Cheltenham Festival
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02 Dec 14
15:26
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04 Dec 06
Thought it would be an idea to have a thread for this race instead of mixed threads on individual horses.
I think this race is one that excites most horse racing fans through the season with top class hurdlers changing codes and running in the ultimate speed test.
Vautour and Un De Sceaux head the market at the moment. Both have had their chasing debuts and although different outcomes I think both came out with great credit.
Vautour was very impressive in last seasons Supreme and if he had stayed hurdling would have been well fancied to win the Champion Hurdle. He looks mighty exciting, a real natural with untold potential and a worthy favourite.
Un De Sceaux has had a well documented underwhelming hurdling career but his ability is unquestioned. An incredibly exciting sort to watch with his powerful catch me if you can front running style. A lot of folk are concerned by his head strong style now chasing, but it should be a great sight in the forthcoming months.
Both of these are entered in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. This was the chosen race for the stables top 2mile novice (Champagne Fever) last season so it will be very informative who lines up for team Muliins this year.
Josses Hill is next in the betting, and a typical Henderson chasing type who ran well over hurdles last season but plenty of improvement expected once sent chasing this season. Granted, he was beaten to a pulp (six lengths) by Vautour in the Sky Bet Supreme last season, but Nicky Henderson’s rangy gelding is packed with potential and could go right to the top as a chaser. Not sighted yet this season however after a setback. I've not heard exactly what his problem is but hopefully he can make his debut before Christmas.
Gods Own ridiculously is still classed a novice and if given the go ahead to race in this must be a danger to all. He is entered in the Tingle Creek this weekend and if running well will surely head for the Champion Chase.
At the current prices I like Gilgamboa. He is very lightly raced having only raced over hurdles 5 times and 1 chase to date. He won the competitive **** handicap on only his 4th career start and looked to be running a mighty race in the Supreme at Cheltenham before hitting the 3rd last hard. His debut over fences was impressive enough and is entered in The Racing Post over Christmas where he should face one or two of the Mullins team. If he wins or goes close in that his odds will contract considerably so the current 20/1 looks a good hedge bet. The only concern I would have is McCoy will be in the saddle come March but hopefully Walsh will get to ride him in Ireland.
I think this race is one that excites most horse racing fans through the season with top class hurdlers changing codes and running in the ultimate speed test.
Vautour and Un De Sceaux head the market at the moment. Both have had their chasing debuts and although different outcomes I think both came out with great credit.
Vautour was very impressive in last seasons Supreme and if he had stayed hurdling would have been well fancied to win the Champion Hurdle. He looks mighty exciting, a real natural with untold potential and a worthy favourite.
Un De Sceaux has had a well documented underwhelming hurdling career but his ability is unquestioned. An incredibly exciting sort to watch with his powerful catch me if you can front running style. A lot of folk are concerned by his head strong style now chasing, but it should be a great sight in the forthcoming months.
Both of these are entered in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. This was the chosen race for the stables top 2mile novice (Champagne Fever) last season so it will be very informative who lines up for team Muliins this year.
Josses Hill is next in the betting, and a typical Henderson chasing type who ran well over hurdles last season but plenty of improvement expected once sent chasing this season. Granted, he was beaten to a pulp (six lengths) by Vautour in the Sky Bet Supreme last season, but Nicky Henderson’s rangy gelding is packed with potential and could go right to the top as a chaser. Not sighted yet this season however after a setback. I've not heard exactly what his problem is but hopefully he can make his debut before Christmas.
Gods Own ridiculously is still classed a novice and if given the go ahead to race in this must be a danger to all. He is entered in the Tingle Creek this weekend and if running well will surely head for the Champion Chase.
At the current prices I like Gilgamboa. He is very lightly raced having only raced over hurdles 5 times and 1 chase to date. He won the competitive **** handicap on only his 4th career start and looked to be running a mighty race in the Supreme at Cheltenham before hitting the 3rd last hard. His debut over fences was impressive enough and is entered in The Racing Post over Christmas where he should face one or two of the Mullins team. If he wins or goes close in that his odds will contract considerably so the current 20/1 looks a good hedge bet. The only concern I would have is McCoy will be in the saddle come March but hopefully Walsh will get to ride him in Ireland.
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Backed 2 so far......Josses Hill at 10's now 12
 and also Sgt Reckless who I think will prove to be a bit of value being in a yard known for its chasers-talking about Henrietta rather than Mick by the way.Think you are right re Gilgamboa hes very interesting at the prices. Really hope Mullins keeps both of his aimed at the Arkle,will make the race something special imo. |
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Lets hope O'Connell stays strong and insists his horse runs Budd.
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Yes indeed mate.
Re Gods own, is he not a horse that's better right handed? |
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He could be Budd though he has ran well at Donny.
I'm not a big fan of his but he is a 162 rated chaser who will have plenty of experience if lining up. |
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Think he might be better off in the Queen Mother if he goes to Cheltenham,way its going that could be an easier race!!
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have also backed gilgamboa and having looked back again at his previous hurdles form he looks the type who only does just enough so should be plenty to comee ,and very lightly raced and won 2 valuable handicap hurdles ,looks a decent value pick at the prices brandy !
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just does enough ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Quite a good thread until slaggin McCoy off,gilgamboa is my fancy for jlt
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Each to their own Carlisle, each to their own.
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On what grounds does Gilgamboa want 2m4f? Not having a pop, genuinely curious.
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yeah they ran him over 2.4 and he only looked to just get home ,they put him back to 2m after !
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Cos it ain't got a cat in hells chance of beating Vautour in the arkle
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Why? Travelling as well as anything in Vautour's Supreme until a howling mistake. Who's to say he wouldn't have put it up to Vautour? Add to that how lightly raced he is and has another summer on his back, could have improved any amount.
I'm all for bullishness and confidence about a selection, but how about a bit of reason to complement it?  |
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That's why I was gutted Blood Cotil was a non runner in UDS's race. Gilgamboa made slight hard work of beating him over fences, so it could have given us a decent line on UDS.
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Can't have that Chiefy, it was very comfortable imo. Nudged out.
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Thought with it being by westerner who won over 2 mile plus on the flat it would improve by stepping up !
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The 3rd horse of De Bromhead's was beaten 3L by Gilgamboa but beaten 15L by Vautour next time out, and easier.
In all reality, Vautour looks way above the rest (excluding Un De Sceaux) and could easily be a 170+ horse. But would I back a novice chaser at 4/1 with 4 months to go? No. |
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I'll have to watch it again mate. Didn't see the full race, so was going off the distances.
Just read the RP comments and said comfortable in run in, with BC making no impression, so I'll take that back. |
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Also does Abbyssial enter the picture in this, or do people reckon he might go down the handicap route, as Mullins has a strong team in the JLT and Arkle. He is a Grade 1 winning hurdler after all
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Yet another top prospect for Mullins. May want further than this.
Such a shame they are all in the same stable. |
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Cos it ain't got a cat in hells chance of beating Vautour in the arkle
That's just an opinion stated as a fact,bit daft after having same amount of chases as his likely opposition have so far......1 Need to be careful having such strong opinions on a March novice chase in December. Anyway be nice to keep this sensible,be good to have a decent Arkle thread. |
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Vautour is in a different league,keep things simple instead of looking for alternatives that can't beat it !
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okey doke
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They weren't poles what Vautour beat on its chasing debut,it beat them out of site on the bridle,the only horse that might have gave Vautour a race is josses hill who looked every inch a chaser in the parade ring at chelt,and jumped like one,but you would want 6-4 for that to jump a fence this year !
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gilgamboa seems to idle when in front so its hard to get a real line on him he could be a lot better than he has shown so far ! then again vautour may be the 2nd coming ,but its all about prices for me and given that vautour may not even contest the arkle and as its mullins its all guesswork as to who goes where ! the entry for the 3m topaz chase is intruiging
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Not easy to get a firm line on any of them Foyles,with 1 chase against them and some not even jumped a fence yet.
cuf, if you cant add anything to the discussion apart from Vatour has already won then no point in you continuing on here. This is an Arkle thread, not a Vatour thread!! |
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yeah fair point budd about most of them being unexposed ,as you know the point I am trying to make is good or even great horse as vatour may be its novice chasers we are talking about and as un deux scaux illustrated to other day nothing is cut and dried , cufco vatour may be in a different league but if he don't turn up in the arkle then it don't matter what league hes in !
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The two I like and have backed at decent prices are Ptit Zig and Sgt Reckless.
The former I backed in the summer when I heard the plan was to go chasing, always looked a chaser in the making and is still a young horse - has proved he can jump in his one chase to date. The latter I backed after his chase debut, he won that like a very smart prospect and his hurdles form was not far off top notch last season - would've finished much closer in the Supreme with a more positive ride (was stone dead last three out and fairly flew up the hill). He's not from a fashionable stable, but is with a stable that knows how to make a decent chaser, I still think he is value at 20/1, as he will be much shorter when he wins on Saturday.  |
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Thought Irish Saint & Sgt Reckless made pleasing debuts, Irish Saint beat Chris Pea Green with ease by 10 lengths who had ran Court Minstrel to under 3 lengths previously, Won his first chase at Plumpton by 26 lengths recently also.
Sgt Reckless was foot perfect at Uttoxeter, Form has yet to be franked but it was the manner of his win which makes him one to note, I know connections were very unhappy at his ride in the Supreme Novice Hurdle, Think both are live threats to Vautour so at 25/1 & 16/1 both are worth a second look, Be interesting to see how they go at the weekend at Sandown if both turn up. |
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Desmond can get 25/1 Sgt Reckless with Lads broke if you haven't already covered him.
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I got all I wanted at this stage at ave of about 22 on here, gutfeeling, but thanks. That said, I'd be happy to go in again this weekend at shorter, should he prove himself in decent company as the Mullins horses will ensure that there is plenty of value elsewhere, right up until the day.
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very informative post on the "tingle creek " thread on the ante post forum ,revealing the possibility of a certain irish bookmaking firm having a mole in the mullins camp! makes for interesting reading and something to ponder before placing ap bets on mullins horses ,a must read !
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In Paddy Power's build up to Cheltenham last year they really took on Vautour and Faugheen, so I don't think they know that much.
When Faugheen was about 2/1, they enhanced it to 5/1 and they offered some tasty doubles including Vautour, so if they have a mole they must be near blind like actual moles!!! |
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Just found the thread. They did 24/1 on the Vautour Faugheen double and 16/1 on the Vautour Sire De Grugy double, haha.
They took on loads of Mullins ones. 21/1 for Champagne Fever and the Fly double and 18/1 on Ballycasey with any Mullins bumper horse. |
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Wellchief. Think the point is more that they seem to know the targets. They then tried to take on short priced fav's which is slightly different IMO.
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Not overly sure I buy into that to be honest mate. I find looking at the odds on here a lot more reliable. The odds on here fluctuate massively when a target shifts, similar to the Henderson camp.
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Imagine if this was the line up for this years Arkle....
Vautour, UDS, Josses Hill, Gods Own, Ptit Zig, Irish Saint, Gilgamboa, Sgt. Reckless, Court Minstrel, Dunraven Storm etc etc Been a few years since we've had a really deep competitive field in the Arkle, sadly will be the same this year as once again the JLT will take away runners who should be staying at 2m |
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I understand that statistically, around 3 out of 10 intended runners don't make it to Cheltenham due to injury/lack of form at the time. At his current price with over 3 months to go, Vautour represents precious little value. However, if he does turn up fit and well then this will surely be his race. We had a lot of nonsense last season at this time about Champagne Fever not contesting the Arkle. Why wouldn't the champion novice hurdler participate in this race if he pitches up, especially when he is owned by the yard's principal patron? The Arkle is the blue riband novice chase. Ricci is in it for the glory, nothing else.
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To me 4-1 is value because when it lines up in the arkle it will be 4-6 !
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