Arvika Ligeonniere 33/1 e/w QMCC NRFB BetVictor

I'd be amazed if it turned up, 10lbs better going the other way around. Will be kept for Punchestown I would imagine. Has ability though no doubt, Cheltenham just don't suit I don't think.

He is better backed on right-handed tracks. Seems to lose his head going the other way.

I think he'd need further than 2.5 to be at his best.

On his day, I think he has a lot of talent, but he is very hit and miss, so couldn't back him with a large degree of confidence.

When it all clicks into place I do think he could mix it with them (except the aeroplane obviously)

Sorry, I mean further than 2m, not 2.5.

Love to see him in the Tingle Creek, as said by others above he's better left handed.

That's not to say he's useless left handed by the way, his form with Baily Green shows he is, but seems to jump and travel better the other way around.

RIGHT HANMDED SLABSTER LAD

Of course H!

Get on him for the King George in 2015.

shocking in the arkle took him all of 25 seconds to be beten

If this won a Tingle Creek ill chuck it

Good horse on his day,but if Sprinter Sacre is running in the TC,then I will be very surprised if anything else got a look in.

and me Ballydoyle

you fancy Sprinter Sacre Budd   :)

Bit special aint he mate.
I usually take a bit longer to come out with the superlatives.

Take SS out the TC though and I would not put anyone off backing AL.

is sacre defo heading for tingle creek, was mentioned earlier this autumn he may head to Cheltenham for paddy power meet that id love to see.

Well I thought it was obvious he would as its the 2nd rated 2m chase of the season.
Cant believe they would not go there.
What race at Cheltenham is there for him next month Howdi??

Sorry yeah I knew he was going to the Tingle Creek but I had heard he was going to race on the Sunday at next Cheltenham meeting as a warm up.

He was entered for the same race last year and was going to run but was pulled out overnight as the ground went against him.

The race Wishful Thinking won from memory.

Ah yeh,well I guess he would have no problem fitting that race in, be about 3 weeks apart.

Hoping for a good run today. My outsider for the Ryanair at the moment

Well that was impressive.

I like him but interesting walsh observing that they don't fancy it so much going left handed with him.

Sadly not priced up anywhere for the Ryanair before todays race, so couldn't get a bet on. No longer an outsider, but I think he'll go well in it, as I always thought 2m was on the sharp side.  May not turn up at Cheltenham this year, so could be a blessing in disguise though.

I'd be really interested in him if he turned up for the King George. I'm sure Kempton would suit more than Cheltenham.

Back right handed. Lay left handed. It's really quite simple.

There really isn't many better when going clockwise.

this cant go left handed business is bollards imo. ran a stormer on racecourse debut in france left handed. travelled like the best horse in the race in his albert bartlett and was outstayed watch it and see. wasn't right in the arkle last season. i accept that his form is better right handed as things stand. that much is clear. however if this beast turns up for a suitable race going left handed i wouldnt be rushing in laying. id be doing the opposite.

I'd be all over the 25's current for Ryanair if I knew it was his target. 2.5 is definitely his distance, and not 2m imo

I'd agree with that and incidentally, right up to the point where he made a mess of one in the arkle, he was travelling beautifully, it was anything but a sorry performance from start to finish......having said that, walsh has voiced the concern about left handed, so when you've got the connections talking about it, it is worrying from an ante-post point of view.

Fancy Arvika's chances on Sunday, should be a good contest.

If he was running on Saturday in the Tingle Creek I'd be all over him

The Tingle Creek would be an ideal race for Sizing Europe, he was electric at Sandown a two years ago. I find it strange that he's never been back there since

Think on his day hes the 2nd best 2m chaser around, and could give Sprinter a race. Would love to see him take on SS at Ascot in January.
Problem with the Queen Mum as others have said,he don't seem to be the same left handed.
Shame he did not run in the Tingle Creek,we would have seen some performance I reckon, different league to Sire de Grugy imo.

I could not disagree with you more there buddeliea, am sorry. SDG and AL in a match i would be all over SDG on ground good/soft or worse! Especially 2 miles around Sandown

no worries its only our opinion mate, hopefully one day the horses will tell us whose nearer the mark.

I think the OP has had a good bet here. Very thin division and no reason not to let Arvika try again over 2m at Cheltenham. He will be running over 2m at Leopardstown next so they can gauge how he gets on back left handed.

Looks lie he is going to have another crack at cheltenham ruby says he wouldn't be bothered by going left handed now and seemed to of ironed that problem out.

I must admit he didn't look as bad going left handed as usual when he was placed at Leopardstown, but he was still beaten by two inferior horses. If they have ironed out this problem, it would make him the second most likely winner of the QMCC imo, but I reckon he's probably still a stone better going right.

Well that's good that Ruby thinks hes ok left handed now as I have big odds on here for the QM.
Still have my doubts that hes as good that way though,and agree AC,surely he should have won that race at Leopardstown,if he were as good going left.
Still at least Ruby has given me more hope.

I'm starting to come round to him now.  I said in this thread that I think he needs 2m4, but I think he looks a different horse this year.

As said above, its a shame he didn't come over for the Tingle Creek and then we'd really know how good he is.

I think I might go in at 12's NRNB for the QMCC and the Ryanair; just a hunch but I'd fancy him to reverse the form with Beneficient next time; it sounds stupid because I can't really back it up with anything and Beneficient is a festival winner, but I just think Arvika is probably a better horse....time will tell.

Forgot that Victor is NRNB for the QMCC, not NRFB, so 16's NRNB is available for that

Arvika Ligeonniere turned the **** Free Wifi Coming To Our Shops Tied Cottage Chase into a procession at Punchestown and is likely to head to Cheltenham for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old is five from five at Punchestown, having been beaten into third when favourite at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Special Tiara cut out the running, but Ruby Walsh's mount took much closer order with over half a mile to run and jumped three out with a fractional advantage.
That was extended significantly at the second-last and the race was over once the 2-7 chance pinged the final fence to come home unchallenged from Toner D'Oudairies.
Mullins said: "He was very, very good and very brave at some of his fences.
"We decided to let him roll along today. He fiddled one, the ditch at the bottom of the hill, but he jumped everything else very well.
"Ruby felt there was plenty in the tank, so I reckon we'll go to Cheltenham again, probably for the Champion Chase, although I've probably entered him in everything.
"He has won a Grade One going left-handed and if we don't go to Cheltenham, there is nothing else for him before the Festival back here."

The BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase
Class 1, Grade 1, 2m, £350,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, Wednesday, March
12, 2014. For 5yo+ which are allotted a rating of 130 or more by the BHA Head of
Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races
run up to and including March 5 - horses which are not qualified for a rating in Great
Britain, Ireland or France may also be entered & such horses may be eligible providing
the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse's racecourse performances up to and
including March 5 would merit a minimum rating of 130 (the decision of the BHA Head of
Handicapping shall be final). Weights: 11st 10lb. Allowances: mares 7lb. Entries closed
January 7, entries revealed January 9 (26 entries), scratchings' deadline February 11
(17 remain), £17,500 supplementary entry & six-day confirmation stage March 6. Final
48-hour declaration stage, 10am, March 10. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and
are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, February 10.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer
343/1-132 AL FEROF (FR) 9 John Hales Paul Nicholls
1213P-4 ALDERWOOD (IRE) 10 J P McManus Tom Mullins IRE
FP1-1131 ARVIKA LIGEONNIERE (FR) 9 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
452033 ASTRACAD (FR) 8 Raymond Mould Nigel Twiston-Davies
32P4-2520 BAILY GREEN (IRE) 8 Adam Scott Mouse Morris IRE
411P-41 BENEFFICIENT (IRE) 8 A Shiels/Niall Reilly Tony Martin IRE
11151-3 CAPTAIN CONAN (FR) 7 Triermore Stud Nicky Henderson
222(2)-11 HINTERLAND (FR) 6 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls
4520-10 KID CASSIDY (IRE) 8 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
F114-241 MODULE (FR) 7 Simon Clarke Tom George
511-3430 SAVELLO (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
11-12111 SIRE DE GRUGY (FR) 8 The Preston Family & Friends Ltd Gary Moore
122-124 SIZING EUROPE (IRE) 12 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de
Bromhead IRE
2/34U-12U SOMERSBY (IRE) 10 Camilla Radford Mick Channon
2513-U34 SPECIAL TIARA 7 Mrs S Rowley-Williams Henry de Bromhead IRE
11111-P SPRINTER SACRE (FR) 8 Caroline Mould Nicky Henderson
133-6621 WISHFULL THINKING 11 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs

17 entries remain after February 11 scratchings deadlone
7 Irish-trained

Cheers BJG. Hoping Arvika turns up to this now rather than the Ryanair, so completely changed my mind from the start of the season.

Still doesn't look right with Sprinter having a P next to his name; not right at all!

PS Well done Foolsgold on a good shout at 33's, I'd love to have a bit of that now.

Hope you managed to get a few quid on.

Just a cheeky tenner e/w @ 33/1 then another fiver e/w @ 16/1 this speculative bet is looking quite good at the minute :)

took 46 and 44 on hinterland a  on this fella on here a  good while while back , happier now !

Arvika Legionnaire decent horse but concern is the left handed track.

March 2010 Cheltenham 3m 4th of 19 beat 27 lengths
December 2012 Leopardstown 2m 1f 1st of 5 won by 2 lengths
March 2013 Cheltenham 2m PU of 7
December 2013 Leopardstown 2m 1f 3rd of 7 beat 1 length

So that's 41P3 over left handed with the P being pulled up in the Arkle when never travelling.

Different horse this year Ruby says that problem has been ironed out.

yeah and willie mullins said they are going to try something different  with the horse ?