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I just hope he runs, Friggo.
I backed him immediately after he won on his chasing debut and, to be honest, couldn’t have been happier. But after Tatenen won at Aintree Paul Nicholls seemd to exclude I’msingingtheblues from his Arkle plans so, just to be on the safe side, I had a saver on Tatenen.
Whilst I can’t confess to being too despondent about having those two ante-post bets in the bag, I think I’d be very disappointed if the Hales horse wasn’t at least given a chance (he’d also be a far more lucrative winner, but that obviously hasn’t swayed my judgemet in the slightest).
I expect Sam Thomas was riding to instructions on Tatenen at L/town
but they really did messed up. Five of the six runners were bunched together at the fence before turning for home.It turned into a sprint with the first two drawing right away which is always sign of a decent horse.
A couple of things I noticed were Tatenen jumps a bit too well and spent that bit more time in the air at the last than the winner. He didn’t look to have as positive a stride as the winner either.
He was running all over them two out and had Sam Thomas made more use of him earlier I am pretty sure he would have won.
I think there ended the experimant and he will go back to taking them on from the start at Cheltenham.
Whether he is good enough or not remains to be seen but if he can’t poach a lad and gets into a fight to the finish I think he’ll lose out big time. LikeI said before I think he’ a big soft git and don’t think he’s any sort of future champion at all. He’ll win races no doubt but I can see him losing more than he wins.
Imsingingtheblues may not be as talented a jumper but for me in kept in his own class is a better type of horse who will win a lot more races in the long term . Working out which is his class is the hard part but I honestly don’t think he’s up to Arkle standards
Hen made no secret of the fact Calgary Bay was badly in need of the run when he beat him 1 length. On that alone you would have to think on the day CB would reverse the form.
I am standing by my orignal choice of Kalahari King who for me was a better hurdler than Tatenen and has taken to fences like a duck to water. I am not in the least bit bothered about him getting beat last time out Ferdy being Ferdy. He will lack nothing in stamina either if it comes down to that.
He has been saying for a year nowthishorsewillwin the Arkleand I thinkhe could be right.The one I fear most is Calgary Bay and he is bound to get a good lead from Tatenen. He loves Cheltenham and jumps for fun. My one worry was when he hit a bit of a flat spot at Ascot when beaten by PB. Whether that was down to being a bit short or he simply lacks the ability to quicken instantly being such a big horse I am not sure. Another worry is the amount of these big novices that end upon the floor at the Festval. Obviously I hope he doesn’t and I’msure he will get round but I think he may just lack the toe to beat Kalahari King.
Equitrack,
I think Paul Nicholls was talking up the chances of I’msingingtheblues for the Arkle, or at least commenting on his relative value therein, in his column the other week. It was what ultimately convinced me to back him ante-post (the fact that he’ll likely run, not Nicholls’ tipping!).
I would normally agree Grass but she surely had to run him?. He had only run twice over fences and I would have thought needed the experience. Free World would be expected to go a good gallop and that would be invaluable to thehorse
Not necessarily, Fist.
Well Chief won an Arkle with only a single run in a Taunton novice under his belt, and there are plenty of races available for the horse between now and the Festival.
I’m not saying that Calgary Bay can’t win the Arkle (though I confess, I don’t fancy him myself) – I’m merely saying that there is scant evidence to suggest that he has been "85-90% fit" in his runs this season.
It was common knowledge he would need the run first time up and although Hen might have left him a bit short the other day it is total guess work on my part.
If that was the best we can expect they better make more use of him at Cheltenham than they did then or I could see him being run out of it by speed horses quite easily. (speed horses that’s a laugh
)This Arkle has the look of a very poor renewal all of the first three in the betting were beaten last time out which says it all..
Of the Nicholls horses Imsingingtheblues is the only one I would have. Tatenen looks like a mud lark who will be suited by further sooner rather than later, maybe a bit like Big Bucks last year. The form of his two wins really doesn’t stack up and his defeat last time when failing to take advantage of the huge pull really was alarming, even given a less than inspiring ride. Free World just looks like a horse that will be suited by a less taxing race, so maybe he’ll be saved for Aintree.
I agree about Forpadytheplaster having a major chance and even if he loses at weekend the ground should be much better come the Festival and he will appreciate decent ground more than a bog.Does anyone know if Palomar will be going for this? Be my bet if he did.
Any thoughts?
He’s a nice horse Andrew but they got a bit carried away with him last season (cost me a few quid)
They were very confident he would go close in the Tote and even spoke about him going for the Champion Hurdle after he won it. He ran very badly that day, put up a bit better performance at Sandown and then the word was he would win at Aintree….again he flopped.
His season they have been taking it very slowly with the horse. When he won at Kelso you would have thrown away your ticket turning for home as he almost fell at the pevious fence and had 5 horses all going well in front of him.
He picked up really well though and came up the hill at Kelso in great style
winning easily in the end. If anything he looked a more complete horse and found more than he did won there over hurdles, when apprentice ridden.His jumping was a bit sketchy over hurdles but he always seems to get a way with it. It was a pretty awful mistake he made at Kelso and was lucky to survive it but next timeout he was foot perfect…….still a bit of a worry the speed they go in the Arkle.
Much depends on how he fairs at Docaster on Saturday but the Arkle is on the agenda……..If I was going to back him I would wait and see what turns up on Saturday and if I thought he would win I would grab the Arkle price then. Doesn’t want really soft ground as he is usually held up for a late run.
Another game and classy effort from I’msingingtheblues today.
At what point will the penny drop with Nicholls, and he’ll confirm the Arkle as the target? The horse already has the form in the book to win an ordinary renewal, and this renewal looks particularly ordinary.
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I didn’t think Andrew Thornton was particularly clever on Doctor David this afternoon, but there’s no faulting I’msingingtheblues’s attitude.
From what Paul Nicholls said in the Racing Post today the Arkle is very much the target now (he wrote something along the lines of ‘I’m not presuming he’s an Arkle winner, but he’s got to be hard to beat today’).
Paul Nicholls was talking about the Arkle riding arrangements on RUK this afternoon.
Christian Williams will keep the ride aboard I’msingingtheblues and Ruby will ride Tatenen (probably). Personally I think Ruby might be on the wrong one…
Does anyone know if Palomar will be going for this? Be my bet if he did.
Any thoughts?
Will have to see what they deside to do after tommorows race. Have a look on one of the bookmakers websites. Or ask on request. Ladbrokes who i have asked before are very helpful
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I don’t see Palomar as an Arkle winner (I get the feeling he can be a little awkward), but I certainly like the look of him for tomorrow’s race at anything around 9/4.
Fortunately I’m still sitting on both I’msingingtheblues and Tatenen, and can’t see my position changing much between now and March.
Nice performance by Kalahari King today, was always going to pick up Astarador.
Strictly on the book the form isn’t strong enough to win an Arkle but this isn’t the type of horse to win a race by fifteen lengths he’s a horse that can quicken on the run in – that suits him.
A fast paced, good ground two miles at Cheltenham will suit him perfectly and his best ever performance came at Cheltenham when forth to Captain Cee Bee last year – form that is very strong.
I’m not going to be having a bet in the Arkle, looks too tricky to me but if I had I’d be worried about this horse. If he’s still there at the last he’s going to be a serious threat.
Kalahari King looks a good each way shot. Palomar is an enigma…cant see him lining up on the day. Not a race to bet in before the day in my opinion though. See who’s there, see what the odds are and then play.
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