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My biggest bet of this years festival is in the Arkle and I have gone big on Rock On Ruby. Took plenty of the 16s that was available. Haven’t really been impressed with many of the market leaders at this time. The Arkle has been kind to me over the years so fingers crossed…….
Well i’m convinced that unless it’s testing, Champagne Fever will go for something else. Hopefully the old Jewson as that’s where i have him at present. Think the RSA would be a mistake.
Defy Logic – strange that AP has not ridden him over fences yet, although Alderwood was ridden by AP when slipping up on his seasonal debut last year and the two weren’t paired in public again until they won at the Festival.
If most of the principals line up, it’ll be some race. In fact the Tuesday looks awesome.
Felix Yonger has been cut into 8/1 in some places, Mullins was hinting that Champagne Fever could go for the Jewson or RSA but as always it’s a guessing game when it comes to his Cheltenham runners. Hope Felix Yonger goes for the Arkle as I’ve backed him and I think he will. If so, he’ll take a lot of beating.
Yeah, it can be with Mullins but quite often these days he has two or three for each race and for a variety of conditions so, quite naturally, he doesn’t commit until he has to.
The days of 24 hour news channels and tweets have given many pundits delusions of grandeur as to their own importance. It’s January and some are demanding an answer as to which horse will race where. Heck, some even demand it in October.On a stiff track in this company, Felix Yonger looks more likely to win at 2 miles. Champagne Fever more versatile.
Do you really believe that mid-January Mullins has so little idea about Cheltenham targets? I don’t. The other day Oli Bell interviewed Ruby Walsh and suggested that in order to plan prep-races at this time of the year you would have to have a pretty good idea of the ultimate target. It seemed a valid point. Unsurprisingly, Walsh was taken aback and produced a not very convincing answer. I would have no problem with trainers nominating targets and then changing them just as long as punters are kept in the loop. Much better than punters just speculating on an almost day by day basis.
Do you really believe that mid-January Mullins has so little idea about Cheltenham targets? I don’t. The other day Olli Bell interviewwd Ruby Walsh and suggested that in order to plan prep-races at this time of the year you would have to have a pretty good idea of the ultimate target. It seemed a pretty valid point. Unsurprisingly, Walsh was taken aback and produced a not very convincing answer. I would have no problem with trainers nominating targets and then changing them just as long as punters are kept in the loop. Much better than punters just speculating on an almost day by day basis.
How do you mean " so little " ?
I’d say Mullins has an idea of which is most likely given certain conditions. However, he’ll be less sure about Champagne Fever’s target than he would Un De Sceaux’s.
There’s also the owner to think about and there’s no time for proper discussion between a horse crossing the line and someone sticking a microphone in the rider or trainers face.He could have said last January that in all probability, Champagne Fever will run in the Neptune. There are then health / form issues with his and other stables horses, the ground is softer than expected and the picture changes. Suddenly he’s saying that CF will run in the Supreme and people with antepost tickets for the Neptune are incensed.
You cannot please all of the people all of the time. The way to pleasing most people, including those that pay the bills, is to commit only when you have to
I’m on Fox Appeal @ 25/1 for the Arkle and if he puts in a good show on Saturday in the Clarence house that’ll be long gone. If this was a Henderson, Mullins or Nicholls horse he’d be half the price.
Ruby Walsh’s PP blog yesterday:
Things just didn’t happen for Felix Younger at Limerick over Christmas. The ground might have been a little testing for him and if the real Felix Younger turns up on Sunday in the Irish Arkle Chase on Sunday he’ll give Defy Logic a race of it. It’s a big ask for Jackadam as a five-year-old to win a Grade 1 on just his second start.
Paul Nolan’s horse beat Champagne Fever into third at Leopardstown three weeks ago and is talented but Felix Younger beat him well at Punchestown.
This would suggest Champagne won’t run which surprises me, I thought they’d want to try him again at the trip. Still, probably won’t know for sure until Friday morning.
Ruby Walsh’s PP blog yesterday:
Things just didn’t happen for Felix Younger at Limerick over Christmas. The ground might have been a little testing for him and if the real Felix Younger turns up on Sunday in the Irish Arkle Chase on Sunday he’ll give Defy Logic a race of it. It’s a big ask for Jackadam as a five-year-old to win a Grade 1 on just his second start.
Paul Nolan’s horse beat Champagne Fever into third at Leopardstown three weeks ago and is talented but Felix Younger beat him well at Punchestown.
This would suggest Champagne won’t run which surprises me, I thought they’d want to try him again at the trip. Still, probably won’t know for sure until Friday morning.
For most people right I suppose the smart money would be on
Felix
contesting the Arkle on day one, although I’m still of the opinion that Willie’s personal game of ‘Cheltenham Guess Who’ has a red herring or two to play. I can already hear the
Champagne
bottles popping on Tuesday 11th.
Felix Yonger declared for the Irish Arkle, Champagne Fever to wait for the PJ Moriarty in 2 weeks time.
Two very hot novice races at Doncaster. Not sure it will prove to be the wisest move by King to bring Valdez back in a mini-Arkle.
Felix Yonger declared for the Irish Arkle, Champagne Fever to wait for the PJ Moriarty in 2 weeks time.
Where does Ballycasey go then I wonder?
Felix Yonger declared for the Irish Arkle, Champagne Fever to wait for the PJ Moriarty in 2 weeks time.
It’s all coming together nicely…
Felix Yonger declared for the Irish Arkle, Champagne Fever to wait for the PJ Moriarty in 2 weeks time.
Where does Ballycasey go then I wonder?
CF will go Jewson and Ballycasey will go RSA.
If it turns out to be soft don’t be surprised to see CF in the Arkle yet however.
Sundays race will be extremely interesting; Defy logic travels like an absolute machine but you couldn’t trust him to get around without errors, he’s a typical crazy fleminsfirth…I’m talking pre Cheltenham though. Thought that the Moriarty was the plan for Ballycasey, maybe they’ll run the two? If Champagne Fever wins the Moriarty I’d expect him to go for the RSA to be honest, powerful RSA trial.
Hard to fault Trifolium’s performance. I think on that run he just about deserves to be the Arkle favourite.
Having said that all three novice chase divisions have been pretty underwhelming and there is probably one bad jump between about half a dozen. Add in that the ground could be pretty different in March and the bookmakers must be rubbing their hands with glee.
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