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Rich Ricci calls the shots. There’s no way I can see him being happy about another owner’s horse going for the Arkle, so I think of the two Mullins horses Vautour is by far the most likely to turn up.
You have to wonder what they will do with Un De Sceaux should he suffer another mishap. Yes, he did look very exciting before exiting but given his style of racing chances are he is never going to be the safest conveyance. Unlike plenty of other tracks Cheltenham still takes a bit of jumping.
It would seem pretty obvious to go back hurdling but the trainer prevented him from running in the Champion Hurdle last season to protect Hurricane Fly and now he has Faugheen heading that market.
Clarcam gave a boost to Vautour’s form today, winning a novice chase easily at Navan. It was a really impressive round of jumping from Clarcam and Elliott says he might take on Vautour again at Christmas. It would be no surprise to see him in the Arkle later in the season.
Un De Sceaux 4/1 best priced for the Arkle but if you want to back him with this race in mind you can get him at 9/2 to win any race with racebets.
Blackbeard to conquer the World
Thought UDS jumping was not quite as spectacular today, even though he got round safely. He does look like a bit a tearaway, the way he attacked the first fence. Willie might decide to send him or Vautour for the 2 mile champion, esp with doubts over Sprinter Sacre. I think either for them might be good enough for Sire de Grugy
I really like Un De Sceaux. He stays a tiny bit further than 2 miles in Grade 1 company and will have the benefits of Cheltenham’s rapid drainage to make the Arkle a little less taxing.
In relative terms, he does seem to be getting a little more amenable too. Ruby caught hold of his head after the initial surge today and was able to ride the last two thirds of the race rather than being a passenger all the way.
Definitely not writing off Vautour; that was a serious mistake, and that he only pipped the 3rd shows how below par he was. Having said that, Clarcam was impressive, finished like a train in what was very soft ground
interesting that it was Paul T beat on both the Mullins/Ricci horses – vautour and kalkir. Would the superior jockeys (Ruby)guidance have seen them home or was it just a poor day at the office for them both?
A lot of short priced horses have been beaten at leopardstown over the last 2 days
There’s way too many imponderables regarding both ‘Un Des Sceaux’ and ‘Vatour’ for me to commit to either as serious Ante-Post players for the Arkle so I’ve gone elsewhere.The Mullins horses trade at silly odds for this 5/2 and 5/1 respectively when we really dont know which will turn up and having seen both this year there’s a black mark against both.My selections been called a few names but not by me,he’s a horse I’ve always had a soft spot for and even though he finishes 2nd more times than he wins I believe he is a horse who just needed time mentally for the penny to drop.This fellow is a proper 2 miler,he travels jumps and now can battle.Ladbrokes have taken my £100 e/w at 20/1 this morning for the Arkle,they will wish they haven’t come March!
Oh yeh the horse is calledVibrato Valtat
by the way.
About 20lbs short of class isn’t he TAPK? You’d worry about each-way betting with the last two runnings having less than eight runners too, especially if Vautour or Un De Sceaux turn up to scare away the dead wood.
Arkle runners right now:
Un De Sceaux OR Vautour
Josses Hill (if fit)
Ptit Zig (JLT option)
Gilgamboa
Clarcam
Vibrato Valtat
Dunraven Storm (fragile horse, runs if fit)
Irish Saint (Grand Annual alternative)
Court Minstrel
Sgt Reckless
RagsAnother worry is the recent record of Nicholls at the Festival. He still has some who perform, but has had dozens of previously solid horses who drop out the back of your TV set come March. Realistically, class is the main issue though. There’s no way he’d beat Josses Hill, Ptit Zig, Vautour, Un De Sceaux, Ptit Zig or Gilgamboa in straight match races.
His only achievements of the season are beating a flat Dunraven Storm (a horse with a history of deteriorating as a season goes on) and just about seeing off low 140s horse Three Kingdoms.
About 20lbs short of class isn’t he TAPK? You’d worry about each-way betting with the last two runnings having less than eight runners too, especially if Vautour or Un De Sceaux turn up to scare away the dead wood.
It’s a great each way betting race for that very reason. A couple of short priced horses in the betting and in all likelihood only one of them will run, probably Un De Sceaux.
About 20lbs short of class isn’t he TAPK? You’d worry about each-way betting with the last two runnings having less than eight runners too, especially if Vautour or Un De Sceaux turn up to scare away the dead wood.
.Dont follow TYF…..The idea of snaffling 20/1 e/w is all about hoping only a few turn up that only helps the ante-Post cause.Of course one of the few needs to be
Vibrato Valtat
in this case.I believe this fellow has shown 20lbs of improvement since October,that tells me he has more to come.
About 20lbs short of class isn’t he TAPK? You’d worry about each-way betting with the last two runnings having less than eight runners too, especially if Vautour or Un De Sceaux turn up to scare away the dead wood.
Arkle runners right now:
Un De Sceaux OR Vautour
Josses Hill (if fit)
Ptit Zig (JLT option)
Gilgamboa
Clarcam
Vibrato Valtat
Dunraven Storm (fragile horse, runs if fit)
Irish Saint (Grand Annual alternative)
Court Minstrel
Sgt Reckless
RagsAnother worry is the recent record of Nicholls at the Festival. He still has some who perform, but has had dozens of previously solid horses who drop out the back of your TV set come March. Realistically, class is the main issue though. There’s no way he’d beat Josses Hill, Ptit Zig, Vautour, Un De Sceaux, Ptit Zig or Gilgamboa in straight match races.
His only achievements of the season are beating a flat Dunraven Storm (a horse with a history of deteriorating as a season goes on) and just about seeing off low 140s horse Three Kingdoms.
I don’t particularly fancy Vibrato Valtat but if you back him now you get 1/4 odds 1-2-3 the place, even if only 3 run on the day.
He’s 20/1 with Ladbrokes, yet as low as 10/1 elsewhere so you can see the logic behind the value angle.
Paul Nicholls more or less ruled Ptit Zig out of The Arkle, stating that it would be the last choice, after JLT and RSA in that order of preference. 6/1 for Ptit Zig for the Arkle looks like a bet for suicidal virgins only
Vautour has a bit to prove now and has the extra handicap of being in my Ten To Follow, which is something akin to a two stone penalty from the handicapper.
Vibrato Valtat is rated 153 now, so he probably needs to improve again with Un De Sceaux having been a highly rated hurdler.
You make a good point about Nicholls at Cheltenham though. Last year was one where he struggled to make much impact and I steered clear of several of his fancied ones, with no regrets.
It could well be a smallish field on the day but that won’t matter to ante-post punters.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
In the arkle they is one horse for me Un De Sceaux.. The horse travels like a dream,i can see ruby riding him from the front. in un de sceaux hurdle and chase runs it dosen’t come off the bridle this been a major plus at the festival.His jumping has been a bit sketchy that’s a worry,He made a mistake at the first last time out!.I guess with ruby ridding him from the front at least he will be out off danger!
I guess the value has gone with vautour been so dissapointing and maybe that was the time to back un de sceaux!.But with the 2 mile novice chasers been not off a great quality i can see un de sceaux going to the front come arkle day and just keep pouring it on…The only worry is the jumping.But this looks a very solid 5-2 shot imo.
Best of luck with UDS Chelt but 5/2 is not for me. The arkle is not a race you can win from the front unless he’s exceptional. UDS has fallen once, completed once and only run on soft or worse ground beating inferior horses. He’s also never raced at Cheltenham or travelled to Britain. He may go on to win but with UDS taking such a chunk out of the market with that many negatives it strikes me as perfectly formed to find one against the fav EW. I hope Gilgamboa goes this route but Vibrato Valtat may just be the answer to a forced pace.
Un de sceaux just strikes me a horse who does everything very easily.Remember willie mullins was considering having a crack at the champ hurdle with him,so he must be held in sum regard!
I just feel that the 2 miles novice chasers arent up to much this year to press.the irish saint and three kingdon form i don’t really rate.Josses hill struggled first time out over timber.
I just feel un de sceaux will be able to boss these as a novice hurdler he just gallops relentless i think he could gallop the oposistion into the ground.We will see come tuesday but it’s one off my biggest wins at the festival to press i’m very happy with him atm and looking forward to his prep run on the 25th.
Josses Hill is declared tomorrow and Donny – hope he runs well. Although he didn’t jump that well LTO, it wasn’t a bad run and Ptit Zig has won well since. He must have been doing something right at home too as his price is almost what is was before his debut.
Still think he’s the most likely winner. UDS has too many question marks, Vautour probably won’t turn up and the rest aren’t good enough.
Gord’s punt on VV is a fair shout – there’s a better than average chance of a small field. And who knows what’s in VV’s head – he may even fancy a crack at winning the thing!
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