I too think AF would have found up the hill, as CC did, but I think SS would have toyed with him in similar fashion.

AF did not beat FR (who had problems) at Ascot, the stable have not said it but i think they are quite certain SS is better than FR (though only the track, should they meet, would prove it) so as interesting as it would have been to have seen AF with a clear round, I cannot imagine how he would have won.

Well we will never know for sure,and unfortunately in racing that happens.
What i do know is that both horses were going well at the time,and AF is a proven solid stayer over 2m at Cheltenham.
Shame.
It would have told us more for definite than we know at the moment.

Certainly is! That 'never knowing' can be a huge source of frustration but it is also what keeps the game (and the forum) going!

How are you keeping Budd - having a good summer? I hope you are not getting involved in the flat!?

Trust you are keeping well,and looking forward to the new season.
Not too long now mate.

with injury factored in if the race was tomorrow they must have him at about 1.4 to win it if hye gets thewre

Dado, you're probably right - but you're not certainly right, which is why we bother running the races rather than just handing over the cup and the money now.

couldn't possibly have sanctuaire as any sort of challenge myself, think 9/2 is a good price, don't think SS will run in the victor chandler, more likely to miss that and take in the game spirit.

I understand the anti-Sanctuaire camp because he was such a dog as a hurdler. However, chasing seems to be the making of him. He absolutely flew round Sandown in 2 of his 3 chases (after excelling at Exeter in the first) and any novice that can do that should be taken seriously. Sprinter almost certainly is a (much) better horse, but don't take it for granted. If I had Sanctuarie at 66/1 I'd be delighted - an excellent trading opportunity at the very least.

I'm also puzzled how anyone can say SS is the best horse they've seen - he was only a novice last season, not the best chaser to run last season and possibly not even the best novice to run last season (thinking about Sir des Champs and Flemenstar who also both have enormous potential).

Best horse ive seen

Look,he looks an exceptional talent,but lets wait till he starts beating horses out of novice company!!

As for Sanctuaire,lively challenger for sure,and that Sandown display was as impressive a 2m performance i saw from the novices last season.

I dont think saying SS is the best youve seen is that daft - he may be the best any of us have seen in 2 years time.

BEAST AND A HALF

SS for me hasn't done a rating remotely close to what Masterminded did in his infamous QM rout but then again MM never did it again. For me if SS proves to find significant amounts off the bridle then he could be really very special but at this stage I reserve judgement as IMO Al Ferof was running a big one in the Arkle till that blunder. Not saying he would have won but it would have been interesting to see how SS would have fared if his biggest rival ran a clean race.

^^^ good post but he could take everyones conkers yet. Love to see him trounce the big boys gonna be very hard to rate then by Mr Smith.

I agree,we don't need to be proclaiming SS as the greatest just yet do we, the great thing about it is that unlike the flat he'll have every chance to prove it over the next couple of years, one snag, certainly in the immediate future is that he is going to be hit over the head with the "what's he beat" tag as finian's wasn't a good queen mum winner and sizing is probably past his best, other than that , it's looking a bit thin.

nicholls says that sanctuaire is hopefully up there with the best 2 milers we have had ,on a mark of 66 he is the highest rated novice chaser we have had for 21 years ,since swithing to fences his form has been extraordinary in that not even grade 2 2 milers have been able to match strides or jump with him .
nicholls outlined a light but agressive campaign centered around the tingle creek and qmcc "we think he is best fresh so straight to sandown then we will keep him fresh for the festival ,he is hugely talented but enigmatic so we will have to keep his mind right .

having watched his hurdle races my thoughts were that sanctuaire didnt like being held onto ,seemed to be pulling and wanted to go  and got moody when he didnt get his own way ,blasting off in front suits him ,just giving him a few races may  keep him keen . whether he can give sprinter a race we will have to wait and see , but we wont have to wait too long now ..........tingle creek on the agenda for both of em it seems .

Thanks for posting that Foyles.

momentum gathers when we have what could be a special horse on our hands, and peoples judgement can get clouded by the the hype that increases after every race that he wins i am in no way knocking the horse and sprinter sacre could be just that a superstar ! and the superlatives were flying about on here and on the racing grapevine last season, and no doubt they will be  this season as well ,it seems that he is already past the post for the tingle creek and  champion chase in many peoples eyes  although there are some more level headed posters here who reserve judgement , he may well win the tingle creek .  champion ect and we all want to see a one off true champion over jumps ,even more so now we have a frankel lighting up the flat ,it would be great to have a similar household name to take over from kauto star .
there was a similar situation regarding hurricane fly last year ,only had to turn up to win the champion hurdle  one poster even quoted "'hurricane fly turns up 80 per cant fit for the champion hurdle the others are toast ",we all know what happened there . may be iam pocket talking having opposed sprinter for the champion but untill he proves it in a battle there has to be a doubt for me .we may see what he can do in the tingle creek ,if all the main protaganists turn out for the sandown race it should be a cracker ............watching sanc sizing and sprinter and possibly cue card and menorah taking the railway fences at speed will be some sight ...........and not too long to wait till the real racing starts ............bring it on !

Racing, I too was very taken (probably overly so) by his Aintree run - electric, no other word for it! If he is over his problems I think he is good, but i fear too much water has gone under the bridge to reach te top now. FTO could be the moment, I agree.

--

Re Sanctuaire, I do not have anything more to add than what I added on Whitbread day - the form of Sanctuaire's last run is seriously debatable IMO, but he will be razor sharp (no point Nicholls piching up half fit against the champion elect, he needs to know where he stands, and on a 'home' track, why not?), has strong track form, appears to love the track and acts well round the chase course there and front runs (at Sandown those are a good advantage IMO). The only concern IMO for SS is that BJG does not give Sanctuaire too much rope. I do not think he will let that happen so I think SS fans should be ok.

Sanct bowling along in front that is.

Let's just say Sanctuaire beats SS at Sandown in the Tingle Creek.  From the majority of comments on here, I will be reading that Sandown is Sanctuaires track and Cheltenham will be different.  The excuses will start!!!!

I too believe SS is the better horse, but Sanctuaire looks a serious animal too and should he beat him at Sandown barring accidents, don't be too surprised if he confirms the form.