JLT Novices Chase - Caid Du Berlais

I put this up for the Arkle at 25/1 a couple if weeks ago on stevo1s thread and think he will run there rather than the JLT but we will see....

Really rate this horse.

Well he's having his next two runs over 2m4f and Nicholls has Dodging Bullets & Hinterland for the Arkle so baring an injury I'd expect him to line up here.

if FY and CF go arkle route is there any chance ballycasey coming here cv??? currently awaiting a price from betv nrfb

Stable also has Wonderful Charm who is favourite for this

I like this horse as well but I suspect he would already be several points shorter if he were considered a likely runner.

Caid entered in the Lightning at Donny on Sat and not Hinterland like Nicholls said

Looks like a Grand Annual horse to me. paul Nicholls already has joint Fav's in both races mentioned above. He has described Caid as a horse with massive potential but still not the finished article. Saturday looks a very tough assignment for him on his 2nd chase start so it would be a surprise for me to see him get a clear round without troubling the judge and get a nice mark for the Cheltenham Handicap.

Interesting that he's changed from what he said a few weeks ago about running plans. Either Hinterland had a minor setback or more likely he'll be running in the Game Spirit at Newbury as there will be no Sprinter Sacre or Sire De Grugy and Hinterland is very experienced for a novice. Hinterland might even be going for the Champion Chase as he has an entry.

Caid and Mr Mole entered at Donny on Saturday. Caid could still go for the Pendil next as it'll have a better spacing between races.

I also can see Wonderful Charm stepping up to 3m for RSA if Just a Par skips the festival.

I'm sure Nicholls is keeping his options open. I've gone non runner free bet so I'm not overly worried tbh. He'd be interesting in the Arkle too, but I feel Nicholls has a lot of faith in Dodging Bullets.

We shall see in time I suppose.

I'm sure PFN said Just A Par would go to Aintree not Cheltenham.

Can't see Wonderful Charm heading to the RSA myself, no matter what happens with Just A Par.

Nicholls has said he is putting him away until the Festival because he needs good ground, and so far he is the best in England over this distance.  He is only 6, so I think the RSA would be a year too early for him (the last 6 year old to win it was Florida Pearl over 15 years ago - Star De Mohaison won it as a five year old, but with the old weight allowance).

No doubt that either Champagne Fever or Felix Yonger would be formidable opposition (more so Champagne Fever at this distance), but the English trio are no mugs, and I'd also rate Don Cossack as a big threat if he lined up.  This is shaping up to be one of the races of the festival imo.

Nicholls mentioned Arkle & Jewsons (Now JLT) when outlining his antipost plans a couple weeks ago, he's not talking about him like a handicapper.

Jockey had nice things to say about the horse

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Moore-merrier-trainer-Tingle-Creek/story-20308676-detail/story.html

Thanks for that link GI Mac, just have to hope that Nicholls mentioning the two 2m4f races as his original targets prior to Cheltenham is an indication he intends to run him in the JLT Nov Chase. But there's no gaurantee of that of course.

Mr Mole could be his intedned runner at Donny with Hinterland going for the Game Spirit but we'll see. I'd be keen to back him over 2m too, he's not short of pace.

To be honest, I haven't followed Caid Du Berlais' career particularly closely over the last year.

I remember watching his UK debut at Chepstow, when he was fav and would have been stuffed by Swynmoor, and then well held in the Betfair.  It looks like he could be a completely different prospect at chasing though, but only one run so far would be a slight concern (especially against inferior opposition), so another run before the Festival is essential imo (which it obviously looks like will happen).

I don't think Nicholls would have a problem running two in the Arkle and two in the Jewson.

* I was going to say that I first thought he'd be another French import who wouldn't live up to his reputation when he was turned over on debut, but looks like it won't turn out that way.

Can anyone remind of that flat horse who placed in a G1 or G2 who ended up with Nicholls last year (or maybe the year before), but was cr@p over hurdles - it's wrecking my head!

It's ok, just remembered it was Dildar.

Dildar has a big h/c win in him this season. Just needs some decent ground. It was a very good effort fto at Ascot in a race which has thrown up a few winners since. I have him in my horse tracker. But it's quite possible he's met a setback, he's been very weak in previous seasons according to Nicholls.

Nicholls in todays RP - Dodging Bullets and Hinterland are both in the Arkle and I expect that's where Dodging Bullets will run. It's an option worth having (Champ Chase entry) for Hinterland just in case it cuts up as he's a 2nd season Novice.

Mullins in RP side bar I missed - "One or other of Caid Du Berlais and Mr Mole will run, but I might leave Caid Du Berlais for the Scilly Isles at Sandown next month"

Happy to have read that

JLT NOVICES' CHASE
Grade 1, £120,000. Thursday, March 13th. 2m. 4f.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer
413F23 AHYAKNOWYERSELF (IRE) 8 G Carstairs & R Marker Dr Richard Newland
551621 ANNACOTTY (IRE) 6 Liz Prowting Martin Keighley
003-111 ARNAUD (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Charles Byrnes IRE
14-1154 ART OF LOGISTICS (IRE) 6 Munnelly Support Services Ltd Dessie Hughes IRE
5-F2211 BABY SHINE (IRE) 8 P A Philipps, T S & Mrs L Redman Lucy Wadham
1/113-1 BALLYCASEY (IRE) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
262153 BALNASLOW (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
2/2321/-0 BATONNIER (FR) 8 Raymond Mould Alan King
3213-15 BRIGHT NEW DAWN (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE
11-2611 BYERLEY BABE (IRE) 7 J P McManus Robert Tyner IRE
2202-21 CAID DU BERLAIS (FR) 5 Donlon, Doyle, MacDonald & C Barber Paul Nicholls
515004 CAPTAIN OCANA (IRE) 9 Nicholas Brown Paul Henderson
033022 CAUSE OF CAUSES (USA) 6 J P McManus Gordon Elliott IRE
3113-13 CHAMPAGNE FEVER (IRE) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
100-0F3 CLOSE HOUSE 7 Roger Brookhouse David Pipe
2425-23 COLOUR SQUADRON (IRE) 8 J P McManus Philip Hobbs
143-1F2 DARK LOVER (GER) 9 Des Nichols & Peter Hart Paul Nicholls
122-121 DEFY LOGIC (IRE) 7 J P McManus Paul Nolan IRE
U1124-1 DJAKADAM (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
F23-121 DON COSSACK (GER) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
613211 DOUBLE ROSS (IRE) 8 Options O Syndicate Nigel Twiston-Davies
111-321 DRESSEDTOTHENINES (IRE) 7 J P McManus Eddie Harty IRE
3124-21 EDUARD (IRE) 6 Kingdom Taverns Ltd Nicky Richards
25/-1112 FELIX YONGER (IRE) 8 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
220F11 GARDEFORT (FR) 5 Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams
13-U102 GOD'S OWN (IRE) 6 Crossed Fingers Partnership Tom George
2P3-112 KING OF THE WOLDS (IRE) 7 Mr & Mrs Graham Calder Malcolm Jefferson
12P-121 MANY CLOUDS (IRE) 7 Trevor Hemmings Oliver Sherwood
3//034-16 MANYRIVERSTOCROSS (IRE) 9 Mrs M C Sweeney Alan King
245-343 MINSK (IRE) 6 Barry Connell Dessie Hughes IRE
213/11-1 MOZOLTOV 8 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
1P3-213 MR MOLE (IRE) 6 J P McManus Paul Nicholls
1-502F1 MULLAGHANOE RIVER (IRE) 6 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE
6-311U1 NEXT SENSATION (IRE) 7 Mark Blandford Michael Scudamore
04-2231 NO BUTS 6 Wontcostalot Partnership David Bridgwater
1114-2P O'FAOLAINS BOY (IRE) 7 Trembath, Hyde, Outhart & Hill Rebecca Curtis
46P-311 OFF THE GROUND (IRE) 8 Axom (XXVI) Emma Lavelle
23P-342 OHIO GOLD (IRE) 8 P M Warren Colin Tizzard
2P4-211 OSCAR WHISKY (IRE) 9 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Nicky Henderson
106-13P ROAD TO RICHES (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
3123-21 ROCK ON RUBY (IRE) 9 The Festival Goers Harry Fry
0-1146P SHRAPNEL (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
2125-12 SIZING GOLD (IRE) 7 Alan & Ann Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
116-F65 SOME TIKKET (IRE) 7 K S Jones/David Monaghan Dessie Hughes IRE
6-11321 TAQUIN DU SEUIL (FR) 7 Martin Broughton & Friends 1 Jonjo O'Neill
126-221 THE ITALIAN YOB (IRE) 6 The Macaroni Beach Society Nick
031-131 THE PAPARRAZI KID (IRE) 7 Byerley Thoroughbred Racing Willie Mullins IRE
12//14-22 TOUCH THE EDEN (FR) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
2/24-122 TRIFOLIUM (FR) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Charles Byrnes IRE
F116-44 UP AND GO (FR) 6 Tim Leslie Donald McCain
2315-11 UXIZANDRE (FR) 6 J P McManus Alan King
F1-1121 VUKOVAR (FR) 5 GDM Partnership Harry Fry
10-1112 WONDERFUL CHARM (FR) 6 Robin Geffen Paul Nicholls

53 entries
23 Irish-trained

Timeform Top 5 Master Ratings:
160 FELIX YONGER
159p DEFY LOGIC
155 TRIFOLIUM
154p CHAMPAGNE FEVER
152+DON COSSACK

What a race tomorrow, i have already backed Valdez for the Arkle.

Love the sporting life predicted odds:

Rock On Ruby (1/2), Valdez (11/2), Fox Appeal (8/1), Caid Du Berlais (10/1), Arnaud (12/1), God's Own (25/1)

aye, it's a cracker, and the ground is pretty decent as we speak. If CDB opened at 10's I'd jump at it, given the form of the stable, interesting he's running in a 2m nov race.

You'd be laying ROR at 1/2 all day long

ROR 11/8 With Victors, 7/2 Valdez, 9/2 Fox Appeal, 8/1 bar

Took 8/1 and 7/1 about Caid for tomorrow. Great race.

8/1

8/1 was gone pretty quick, I put him up on my site and realised a couple of hours later the 8/1 was gone so the advice of 8/1 was hardly any help as he was no longer that price. 7/1 was next best with Lads. Also went in again at that price. He'll gallop them into the ground imo.

Took a little more @ 33/1 for JLT too today.

Rumour that Wonderful Charm may go for Ryanair if Al Ferof goes Gold Cup. Still think win or lose tomorrow Caid Du Berlais is going for this race.

I'm not as confident as that RE his festival target, he's only raced once further than 2m and that was only 2m3f. I reckon Nicholls is trying him over 2miles to see what he's like, I'm on both races.

Possible Mac, but he does have 2 pretty good ones for the Arkle already.
Having said that though, a lot could depend on Sprinter Sacre, cos if he aint there then one of Nicholls could end up in the Queen Mother.

Pretty good ones yes, but I think CDB will prove better, Nicholls has always rated him highly, so has Bromley. I believe Hinterland will run in the QM regardless if SS runs or not, (he should be in the race anyways)which leaves the way for CDB to run alongside Dodging Bullets in Arkle. Just a hunch mind you.

CV I could get a max of 14.39 at 7/1 with ladcrooks...how much did you get on?

As for his likely target why would you run him over 2m at this stage on his 2nd run when JLT was the target?

Had a score each with VC & Lads


As for 2m trip tomorrow, softish ground and gives him more time between races instead of 2 runs over 2m4f in February as was original plan according to Nicholls. I'm still pretty sure he'll run in one or the other over 2m4f next month.

Think he's possibly mulling a different race for all 4 of his, DB Arkle, Hinterland CC, CDB Jewson, Wonderful Charm Ryanair.

All speculation at this stage of course.

Yeah certainly interesting. Got him at Arkle for 25/1 along with Mozoltov at same price and Felix Yonger at 10/1 but by Sunday night all 3 could be out with the washing.always felt you need a 2.5m horse for Arkle and a 3m for the JLT

Rumour that Wonderful Charm may go for Ryanair if Al Ferof goes Gold Cup

Please don't say that CV. Got WC at a good price in this and Al Ferof at a massive price in the Ryanair. Added to this potential Supreme Briar Hill nonsense, not my best half an hour this morning!

I might have a little bit on CDB as a saver.

Nicholls States today he thinks CDB will be suited to this drop back in trip.

He just said in the morning line that 2 and a half on good ground is what he wants!

LOL...i dont watch that...was just reading betfair column

Ir ROR withdrawal was down to the ground then it is a crazy decision, Doncaster rarely has testing ground.

ROR needs experience and isnt going to find good ground this spring.

Yeah Nicholls said on morning line just there he "thinks 2m4f on good ground is what he wants but today will tell them if he's an Arkle horse or not."

I suspect Sprinter Sacre lining up in the Champ Chase will have a baring on this.

He said Al Ferof will probably line up in Gold Cup.


IF Caid Du Berlais is going to go for the Arkle he'll be winning today and I'll take that for sure, bird in the hand and all, plus get stake back as free bet from VC.

Nicholls picked him for his charity bet on the morning line too.

I'm hoping CDB can win today also for the Arkle 25/1 but annoyed that ROR has bottled it cos the price has tumbled big time

was that before ROR was a nr cvb ?

Garbage performance there. Wins nowt and I look forward to my NRFB coming back

Wow that was a shocker of a run, never went a yard. Lets see how he does over 2m4f on better ground.

shocking, couldnt go the pace.

Could av been over any trip there and he'd av been tailed off - they didnt go that quick early?


Ground prob more of an issue?

Why on earth did he not make the running now dropped back in trip!?! Proper baffling there.

Lets hope they have a more positive ride nto when upped in trip. Hopefully in the Pendil

Ground must've been worse than official going, RoR was n/r, Arnaud tired badly etc..

I reckon all those bold leaps that o'regan asked the horse for sapped a lot more energy in that ground.

im on him nrnb for jlt..looked modest today i think..

Clutching at straws thinking that can win at Cheltenham now

That was too bad to be true, he's handles soft before.

whose doing nrnb for the JLT kavvie?

Clutching at straws to even think he will turn up at Cheltenham.

indo near me.gave me 20/1 war

wonder what handicap mark he will get for the Johnny Henderson now?

The way to go, handicaps.

He'll need another run to get handicapped. I think I'm right in saying that you can only get a mark after two runs if your at least placed on both runs.