Arkle 2014

Oscar Whisky got nowhere else to go now might be a possible?

grandouet could be sent chasing next year

Rule The World

Pont Alexandre more of an RSA type for me

Don't fancy any of the established hurdlers at all - too late for Oscar Whisky, Grandouet etc.

Think Jezki and Un Atout could be better Arkle hopes than Champagne Fever, and also like Chatterbox (should never have run in the Neptune). And though it's unlikely, if they were mine, I'd also go straight over fences with Briar Hill and Golantilla.

Golantilla is a live chance for RSA/NH chase next season imo. He absolutely pissed his PTP

Vasco Du Ronceray is another who is likely to go novice chasing and could be interesting.

They should increase the festival to 365 days.

Must admit I thought there was an aim originally to move Rock On Ruby to fences next season but Harry Fry today sounds more inclined to keep him over hurdles.

"Chasing next season is a possibility but we'll take one race at a time," Fry said.

"One thing to say is that he's the best two-mile hurdler in this country so when you've spent all this time making him a top-level hurdler to then change discipline to fences, whether you quite reach the same heights, I don't know. That's the conversation with the owners over the summer to see where we go next season but there are obviously options available."

Champagne Fever for the Arkle (although the stats boys would hate a front runner!)
Rule the World to follow the FL route and head for the RSA
What about Un Atout?

We could possibly see a much more competitive Arkle next year but still think the Jewson massively ruins it these days

I think any renewal of the Arkle will be better than that p!ss poor one we've just had.

glossy
i have the opposite view,im certain cf will stay at 2m.

You're certain are you twedle?

I'm not so sure. Whilst I think that CF's future lies beyond 2m, I think this year's Supreme was just about perfect for him. Setting a strong pace on ground that suited found a lot of horses that hadn't faced that sort of test before in trouble relatively early on. If it had ran in the Neptune on an improved surface, I do think the toe of The New One could have found him out in the run in. Similarly, I don't know whether PA would have outstayed At Fishers Cross in the conditions that the race was run in.

Out of the novice hurdle winners, I think The New One will prove to be the most successful over timber in the course of time. I genuinely think it will win the CH next year. Champagne Fever will go on to be an outstanding staying chaser if he stays sound. At Fishers Cross is a difficult one in that he's probably the most ground dependant of the 3 but could go on to great things if getting his ground in either staying hurdles or chases in a few years. I'd like to see him given a chance in the World Hurdle next year, a race that is likely to be as open as it was this year. ATF is definitely a course specialist who relishes the hill but if there's a course to specialise at, it's NH HQ.

Mouthwatering stuff for next year.

Can't believe the number of experts that think Champagne Fever is expected to go Arkle route, his targeted trip this season was 3m and only because Ms Ricci had Pont Alexander and Ballycasey in the Neptune and A Bartlett did they run Champagne in the Supreme.
That tells me how good Champagne Fever really is - the speed to beat true 2m horses (who may well go on to win Champion Hurdles) in MTOY and Jezki yet a full mile less than his optimum trip.
I wouldn't mind a few quid on him going down the RSA route next year though with teh Jewson expected to convert to G1 status the shorter trip remains an option (though looking at Sir Des Champs this season I'm sure they'll want to fully test his stamina before a Gold Cup bid).

Champagne Fever reminds me a lot of Al Ferof (maybe because they're both greys).

Both clearly have stamina, but both had the speed to win a Supreme, and both relish a battle up that hill.

I can see Champagne Fever running in the Arkle and then stepping up to Gold Cup trips the year after.  Pont Alexandre will be the stable RSA horse this year, and if they want to up Champagne Fever in trip, I can't see a Supreme winner running in the Jewson, so I think they'll definitely run in the Arkle.

Not saying he will be campaigned exclusively at 2m all year, and may run in a few slightly longer trips in Ireland, but I think he'll go off favourite on the Tuesday.

Just how many 2 mile races at a Cheltenham festival does Champagne Fever have to win to convince some people that he's not short of speed, he won what in time will prove the best supreme for some years. Forums do show up people's ignorance.

Point taken re Sprinter Sacre who was a big backward type according to all connections prior to his run in supreme, cue card was a free running sort  who pulled very hard when he ran and has improved no end since settling better.
O.k Ive no crystal ball about how good this years supreme will turn out but what were your thoughts festie after the 2011 race, were you predicting that sprinter sacre would turn out to be the monster he is, or cue card an above average beast.
I clearly stating that Champagne Fever ain't slow and if people want to believe that he'd have run in other race if stable mates didn't exist thats their misfortune. Willie has a habit of misleading people and the avalanche of money that went on him in 24 hours before race suggested the shrewdest stable knew what alot of us didn't that Fever was indeed fast enough to win a 2 mile race round cheltenham, yes something your aforementioned horses couldn't do.

i noticed you thankfully don't mention jezki as you seem to know it all. And the monster was 11/1 to win the supreme, a worlds worst secret my ars e, it was acknowledged at the time even on this site on live cheltenham preview that Sprinter was a big backward baby who would be a better horse the following year, hence he was 10/1 for arkle after 2011 season, i 'm sure like the rest of us you took this price with the knowledge you had. I'm sure if requested betfair have interviews in their archive.

Your a rocket scientist who can states obvious after the fact info and can give no assistance to anyone about the future.

And you have an opinion that the worlds worst kept secret prior to the 2011 supreme was that 11/1 chance Sprinter Sacre not riden by stable jockey barry geraghty was the monster we all know today. And Nicky was telling the world this.
Don't be pretending to having this knowledge because as I already stated it was known that alot was thought of sprinter sacre, although a big immature baby in 2011 the stable were hopeful he'd be the one that would develop the most but No one could have foreseen the horse turn into a racing monster. I just don't believe you had this knowledge festie. I don't believe you.