Fairly sure he is being aimed at the Peterborough denmanism

there was money for it in the paddy power then it didnt run, maybe they are trying it again, ive heard nothing about it running or not, but would'nt risk it..

According to Pipe quotes in RP schooled well and on target for the race. Guess you never really know but if the rain comes he'll have a fabulous chance - happy to take Laddies money

With Huntingdon abandoned tomorrow there's got to be a good chance either Wishful Thinking or Menorah will head the weights here.

WALKON looks the solid option

Question: Why is this grade 3 Class 1 race a 48 hour final dec whereas other races aren't. Tried to look through the BHB site and this was all they said " In addition, Grade 3 Steeple Chases and Hurdle Races and
such other races as may be permitted by the British Horseracing Authority MAY have 48 hour Declarations,
at the option of the Racecourse Executive."

So how is the punter supposed to know this - shouldn't there be a hard and fast rule?

When does there have to be a nonner by for reserve to get in? Bound to happen imo if rain arrives

Be wrong if Unioniste doesn't get in when, if as seems likely, Divers is heading to Donny.

Then again I'd prefer if he didn't run as he would be an obvious threat to my pick

There is a shat load of rain all morning tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if there are 15 runners by Saturday lunchtime which is why I backed Walkon yesterday.

The question mark with him is whether he can ''back up'', but if he can he has conditions to suit, form figures on NH Soft/Heavy 211032.

Ghizao out which is no surprise.

Yeah sint but NDLT is 12lb better off with Walkon for 8 lengths. Like Walkon I think he as good if not better fresh, will like ground and it was a decision based on price. Walkon is seemingly solid, PP form in this race is also a very strong trend but not for me at 5/1.

Clearly he needs to overcome a fall that was also in a big handicap, but the fact he was well punted seems to indicate stable think his mark is ok.

Would not discount either of the top two in the weights either, personally cannot fancy anything else

Wishfull Thinking is the class act in this field. Every chance in my opinion.

Was about to post the same thing Meat Loaf, at worst he's a solid ew option. His record over 21f reads F12116 and his record over 20f reads 1110F2122. He's clearly operating around his optimal distance, and has only been uplaced 4 times out of 14 attempts at 20-21f. He was a good 9 lengths ahead of the rest of the field in his second in the Old Roan giving away a good lump of weight, and he should have come on for the run. At 14s I'll happily take some ew action.

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/article/465/8329580/unioniste-faces-gold-wait

Connections now face an anxious wait to find out whether he will get a run and that could hinge on whether Doncaster's meeting on Saturday gets the go-ahead.

The Ferdy Murphy-trained duo of Divers and De Boitron have both been declared with the race as their second preference.

Murphy said: "The plan is for both of ours to go to Doncaster if the meeting goes ahead. Divers is going to run in the two-mile-three-furlong race there and De Boitron goes for the three miler.

"But it was no more money for us to declare for Cheltenham as a second preference so with the way the weather is, it was a no-brainer."

The course at Doncaster is currently frozen, but temperatures are due to rise from Friday morning.

However at least one of the Murphy-trained pair would need to be formally withdrawn by 9am on Friday for Unioniste to be allowed to take their place in the final line-up.

Harry Derham will take the ride on Unioniste if he does line up, with his 5lb claim a big help considering he runs from 6lb out of the handicap.

"He's got his weight because he's got a rating of 137, but he gets a 7lb allowance as a four-year-old," said Nicholls.

"Hopefully he will get in because with Harry taking off 5lb he's got a nice-looking racing weight of 9-9."

Don't think he's been overlooked on here.....got his own thread

Come on Roo, what you think of the Tizzard horse ?

Why is Unioniste first reserve off a mark of 137 (higher than two horses in field)?

Divers out, Unioniste in.

tyronesam     11 Dec 12 18:36 
anyone like astracad...think he might be ready for a big run



Yep -I agree - this will do for me. Like it a lot

unioniste... reminds me of mon parrain last year, no quality winning form in the book

The difference in Unioniste and Mon Parrain is that Mon Parrain blew his mark of 133 in a race worth £6500 to the winner at Sandown then ran a great race from about 17lbs higher in the Topham from what I can remember. Nicholls has presumably learnt from that and it'll be a great surprise if Unioniste isn't rated loads higher than 137 at the end of the season. On the point of lack of experience, it's long been the belief that French horses are well schooled and he changed hands for a lot of money so is presumably highly thought of. Notus De La Tour is being touted on here but he's relatively inexperienced in big fields and the only time he's run in a field of more than 10 over fences, he fell at the 3rd but I'm sure he's got a chance, just showing how trainers are campaigning novices nowadays.

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