Cheltenham Festival 2020

After a horrendous Flat season I'm looking forward to this but, flummoxed by the possibles of my probable selections other than Paisley Park and Klassical Dream/Buveur D'Air (possible) eg Samcro (JLT/RSA) and Altior (Ryanair/Gold Cup).

I would be amazed if altior got the trip in a strongly run gold cup,over the last few days the jump season really got going with some really promising novice chasers.

Noted Mullins in todays paper
Suggesting Benie may go for the stayers!!!

After the sweet run by Samcro he's a definite for me in The JLT; Lostintranslation/Santini/Altior (if he wins The King George pulling away) for the Gold Cup.

Sweet run ?

Go and watch it again, then again, then again until you see that gordon has got 4 months to sort it out ....and he might not be able to

Black op has put in the most impressive jumping display from what we've seen so far without question for me from the novices, my only worry is that it's take 2 for him.

Samcro needs to stop jumping right handed,that will prevent him winning top races at Cheltenham.

Champ impressed me today, nice start to his chasing career, and given his novice hurdling performances, I can see him going all the way to the top over fences,

Impressed me too,5/1 for the RSA is bonkers though at this point.

Blimey that is rather short,but i had a feeling there would be a reaction if he jumped well and won today.

Done him in a double with B Dair this morning, was only 8/1 then.

Impressed me too,5/1 for the RSA is bonkers though at this point.


totally agree he was ok but nothing more

What more would be expected?
First time over fences,no errors of note and won fairly comfortably.
Be loads more to come with more experience.
5/1 is too short yes,but the top staying novice hurdler going chasing at the right age,and proved he can jump a fence.....the bookies wont take many chances with him.

like you say perfectly satisfactory

A couple I’m keeping my eye on today, and for aftertiming purposes, have backed AP:

Fusil Raffles at Wincanton, currently 16 for the CH. Usually avoid juveniles for the CH, but won his two races last year impressively, and likely any value will disappear, assuming he wins today.

Longhouse Poet at Naas, currently 33 for the Ballymore. Fast way to the poorhouse backing in novice hurdles/chases at this point of the season, but as a ptp winner and a pretty impressive Bumper winner I’m happy to have a few quid at the price. Not totally convinced about the ground, but connections won the Ballymore last year.

Have a feeling Fusil Raffles will go all the way to the top over hurdles,for me just a question how long it will take him.
Was really impressed with him when I saw him at Kempton last season.
Have got him in a few accas at the festival at fair prices, but of course still only a 4yr old.

a poster on the horses forum last season said "fusil raffles is rated  at least equal to pentland hils at home " ,take that how you will but they obviously think a bit of him . and the champion is looking very open .

Was gutted last year, backed FR for the Triumph before he ran in the Adonis in the hope of finding some value against the ill fated Sir Erec. 331/1 and couldn’t have hoped for a better run, but wasn’t to be.

Clearly that should be 33!

Hmmmm.

Encouraging run from Longhouse Poet, could be better for better ground and a bit further.

Fusil less impressive, have to hope he comes on for the run. Although Hendo suggested he would after.

I think with Fusil Raffles and Pentland Hills I sense the narrative where PH isn't really going to get the credit he deserves perhaps through not coming from France but from being a more exposed flat horse from over here. I think that FR is carrying slightly a bit of hype and is perceived as the sexier horse.

I was very impressed with PH last season who was an easy Triumph winner who was then able to back it up at Aintree. He'd do for me at this stage.

agree with all of that duffy .

Must admit I was a bit surprised and a tad disappointed with FR yesterday.....until I heard Hendo talking after the race.His next race will be interesting.

Yes, also be interesting to see PH in his first run this season.

some good uns out today ,santini ,melon,fakir ,apples jade ,etc, the jumpers really  starting to kick into gear now ,exciting times ahead .

god knows what elliott is going to do with all these novices, pure guess work for the punter trying to figure it all out ?

Andy Dufresne was immensely impressive, I'd guess Neptune, didn't look like a grinder to me, reckon he's got a few gears, really taken with that initial run.

Douvan wins impressively after 2 years out
over 2.5 miles
Trainer think he could cope with the 2 mile CHASE

10-1 SOUNDS fair

can't wait to see how this one pans out lucky lucky

One of interest today, but not exactly a dark horse!

Decided to join the hype on Battleoverdoyen, AP at 16. Had a reasonable price last year for the Ballymore, but ran like a drain.

Lost a shoe straight away at Cheltenham so would forget about that run

Battleoverdoyen looks pretty slow.

3milersixer ?

I suppose it’s what else is there in the 3 mile novice division this year.

There’s Champ given connections and good hurdle form, maybe Samcro, but will be kept away from BoD, so could be campaigned over shorter. Then we are looking at potential horses.

I would imagine that unless he starts losing, BoD will head to the RSA.

To be fair to him, it wasn’t a flashy win lto, but he did get the job done. Would’ve preferred to have seen him breeze past on the bridle winning 20 lengths, but when Davy said go, he did, and never looked like losing.

Will be interesting when upped in trip at Leopardstown over Xmas, it will certainly be a G1 against better horses, we’ll see what he’s made of then. My finger will be hovering over the cash out button!!

Love this sh1te every year
If you are getting racing t v
Keep watching the irish jumps
Well in front this year
What makes me laugh is leaving
A punchestown novice hurdle
Two seconds after its finished
For a selling handicap at sedge,
Or a beginners chase left without comment
For micky mouse maifen from ludlow
Chepstow or fontwell
Like shopping in harrods
And shopping in aldi
Brilliant

Agree Irish novices look very impressive might be wise to keep in mind the exams are taken in March and its ‘o levels’ not GCSE’s . You get no marks for course work. And just to clarify I would say the same if a poster in another year said the same but in reverse. Am I alone in despising this tribal rubbish?

The most frustrating thing for me is that you have the seed of a really good point. You plant the seed and for some reason you pour acid all over it so it cannot grow. FWIW I agree that there is too much emphasis on quantity and not quality irrespective of which side of the pond and I lost faith in rtv a long time ago and cancelled my membership.

Milton for me its all about hegemony in sport, its probably one of the best examples you can find currently
It ranks alongside the negative evaluations of women jockeys capacities which were prevalent for decades on dedicated horse racing shows like c4 on saturday mornings.
I personally dont want it to stop. I just laugh at it along with many others.... And we get the value!

PS ......you do get marks for coursework in gcse mate !

sure It’s about Hegemony. I for one understand how you feel, how could I not you ram it down our throats and turn many threads into a political vent which of course is your right. I am on here because it is a Cheltenham thread.

Secondly I seem to remember (apologies if I confused you with another poster) one time that stated you have no desire to get to know me and that the whole point of forums is you don’t have to so in response I am not your mate.

Thirdly  and back to Cheltenham .. I wrote it’s NOT GCSE’s .It is O LEVELS so I obviously meant that you get no marks for coursework come March it is 100% on the day ..... like O Levels and not like GCSE’S  reading a post is the written equivalent of listening to others ... what a shock.

Forum not thread

"And just to clarify I would say the same if a poster in another year said the same but in reverse"

You wrote something that you immediately thought somebody else would read and interpret in the same way as you.

Sorry I didn't wait the year (couldn't resist the opportunity)

I just said the same as you , but in reverse.

I reversed your comment that "you get no marks for coursework" in GCSE's.

Why come back angry and trying to teach me three lessons?

All about dominance .....

GCE s. Not GCSE s

apologies for taking focus off of the BOD discussion. My understanding is he did not travel over well last year. Does anybody know the circumstances and does anybody know how this can be prevented moving forward. He seems to me to be every inch a staying chaser and is on my RSA shortlist but I am worried about the travel element (possibly because of my own ignorance).

Also totally gutted bout the bright forecast news

battleoverdoyen did not eat or drink as well as he should of done last year at cheltenham, the elliot horses avoided the storm, went over early. They were trying a tongue tie on him because he had a respiratory problem as did most of the team last year. His performance at galway was first class and puts him right up there with the best but .....he didnt beat anything.

Great. That’s really helpful. Thank you

Taken stock and apart from duo at the head of thread, looking for big runs:

Abracadabras
Envoi Allen
Tiger Roll
Allmankind

Your initial plays Paisley Park and Benie 3/1 and 5/2 respectively are looking tasty. Hope they ru very well.

impossibe, do not beloeve anything woody posts, he is a fooking fruitcake.

Two of tgem are !

I think it's going to be a bookies bonanza this year. Lots of horses at the head of the markets look pretty poor value to me. Will be a layer this year.