Vautour

On at 16 nr fb needs to win weekend well,to justify shortish price 8-1 in place.

First win was very comfortable but apart from Sir Des Champs, most of the sire's progeny require soft ground and stay a trip. I'm unconvinced this will even appear at Cheltenham.

A mate got a tip for this when it was 16/1 NRFB. Didn't back on same basis of sire.

And still more money.

Controversial I know but the next HF maybe?

Forty

I have to say FESTIVALFANATIC is off the mark imo. I do have a slight concern about a soft ground requirement but im in no doubt he will be aimed at the supreme if fir and well, that's 100 %. I do tend to get some solid bits of news from the Mullins yard ( not a gambling yeard but simply accurate opinions on there horses and have done for some years ) WM for sometime has this one down along with faughen as 2 potentially top top notchers. That includes the likes of briars hill who shows nothing at home. The jockey after his debut win in IRe I know was in raptures....this is a very very classy animal with loads of gears, saying he could be the new HF is clearly pushing it but he needs to and is expected to win very well sunday and head to the festival for the supreme...good luck all.

PFN has had a few horses by the same sire iirc. From memory they were mostly middle-distance chasers.

Willie obviously likes the sire - Sir Des Champs, Quevega & Sous Les Cieux. Both SDS and Quevega act well on good ground but they also stay well and Quevega is at least as effective on soft ground. Many of the other progeny were trained in France, where they wouldn't have much opportunity to race on decent ground but are mostly stayers. Vautour might be a freak of course....we'll see!

Vautour puts his sky-high reputation on the line against five opponents in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.

Willie Mullins' French import created a big impression when winning a Navan maiden hurdle in early December, and is now the ante-post favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham after strong support in recent weeks.

Mullins' son, Patrick, hopes for further progress in this Grade Two affair.

He said: "We think he's a bit special. He was very impressive at Navan and he reminds me of Mikael D'Haguenet in the way he won his maiden hurdle.

"We'd be disappointed if he got beaten, albeit it is a good race, but we'd be hopeful that he'd be able to win it."

They thought Sous Les Cieux was the dog knackers before he died. Think he ran in the Supreme too.

*dog's

Finished well beaten 5th in Neptune to Simonsig. Vautour bp now 8-1 think stable on big time backed it 16-1 just over week ago.

Don't understand the money for Vautour tbh. Supreme is always a messy race. Also he's by Robin Des Champs who is known for siring staying chasers. I think he'll find a 2 miler hurdler too quick come March on decent ground.

Some have got fancy prices on him after his maiden win when he was still 33/1 or 25/1. But nothing has happened since and he's now 8/1 !! Can't be touching him at those prices tbh.

Yep, all very strange. Load of money for a horse that aint been seen since he was big prices.
Rumour mill must be doing overtime over there CV!!

Runs today, what price if he wins??

6/4?

That aint a Supreme winner.....

Mullins just mentioned on ATR it may have looked more like a Neptune winner

surely he meant neptune runner

He also said a stronger run 2m would suit as well so......

surely he meant neptune runner

u would think, tbf he was asked "does it look like a supreme winner?", he was looking for positives imo, which there may be, it DID fight back and win in a short distance, indicating it can readily beat a decent horse, muddling picture tho.

I wouldn't lose all hope if I was a backer of his...as said he did battle at least which is one positive.

A lot of people seriously underestimating the 2nd horse cuz he is nt from a fashionable stable imo, he has done v little wrong and looks to be improving all the time

They had a decent yardstick 12l back in 3rd(was beat 13l in the Royal Bond) and they were going away from him here

Whether 2m is Vautours trip or not is questionable more than the form imo - dont think he is a 2miler long term but will they step him straight up 5f in trip into a G1 at Chelt? Am sure he will av another run in the meantime and we will know more then

Willie ... "The horse was as big as a float before the race and after todays race he still looked quite big in the winners enclosure.He will keep improving I have no problem with that"

At no point today did I think "Neptune horse" typical Willie

I have to say first that I backed vautour shortly after his previous run. Whilst disappointed he didn't win by a hurdle or more lol I do feel it was a good performance. The first 2 went clear very quickly and he recovered from a minor error at the last even though the second jumped it extremely well.

Does anyone know if the second is planning a visit to Cheltenham?

Forty

Trainer Pat Fahy is confident there was no fluke about Western Boy's excellent run in defeat at Punchestown on Saturday.

The five-year-old made an impressive start to his jumping career at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival and made red-hot favourite Vautour pull out all the stops in Saturday's Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle.

Given Vautour was a 1/4 shot for the Grade Two contest and heads ante-post lists for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, many believe Willie Mullins' charge did not run up to his best in scoring by just three-quarters of a length, but Fahy does not agree.

He said: "It's a pity there was no other feature race on the day to measure the time against, but it looked a good race to me. The front two pulled 11 lengths clear of a horse rated 132.

"I think Willie Mullins' horse performed as good as he could on the day and our horse put it up to him.

"I thought our horse was entitled to improve for his first run over hurdles and he obviously has, but I couldn't believe he was able to put it up to Willie's horse in that soft to heavy ground.

"I think there's more improvement in him on better ground, so I'd be very happy with where we are this stage."

Fahy would not be afraid to let his charge take on Vautour again, with a Supreme bid not being ruled out.

"He's entered in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle in Leopardstown and he'll be well entered up at Cheltenham and Punchestown later on," said the trainer.

"He won't have too many runs as he's a light-framed horse. We'll treat him like he's a good horse and he's done nothing so far to suggest he isn't.

"For him to run so well on that ground on Saturday just left me thinking if we can mind this horse, he really could be anything.

"Fingers crossed he stays sound. We'll educate him and keep him happy, as it is not all about this year."

Entered to run on sunday at Punchestown.

Taking on The Tullow Tank on sunday,should be interesting.

Very interesting. Do you think there might be a chance Vautour could end up Neptune if the Tank beats him? I want Vautour to show that the Tank is not quick enough for a Supreme as I'm all over him at double figs for the Neptune

Surely the only way Vautour would end up in the Neptune would be if they then put Faugheen in the supreme. 3m at Limerick followed by the supreme??

Agree,they would have to swap them round. Owner wants one in each race, i would think.
Don't see Vautour getting beat enough on Sunday to sway them from the Supreme.

nothing not to like about that, impressive

I know he had the run of the race , but that was still impressive.

Should be Supreme now for Vautour I would think.
Could do a Cfever from the front??

That's exactly what I thought Budd watching that. Ruby is the only rider out there who could repeat that feat.

I'm surprised he's still available at 6's to be honest after that, thought he might be a bit shorter.

Was just about to say the same Duffy.  He's only been clipped in two points and he's just comfortably beaten the previous Supreme fav.

he looked the part but surely there is not much between him an his stable m8 Wicklow brave who im keen on in the race

Jumped very well and given a super ride. Not sure he has much in the way of tactical speed but neither does Champagne Fever. Can't think they'll be wanting the ground to dry out for him.

not to keen on ante post in the supreme but i did have a little on vautour last night at 8s.

Willie
"I told Ruby to make it if he had to, he was obviously good enough and it worked. The Supreme Novices´ Hurdle looks the most likely target. They will go a fair clip in that and he´ll handle better ground easily and he´ll gallop up that hill"

Thought that was a really good performance yesterday considering had to make the pace throughout. Interesting that the form of Irving was well and truely franked in the betfair and yet he still trades at a bigger price. Market is suggesting the Tullow Tank will be switched to Neptune as he has drifted really badly in the last 24 hours. Vautour will almost certainly go off favourite now if he runs considering the lack of opportunities that the Novices will have.

Vautour won in identical front running style to how Pont Alexandre won his races last year - he then went off a silly price favourite for Cheltenham and got stuffed. Just saying like.

well don't say,has nothing to do with Vautour.
no offence intended.

Uncle Vautour has only made running once that was last Sundaty

Sunday,no comparison mate.

I'm not comparing the actual horses at all - just the reaction in terms of hype and market odds to the win, none of which helped Pont Alexandre win his race last year.

Don't get me wrong, as a back to lay he's still value as just like Pont Alexandre I expect he'll go off much shorter - 5/2 or less I reckon.

Don't think that Vautour has received the same hype as PA,for instance, last year Nicholl's said that Walsh had inferred to him that it was absolutely pointless running anything in the Neptune against him!!

Vautours win at the weekend has substance to it, comfortably beating TTT who was a previous two time grade 1 winner is easily stronger than anything PA had achieved before cheltenham, who's image was boosted in no small part to his beating of DC who was well beat at the time of his departure and who himself was the subject of considerable hype himself, which simply snowballed on to PA....add to that the fact that the stable rated him practically unbeatable and he went off a prohibitive 6/4.

On the other hand, despite Vautour showing very strong form in beating a very good horse who has shown it over hurdles previously he's a 4/1 shot now and was available at 6's after the race for a long time, I think the market has under-reacted to his win IMO.

Watching the video again his hurdling was really good, very nice shape over the hurdles and really attacked the last two. Thought it was a very taking performance myself and have backed accordingly. He seems a fair bit bigger than I think he will be on the day.

I agree with all of that, and while I've got nagging doubts about him winning I've had my maximum bet on him @ 5/1 with a view to laying off for a freebie - just hope he doesn't suffer a late injury or gets switched to the Neptune.

Richy Rich used the word "special" referring to this horse,i usually prefer to make my own mind up but coming from a team with possibly a few weapons in novice division ignore a comment like that at your peril more to come on top of what is very solid form already, turns up will be a short one , play now

Agreed. I was a Tullow Tank man until the weekend, but have switched allegiance following the Deloitte. That display, coupled with the noises coming from connections, strongly suggests he is a bit special and a potential superstar. Could well be the first big Irish plunge of the week and go off 6/4 or something daft.

We do tend to get over excited in the first,i remember goin Youneverwalkalone just got caught up and suppose didnt want to miss the party , thank god one of the team had a good bet on sausilito bay, he was our wonga 0% APR

Remember it well mate.. backed Sausalito myself! Sweet Wake another....

Very impressive,looks like a future superstar.

well done denman good call!