delighted with that from Petit Mouchoir, jumped the first 2 poor but would imagine they'll hopefully jump him off in front at Cheltenham (as over hurdles) now they've got their prep into him

Yeah, lots of encouragement from PM, jumped 2 poorly but was given a very easy time by Russell and still finished close enough, today was a stepping stone.

Also thought the seconds run  was full of promise, russell just sat there between 2 and 3 out and the horse came home full of beans..

As an Arkle PM backer I'd like to have seen a little more, but Davy clearly was giving him a bit of a racecourse gallop style ride so not giving up on him just yet.

5 year olds don't get any weight allowance in the race these days, no 5 year old has won it since the allowance was taken away (I think? don't quote me on that)

I was impressed, and I am tempted, but think I'll swerve

Looking a real tear up with the front three in the betting like to be handy, you can see sceau royal getting a lovely sit in behind, but is it good enough..

Agree Mystic that was a cracking performance .I thought jumping the last hes going to be a 4/5 to 1 shot for Arkle mullered good horses.

if he wins off level weights as a 5yo then he is a seriously good horse, you are talking me into this one, he was laughing at them today. I know the stat around 5yos is bad but there can't have been many this good have a go

Footpad is still very much the one to beat, but I think if Saint Calvados was with a bigger trainer he'd be a lot shorter. Reminds me a bit of Flemenstar in his novice chase season for some reason (the way he made it look effortless, jumped and travelled with ease, small fields, small trainer).

The 5 year old stat doesn't bother me to be honest. I'm not getting too carried away and he may well be one of those novices who don't quite live up to a run like that again, but willing to take the chance.

Value in Footpad is gone, Petit Mouchoir tends to flatter to decieve on the big day and I think SC is better than Sceau Royale, so 8/1 is very fair imo

I'm still happy to take on Footpad with Petit Mouchair and I think the 15/8 w/o Footpad is also appealing. Saint to me the ground is a worry

The majority of the big races won by Saint Des Saints progeny have been on softer ground or worse - however, the dam sire is Pistolet Bleu - best horse he produced was Sizing Europe who loved the spring ground.

Not sure that really helps much!

Re the ground for Saint Calvados, my approach is that unless there is a clear soft ground action, then I just assume they'll be able to go on better (not sure if that's the correct way, but it's just how I view it).

A lot of novices that come over from France do all their running/winning on really heavy ground; eg Long Run won all his races in soft, very soft or heavy, but first time on good ground over here and he smashed them in the Feltham.  Same with the likes of Douvan and Vautour who'd raced almost exclusively in France and Ireland in soft ground but then as soon as they met good ground at Cheltenham they went to another level.  Un de Sceaux was another 'who had to have soft ground' but has won twice at Cheltenham on good now.

Suppose my point is that just because he's done his winning on soft, that is just because those happened to be the conditions on those days, not like they were avoiding good ground deliberately so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt that he'll act on good.  He really is the joker in the pack imo - he could quite easily trail home in last, but at the same time he could easily smash them - makes for a really interesting race!

Agree with the bloob that I wouldn't want to back a 5 yo in the RSA without a weight allowance, Arkle doesn't bother me too much.  I know there were a lot of negatives about Bristol de Mai in the JLT because he was only fiver but ran a great race to finish second on ground he doesn't like and a trip too short, so his age didn't stop him.

Really looking forward to this now!

does look like a soft ground action though

I think you are spot on Duffy. Hopefully the money keeps coming because Petit will become every more interesting

Footpad very weak

Looks like it be 2.7 by tomorrow.

I’m not saying there’s nothing untoward (rumours of a bleed following work today - probably bollocks, mind), but Mal is definitely right. I’d already laid at that price, novice chasers at even money at The Festival, you just have to. That’s despite not fancying Sceau Royal around the park, although Saint Calvados looks very smart and may yet get it’s ground.

I meant he's shown he's a natural jumper.

Sceau Royal a N/R

Sorry couldn't see this thread.