And for anyone that didn't know, I'm the January 2004 £10k winner. 

Well done to the 719 lines that chose to keep/include Kauto Star.

Its quite ironic, like most people this year I left him out.

Usually Kauto was our big Christmas cheer as the King George banker, now we wont really want to see him win for our competitions success.

I so want Kauto to win, I would forsake success in the competition this year just to see it!

We will all have mixed emotions me thinks!!

Cheers Hanbury.

The ones that I've relied on that won't be in as many lists are Jessie's Dream, Universal Soldier and Tullamore Dew.

The popular ones that I've avoided are Sizing Europe, Master Minded and Cue Card.

Nice choices,

I had Tullamore Dew, but not the others... so we are different!!

Where do Jessie and Universal run next?

I swerved Cue Card too!

Reduced my lines on Masterminded too!

Interesting you swerve sizing europe. I started the thread on 'Who will win the Queen Mother' .. My thoughts are down there!I reduced the percentage of lines that Sizing went in, he's in about 30% now. He'e getting older, bless him!.. One of my fav's though!

My chief differentiators are:

Kauto Stone -Top Class French Bred: Grade 1 engine:Won the same top French Grade 1 4yo old as Long Run. Interestingly he had an extremely light campaign last year. Which means he's now the same age as Long Run when he won the Gold Cup....well thats my thinking anyway! Still entered in King George, but doubt he runs in it. He will mop up the right handed track Grade 1/2 - might not act round cheltenham though. But Ryan Air his aim.

Great Endeavour - this horse could be the massive points scorer this year. - I have 3 great lines with him! Hoping he wins again on saturday! realistically only 3-5k of lines will be in play if that happens!

Joncol - He could be the top Irish horse, and re-gain the Irish hennessy! (Unless Kauto Stone beats him of course!!) matured and well again.

Giant Bolster - He could easily win the hennessy! My dark horse for the season. If he doesnt kill himself, he should go F1F1F1!! Maybe a bonus race, or at 66/1 at the Festival (Mildmay or William Hill)

Golden Silver -if the ground goes his way, he could go undefeated this year and win either the Queen Mother (soft) or Ryan Air (Good/sft) - He is my Irish Accumulator! He runs alot and Mullins places him well! Hoping for 50- 70+ points before Cheltenham

Michel Le Bon - Nicholls sees him as a much higher rated horse, and will win races. Hennessy/Racing post.

Sarando - Racing Post/hennessy

Tataniano - read my Queen Mother thread! He has great performances in him. He looked very commanding first time out. He just might have matured. Like Cheltenham ground.

Had Pandorama in, unfortunately! - Although I am in profit through him!! He was my Irish diferentiator horse 2 years ago that helped me finish 9th in the 10 2 Follow. Got injured that year too!!

Wymott - Very Well handicapped and one of my dark horses from last year!Get good chances in: the Hennessy, Racing Post Chase, take in the William Hill then Grand National! He has the right owner!

Thousand Stars - Aintree Hurdle last day of the season drama win potential!!

Hen GC a disappoointing, but could have been worse. Picked up twice today with PC and BB. I feel underwhelmed...

Drew a blank too.

Disappointing race, thought one of the 2nd season chasers might have been good enough, but maybe shows there's not much coming through to challenge the likes of Long Run. WTF Wayward Prince!

Rem... the subs are a good addition to the comp. I usually put in my novices then my super sub Albertas Run! He was my winning sub differentiator when I finished 9th. He won the ryan air and a race at Aintree. I was in 54th before Albertas ran at Aintree and worked out if he won the max I could move upto was 9th. After he won I couldnt believe that no one else between 53rd and 9th had Albertas! That was a buzz!!

Yes I agree with your sizing startegy, very good idea. Plus something else could come through that needs to go in, Like maybe Wishful Thinking. Havent made my mind up about him yet. His handicap win off an Irish 159 rating at Punchestowns was a fantastic performance. Im glad he goes to the Tingle creek, at least we will find out if he is fast enough before Cheltenham!

Who do you feel will win the Tingle Creek 25 points?!

T2F - why is that?

got me first points at weekend,only 43,611 above me

I've been following this thread so far without contributing.
Looking forward to this w/e racing to shake things up a little.
Don't think Great Endeavour or Carruthers will be essential in this years comp as imo will find it difficult to rack up more points.
Hoping Thousand Stars becomes the first 'must have' horse with a win in the Hattons Grace this w/e and praying Wishfull Thinking can take the Tingle Creek (my feeling is SE will win that one!)

Did several lines this year; my November lines have rapidly become my December lines! but my overalls are doing okay so far. Hoping to top my 44th place finish 2yrs ago where a Grand Nat win for Black Apalache would have almost certainly put me in the top ten!

Enjoying the thread too! Logged on tonight to find that my Greatwood nominee won a novice chase today!Kumbeshwar).

Did n't see that coming as hoped he might be firing over hurdles in time for Totesport Trophy - not sure whether I'm pleased or not!

feel the same way as Woodworm about Thousand Stars and have Wishfull Thinking, Sizing Europe and Kauto Stone on my side in Tingle Creek.

Uphill  battle though as none of my lists include Great Endeavour or Carruthers (though did put the latter in the William Hill competition).

Thousand Stars a non runner in Ireland, anyone know why?
Shame really was looking good for 20 more pts.
Lets hope only a minor setback!

Kumbeshwar.. nice one. He has real dark horse potential. Good luck with him! Maybe the Arkle.

I mean ours!!

Might regret leaving Sizing Europe out here. 

Well, there's always the subs....

Are they trying to ruin this horse?

Still not broken the 100 point barrier yet!

joci...that website we were talking about the other day made a good point before the comp started i thought and it applies to a degree with how this has started.......roughly speaking they were saying that getting a bit behind because of somewhat shock results isn't anything to be worried about as the people flying high on the back of getting lucky with unusual picks probably don't have balanced lines will ultimately fall down as the more established horses find form and more balanced lines begin to get stronger....carruthers overturn...and to a degree thousand stars and great endeavour i think are examples of it......i'm hanging on to this theory for dear life.

Didn't include Sizing Europe in too many lists, thinking of him as a potential substitute horse. Didn't think we'd see too much of him over the winter. He's run three times already now, so maybe he won't be out again until the Spring to defend his title.

duffy - I agree that lists of outsiders should eventually have too many duds to suceed unless the popular horses flop big time. But I always belive you must find one or two unusual scorers or drop a popular horse.

Was just about to say: Leaving SE out looks quite stupid now, but I thought Big Zeb would beat him over 2m in Ireland and I actually expected him to attempt the John Durkin and not come to Sandown, leaving the horse to consider come Cheltenham. So hoping BZ can show for me in the Tied Cottage.