Oopps - just seen Shockster posted much the same.

Elliotts good novices getting scarce.

Dortmund Park impressive at Thurles

Still available at 20-1

Gigginstown hoss
Not sure if he is their no 1 hoss

Gigginstown paid quite a few pound for it. Not sure it will go to the AB after Elliott's comments. Personally I think he'll keep it for the Martin Pipe as he still has cracking Smart

roll on this with Santini now, as at Newbury doing his best work at the finish

Wow absolutely shocked by Henderson's quote and it makes zero sense to me, I will probably be ate for this post and asked along the lines of "how many festival winners have I trained?" or told I am pocket talking as I have quite a few quid on him for the festival but here goes.

The race Santini won yesterday is the best Albert Bartlett trial won in the past by Wichita Lineman, At Fishers Cross and Henderson's own Bobs Worth (went on to then win an RSA and Gold Cup). The horse clearly wants a step up to 3 miles as he has been doing his best work at the end and hit the line hard in both his races at Newbury and Cheltenham. In my opinion he would be the one they all have to beat stepping up to the 3 miles and the form of his debut win over Chef Des Obeaux could hardly have been franked more by the second.

Granted I do agree he looks to have everything you want to make a top class chaser and the way he jumps hurdles suggests he will take to fences it puzzles me why you cannot take this years festival in along the way, it didn't harm Bobs Worth or loads of other horses for other stables down the years.

And now to the biggest mystery of all to me, if the plan was always to skip the spring festivals and put him away for the year they why in gods name did they run him yesterday on bottomless ground when they have already admitted they did not think he would like the ground, well that makes me scratch my head in bewilderment.

If he doesn't race again this year it will be a pity (for me especially) but he is going to be one really exciting novice chaser to look forward to new season.

I think Henderson is right to leave Santini until Spring or next year. The AB is naturally a hard race and i can't remember the last horse to win it having just two runs. Chef des obeux would definitely be a contender after the Kempton run.

Yeah, when Hendo really likes one for the future he will prefer to miss the festival.
I remember that he didn't want to run Sprinter in the Supreme, knowing that he was one for the future and that he was just a shell of what he would become. He may well feel the same about Santini, who is a tall type with a fair bit of filling out to do. It's exciting to think that there's one that highly thought of at Seven Barrows.
As others have pointed out, Hendo isn't short of ammo in the novice hurdles anyway. I've backed Mr Whipped for both AB and Ballymore, with bigger prices the latter - so would prefer he went there, but will be happy with a run either way.

hoping Nicholas has had a change of heart "Mr Whipped, who along with Santini would be my most interesting ones for the Albert Bartlett"

didn't mention Chef Des Obeaux in regards to the race though

Jetz not entered in the AB - another antepost bet bites the dust.

CM AB bet cashed out. Strange that B365 allow you to cash out bets to the same stake with no penalty.

Paddy have cut Next Destination to 3/1 fav and pushed out Cracking Smart.

Looks like this could well be the race!

c'mon Nicky, with Santini and Chef Des Obeaux you've some hand, run both please!!

Still much prefer ND for the Ballymore - e/w bet to nothing @ 9/2 nrnb imo.

I had CS in some life changing multiples witnout NRNB so they are scupperred.

There was an initial spike downwards in ND's price when the news about CS came out but that was just the arbers and he is now back out to 12/1 for the AB - unless the ground really dries up the Ballymore looks the more likely race, and who knows he may yet not even have to beat Samcro if the going is testing.

AB I thought?

Aye luckily I felt the Newbury race on Dec 1st was top class and when Chef Des Obeaux hacked up at Kempton got stuck in. They've still got to turn up and back up my confidence in them as I am not planning on laying any of it off.

Henderson has said they both go for it with Mr. Whipped

Unless Chef Des Obeaux has improved more than Santini I don't see why he would reverse the form at Newbury, the further they went that day the better Santini went and we seen how he powered up the hill on trials day. The one think in Chef Des Obeaux's favour is he will love the ground while they say Santini wants better ground but he handled it alright trials day.