw away.

Get a little bit of cut in the ground and he becomes the banker of the week for me.

RSA is the right race. If they were seriously toying with the Gold Cup then they shouldn't be worried about the smaller field and shorter trip of the RSA run at a slower pace.

I think around 9-4 feels about right. There's a few good un's in the race.

Looking through last year's stats book for the RSA. One stood out: The last 47 winners had all raced in the calendar year of their RSA win.

It looks like GC won't have had a run since Boxing Day. I recall 2 recent fancied horses failing this stat too. Time For Rupert and What a Friend. Any others?