Cheltenham Festival
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Champagne Fever - Festival Target
Champagne Fever - Festival Target
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I think Nicholls is a lot more decisive than Mullins. At least in the case of Al Ferof, it was immediately clear after the King George what Nicholls wanted to do next. With Champagne Fever, nobody was sure not even the trainer. He's had a run since and we're still none the wiser. We've seen this with Ballycasey and Boston Bob and is it happening again with Vautour?
If you look at ratings which I'm not sure how much value people place on these things, but Champagne Fever best performance is the King George. I can see why someone might say his best form is over shorter but I'm not sure it's strictly true to say that either. He'd have probably run around his KG mark of 162 had he stayed on his feet last week too. |
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Thing is though,he ran AF in the King George the previous year and he ran a similar race then,maybe a bit better this time but fairly similar.
They then decided after that to go down in trip to the Ryanair.Ran ok but never looked like winning. Then following season he says he will be campaigned for the Gold Cup!! Then he runs a real good race at Ascot over 2 and a half,possibly his best chase thus far,and then decides to go King George again...fair enough hes campaigning for Gold Cup,he runs ok but cannot go the pace at the end and runs on into 3rd at the death. Now hes going back in trip again,and possibly right back to 2m!!, and to boot hes talking about running him in Feb,when hes best fresh.......well that's what the formbook says anyway. Bl00dy mess imo. |
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Well my interpretation of Al Ferof's KG performance was that he ran well and was staying on. I would have said the Gold Cup was the race for him at the Festival and if not then the Ryanair. We probably never got to see the best of him though because of his injury.
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A good ground Gold Cup would be interesting imo.
Thing is SYT his best 2 performances over fences have been since the injury. Both after a long break. |
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Paddy Power win off 159 in a bog was some performance, but I thought his first win this year was visually the most impressive.
I think in a 2m Championship race he'd be out of his comfort zone almost the whole way round. Fresh, good ground, and Ryanair trip is perfect for him. |
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Yeh,maybe Nicholls has finally decided Ryanair is his race,but owner may well be wanting different.
Still don't explain running in Feb though. Like you say Chief,Fresh,good ground and Ryanair,although I still would like to see him fresh on good ground in a Gold Cup. |
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Well beat in Ryanair last year. Horse isn't a Grade 1 animal anymore.
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Well that's certainly a possibility,but im talking about the horses best distance and his campaigning,not how good he may or may not be.
I don't have a problem if a horse is proved not up to the level,just that hes given every chance to show his level. |
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I'd love to see Ruby back on him in the Ryanair as well, got a great tune out of him first time out this year, and great to see him riding for Nicholls again.
Sam Twiston Davies can ride Double Ross, Champagne Fever can go to the QM, Djakadam may be Gold Cup routed if winning the Irish Hennessey or the Thyestes; Felix Yonger may not come over and Ballycasey has disappointed. All points to a triumphant return for Ruby in the winning enclosure on a Nicholls horse again  |
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 - Wellchief |
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I'd be going for the GC with AF, for sure, he's been staying on in the KG for the past 2 years suggesting that the extra distance would be at least interesting......look at a replay of them turning in in last years Ryanair and you'll see why he shouldn't be running in that....Dynaste and him started picking up together but AF couldn't live with Dynaste's pace and that one ran away from him...with AF staying on to the line.
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Was quoted Mullins by PW as giving Fever another run???
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Personally I think the Champion Chase is 100% right race for Champagne Fever. Who knows what Sire de Grugy will be like, shadow hands over Sprinter Sacre and Fever easily beat Dodging Bullets in Arkle last year and will beat him again at Cheltenham.
Can't see him being out of the first 3 come March |
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If he is thinking of giving him another run before March then he really is a total fool. May as well just run it week in week out. What the hell is this man doing with this horse ffs?
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i don't think it would be in question if he hadn't just hit the deck^^^
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You'd imagine he'll run in Champion Chase given how well Dodging Bullets has run this season and Sprinter being beaten.
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I see he's been entered in the Irish Hennessy.
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I was just thinking there in relation to Champagne Fever and where he might run and I wonder could he run in the Ascot Chase in between now and the Festival? I think I read a post from someone on here saying they heard Mullins wanted to run him again.
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In the RP QMCC preview, there was a quote from Mullins saying they may run him again. It's a tough decision imo. Not much time to fit a run in, but the Queen Mother is probably the last race you want to be going into on the back of a fall. No time for hesitancy.
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Tied Cottage Chase I'd say. Run him back over 2 miles before the Champ Chase
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I think the national is the only race that hasn't been mentioned with regards this horse
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Well he's in limbo, doesn't stay well enough to win over 3m+ isn't quick enough for 2 miles at very top. I'd go for Ryanair, give it a whack, make all see how he goes. But think Dodging Bullets exploits will send them to Champ Chase.
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Agree with last post.
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I agree as well, although I think it's silly to use Dodging Bullets as a reason to go for the QM. That one has surely improved a lot this season, whereas I'm not sure Champagne Fever has.
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That's for sure,hes improved a lot imo.
Cfever would certainly be interesting over 2m,being prominent suits the horse,and if he were mine that's what I would do. |
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Hurdles - Aintree Hurdle perfect for him.
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Still no closer to knowing. At least he foes to the festival after a win. For my earlier reasons I'd still go for the CC rather than the Ryanair.
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I know this topic has been exhausted but looking at Ryanair field now CF could win it really impressively on better ground going at a pace well within it's comfort zone. Cannot for the life of me seeing him getting Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre in trouble at any stage, simply hasn't the pace.
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That's assuming SDG and SS are at their best which is by no means a given. Personally I can't be having Sprinter Sacre.
I'd favour the Ryanair over the CC for Champagne Fever though .... another thing worth considering is how competitive it will be up front in the Champion Chase. Loads of front runners. Although the Ryanair field has got stronger recently with a few additions. |
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Actually agree re Sprinter Sacre,no matter how much he needed the race the old Sprinter Sacre wouldn't have folded like he did at ascot. Was just trying to make the point that in my opinion CF hasn't the pace to win a CC.
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It's a non vintage CC this year and he might not need blistering pace though he had enough pace to win over 2 miles twice previously at the festival so he is certainly not slow. The only issue is that he was initially campaigned as though he was going to be a GC horse and it looks like the CC has only been on the radar since he won last time out. Preparation may not have been ideal. Think he is going CC in any case, Ricci has said as much.
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Having seent he race unfold today I have to feel CF would have absoultey hosed up.
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who was the coont who bit fever ffs
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probably UDS jealous he was going to take the title he wanted
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Would he have won? Who knows. Today's outcome probably confirmed the view it was a weak race - a suggestion I argued against before the race.
I think had Champagne Fever been running in the Ryanair or the Gold Cup, he'd have been over on a different boat and he'd still be a contender for a race! It is disappointing though that this Cheltenham specialist misses the Festival and to be honest, I think he has been poorly campaigned this season. Quite possible he won't fulfil the potential he once looked to have. |
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I think anyone who backed Champagne Fever NRNB and got their money back is bl00dy lucky.
Stuffed on his two spring runs now. Still absolutely no form over fences. |
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Maybe being a bit harsh there. I'll change that to limited form, as his Arkle run was pretty good.
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The KG run took everything out of him, should've left him home but they thought as long as they'll run Faugheen on Boxing day they'll bring something to run in the KG as well, bad call in hindsight. Hopefully he'll recover next season.
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