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Conditions didn’t suit Sprinter at Kempton. He’ll hammer Sire De Grugy at Cheltenham.
Was the ground that soft at Kempton IB? Winning time of the Desert Orchid 3m55.8secs fastest since the 3m 53.8sec “good” ground 2008 renewal… And they didn’t go that fast in this season’s renewal. On the same day Ar Mad actually beat that 2008 time in the Wayward Lad. I’d expect Cheltenham ground conditions won’t be that different.
Value Is EverythingGinger, Moore seems to think he needs proper soft ground these days. Encouraging as it is to see SDG with his appetite back, the yard’s novice, AR Mad, would have beaten him on both occasions this season on time; in fact, SDG would not have been in the first 4 at Kempton – nor would SS. Nico reportedly told Henderson SS could never reach full speed because of the sharpness of the track. That’s stretching things a bit, imo, but the horse would obviously want something more galloping.
Conditions didn’t suit Sprinter at Kempton. He’ll hammer Sire De Grugy at Cheltenham.
This
Nico reported every time Sprinter wanted to get into a strong gallop he met a bend.
Sprinter is rightful 2nd fav after UDS. I’m looking forward to the race. UDS if he stays up will be very difficult to beat but I’m hoping Sprinter can put his jumping in trouble a few out.
Ginger, Moore seems to think he needs proper soft ground these days. Encouraging as it is to see SDG with his appetite back, the yard’s novice, AR Mad, would have beaten him on both occasions this season on time; in fact, SDG would not have been in the first 4 at Kempton – nor would SS. Nico reportedly told Henderson SS could never reach full speed because of the sharpness of the track. That’s stretching things a bit, imo, but the horse would obviously want something more galloping.
Ar Mad always goes hard from the off. SDG’s races were not as truly run so wouldn’t have produced as good a time Joe. Although to do a time like that shows Ar Mad is a good novice, it doesn’t mean he’s as good a horse as SDG.
I don’t take any notice of what jockeys say when the facts dispute it.
SDG did pretty well at Kempton, beating the others by as far as you’d expect him to at his very best… And that on similar ground to what he’s likely to get at Cheltenham. Had it not been for the mistake at the last may well have even beaten Sprinter Sacre.Value Is EverythingGinger, the fact that the seniors didn’t go off as hard as Ar Mad would have led you to believe they’d come home quicker once the chips were down. They did not. Ar Mad was ahead of them on time at every stage of the race, including from 2 out to the line: highly unusual, I’m sure you’ll agree.
Anyway, here are the handicapper’s thoughts fresh from the BHA blog:
The 2m chase division has seen a renaissance of a couple of former champions this season and the Grade 2 williamhill.com Desert Orchid Chase saw a compelling clash between the pair, but did either Sprinter Sacre or Sire de Grugy enhance their Champion Chase claims, asks Graeme Smith.
I thought it was encouraging that Sprinter Sacre toughed it out, as most of his wins have been achieved with at least a degree of ease. If there was a weakness in him physically this is the sort of situation that would likely have shown it – the finish was slow and tiring on the sectionals – but there wasn’t a hint of it. Admittedly a less-than-clean jump at the last from Sire de Grugy aided Sprinter Sacre’s cause, but the fact remains that Nicky Henderson’s charge got the better of a top-class rival who’d won the Tingle Creek last time.
The proximity of Vibrato Valtat (received 4lb from the first two) in third added further substance to Sire de Grugy’s 169 figure from the Tingle Creek. That returned a figure of 170 for Sprinter Sacre. So what of Sprinter Sacre’s 173 performance from Cheltenham? Well I reckon the Kempton form is a better guide to him that that. Maybe Cheltenham suits him better, but he had everything in his favour that day, i.e. weaker opposition and a weight allowance. Also, Somersby and Mr Mole have done absolutely nothing for that form in two subsequent runs apiece, and I’ve now dropped my assessment of it 3lb to fit in with Sprinter Sacre’s 170 here.
The current Champion Chase favourite Un de Sceaux took his first step outside of novice company in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown the same afternoon and he’d surely have won but for coming to grief two fences from home. He remains on the 168 he’d recorded last season.
Un de Sceaux’s departure left the way clear for Flemenstar to battle back past Simply Ned to win his first race since 2013. That form has already been discussed with the senior Irish Jumps Handicapper, and 161 Flemenstar and 160 Simply Ned looks the maximum level on current evidence. Don’t forget, last season’s Champion Dodging Bullets (171) is still waiting in the wings
I totally agree with the official handicapper Joe. One of the reasons why I wanted to back SDG in the Desert Orchid was Sprinter Sacre’s reappearance had (in hindsight) probably been exaggerated. ie SS’s price compared to SDG was poor. My current opinion is that Sire De Grugy ran to his best at Kempton (allowing for the last fence mistake). Sprinter Sacre is now only equal to SDG.
I presume you’ve taken your statistics of the usually brilliant Simon Rowlands.
To find out why Ar Mad’s time was quicker than Sprinter Sacre at the start and finish imo you need to look at where the time was made and made up, together with pace of both races at those particular spots.
May be my timings are wrong or less accurate. But from what I’ve timed each fence at – Ar Mad got a two second break on Somersby between the second and fourth fence, when pace of the Desert Orchid was slow. ie the effort of Ar Mad to get two seconds gap was comparitively easy because of the slowish pace of the Desert Orchid at that particular time. They then pretty much kept that two second gap until between the 5th and 10th fences. Going from 2 seconds down to equal times. At this part of the race Ar Mad did not seem to be slowing. ie Unlike when Ar Mad got his 2 second gap… SS and SDG’s two seconds were made up when the pace was at (or somewhere near) its fastest… And we are taking readings from the leaders in both races; so Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre probably made up more than two seconds when the pace of the Wayward Lad was still very good.
To recap:
Ar Mad probably went even(ish) fractions, making his two seconds gap achieved when the Desert Orchid pace was slowish.Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy made up those two seconds by (in the conditions) going much faster than is ideal. Not even fractions.
This over excertion of SS and SDG is imo then paid for in the final stages of the race. Front two particularly fading after the last. On my workings out Ar Mad was two seconds faster from the last fence to the line.
Value Is EverythingJust watched a reply of last years Arkle and UDS took some pulling up.
I love the way he jumps, he attacks his fences and apart from his two falls hasn’t touched a twig, the horse is very alert at his fences and clears them with speed and together with the his high cruising speed puts the others under pressure because any mistakes in behind and your losing ground all the time which then leads to being bustled along. If Mullins gets him there fully fit and Ruby gets a tune out of him then the only horse that will go with him will be Sprinter but it will be one thing going with him and another getting past. SDG and Dodging Bullets will be off the bridle a fair way back and it will be intriguing if they are near to each other as too whether they will relish the battle and close the gap or take it out of each other or if one will drop back and one push on.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
The antepost king.
Vautour 10/1 nrnb at williamhill.
If you fancy it, it won’t last longThe antepost king.
Vautour 10/1 nrnb at williamhill.
If you fancy it, it won’t last longThanks for the spot Rocky, got on about ten minutes ago and they’ve cut it since. I think they’ll still go the Gold Cup route but 10/1 NRNB for this was phenomenal value.
I think gold cup or ryanair too. Not suprised they slashed after how much I put on.
If at any point for what ever reason he goes 6/1 or shorter for cc on exchanges. I’ll lay off for a tidy profitCrazy price, and great spot, Rocky
Sadly, sense has returned from its teabreak and the price is 5/2
My gf wouldn’t agree the amount of time I spend on oddschecker, but I’m sure she’d expect a slice of the profit if by some miracle he became a runner
My gf wouldn’t agree the amount of time I spend on oddschecker, but I’m sure she’d expect a slice of the profit if by some miracle he became a runner
Rocky Vautour wont be going for Gold but the obvious race is the Ryanair however Rich Ricci knows the ultimate 2m race is the Champion chase a race steeped in NH history and one he would dearly love to win.There’s always next year to step him up in trip and into unknown territory against horses who will be just hitting top gear at the 2f pole.We all know dropped back in trip he’d destroy anything over 2m.If he does turn up for the QMCC he goes off fav for sure.
Agreed I think he’d win. But for what ever reason the owners seem to get a turn each for a chance to win a race. If he was going qmcc surely he’d have gone arkle last season. And Imo for the same reason he diddnt go arkle he won’t go qmcc. If uds falls again or dissapoints then we could be having a completely different conversation
Agreed I think he’d win. But for what ever reason the owners seem to get a turn each for a chance to win a race. If he was going qmcc surely he’d have gone arkle last season. And Imo for the same reason he diddnt go arkle he won’t go qmcc. If uds falls again or dissapoints then we could be having a completely different conversation
UDS means nothing to Rich Ricci Rocky and he knows ‘Djakadam’ is a serious Gold cup horse.Willie also knows that but he’s also got ‘Don Poli’ in the GC so to run 3 big guns in the same race just wont happen.Not when there’s the Ryanair which would seem tailor-made for ‘Vautour’ although depending on how results go I still want him to go for the QMCC.
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