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They’ve got to take him on , that flat spot is going to be his downfall , if nicholls has left plenty to work on dynamite dollars he could be some value for the champion
Harsh on chacun kev? The pace of the race no one would have found much off the bridle?
Thought altior was super impressive there, i doubt defi or chacun will be able to outbattle him up the hill, he will find and find, obviously i want chacun to win, but mammoth task to beat altior over 2 miles, the flat spot is sort of irrelevant if he reacts to the one whip like that, he ansolutely motored after nico tapped him
I dont see why defi is being touted for the ryanair only way he wins that is off a slow pace which he wont get and only way he wins this is off a slow pace which he also wont get
How is the flat spot irrelevant , this is a way stronger race , I really hope they have the guts to take him on
Its irrelevant because if he reacts to how he did after one tap, his engine kicked in and literally off he went, hits a flat spot is slightly overrated, hes well in touch when it happens and then he just relentlessly grinds them into defeat, he had loads left today, loads and coming off an even stronger pace is only going to suit him
Very similar to paisley park, now you might say but thats over 3miles, but its the same theory, he hits a flat spot as there turning for home, not 2miles out, has as much time to recover for it as altior does over 2,but when the 6th gear kicks in the rest cant come near it
Hes become very wise rather than flashy altior, dynamite dollars ran very well today, he could step up after that
But it’s still a flaw , a flaw that better horses can take advantage of , today he beat a horse in second that’s is known to be just off top class and a horse in third which the trainer has said will come on a lot for the run …he,s going to have be better than ever before to win this , I just have the feeling he may fall to younger legs , defi to my was more impressive last time , we,ll seei in 4 weeks
The problem for defi is he has an identical run style to altior
They will both be looking to stalk the leaders then use their turn of foot after the last, if geraghty changes tactics and goes earlier to try to capitalise on an altior flat spot then like in the dipper he could hit the front too soon and just be a sitting duck as altior powers up the hill
Cant wait for this race, should be fascinating, no need to have a bet at all in fact watching it without a bet may even be better for enjoyment purposes
I wasn’t overly impressed with Altior yesterday. At best he seemed back to his level of last year, which is understandable as he is getting older, but I don’t know whether it will be good enough to against Defi du Seuil and possibly Chacun por soi. His first two wins in the Game spirit basically on the bridle, he just doesnt seem to have that high cruising speed anymore.
Still would love to see him storm pass Defi and Chacun on the hill at Cheltenham.
I think Chacun will kick first and then its a case of whether the other 2 have the pace to pick him up. I have a picture in my head that Defi will struggle to pick him up over this trip, and Altior will chase him and its whether he has the legs to pass him.
Maybe Hobbs shares the same picture and will go Ryanair.
You have to go back to mid 80s for a horse to win 3 Champion Chases in a row aged 8, 9 and 10.
Altior has been exceptional so it could be done again. But on the other side of the coin another horse taking his crown wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world either.Great to see Altior back to doing what he does best…definitely the one to beat in this now…his record as a two miler is flawless!
For all the talk of him being past his best and the new kids on the block much tougher opposition, are they really?
Defi Du Seuil has only dropped to two miles this season because Altior has not been in the top two mile races. In the Shloer chase at Cheltenham he beat Politologue half a length less than Altior did in last seasons supposed sub par champion chase and was getting 3lb into the bargain…just to back that form line up Simply Ned was just over 6 lengths away again giving DDS 3lb…that’s 3 lengths closer than he got to Altior yesterday off level weights.
The last twice he’s beaten a 12 year old who’s been considered too slow for the champion chase for the last three Cheltenham festivals…we had Waiting Patiently closing rapidly in the Tingle Creek…no doubt a talented horse on his day but has no real top level form as a two miler….then last time, yes much more impressive but the closeness of Marracudja to Un De Sceaux surely shows how good he now is as a two miler…that’s before you even get started on looking at his chase record run on decent ground!
Then you have CPS…beaten on return by A Plus Tard…yes I get that Mullins doesn’t always have them tip top first time out but come on…could you see Altior ever getting turned over by a two and a half miler like APT? And last time beating Min…is that not just a similar…or lesser standard of form to Altior given that horse has never got within 7 lengths of Altior?
As far as I can see…one is flawless as a two miler and all the question marks surround the other two…
Who knows what defi has beat though, is UDS still running to 170? No one can say for sure
And FF, DDS and altior have totally opposing run styles, altior grinds out his wins now, defi sprints off a slow pace, totally different, defis turn off foot wins him races, altior Hitting top gear and maintaining an unrelenting gallop when everyone is slowing is more his style IMO
Theres more questions marks for me over defi than the other 2, because of who hes beaten, UDS is a warrior but is he really running at the highest level at 12? History tells us thats very very unlikely, chacun beating min is the best form on offer this season thus far but Its hard ti get away from altior at 2 miles he just has enough speed to stay with them but has by far the biggest engine, in a fight could defi or chacun get past him? Im doubting it atm
The flat spot with most (Big Bucks, Paisley Park and Altior) tends to happen at around the same spot of the course at Cheltenham. I feel this is where the race begins as such, because they on the whole cruise around the course they still have to quicken up and have more gears than others therefore taking a bit longer to get through them. Some will still be sitting on the bridle but at a high cruising speed but emptying the tank in the process in doing so. I think Altior will eat up the hill again.
Blackbeard to conquer the World
Although I have a rare NH bet at Cheltenham I’m flat nowadays.
But I can tell you Badsworth Boy from the mighty (at the time) Dickinson stable was the last I can recall,yes I bet NH too at this time,to win successive Champion Chases aged 8,9 & 10.How would I compare them?
Tell the truth I would say Badsworth was the better as he was campaigned in handicaps as well as conditions events and regularly gave a stone and more to rivals before making them look plodders.
But they are generations apart as Badsworth Boy’s heyday was the early 1980’s so things have moved on.
Who will come out on top in this years Champion is an intriguing question which I shall leave to you NH guys to sort out ….I will just sit back and enjoy the race.
good luck to allThe last twice he’s beaten a 12 year old who’s been considered too slow for the champion chase for the last three Cheltenham festivals
Zamorston- Check UDS’s record over 2m with soft or heavy in the description….it’s not half bad. “too slow” is harsh. Blame the ground.
is that not just a similar…or lesser standard of form to Altior given that horse has never got within 7 lengths of Altior?
Yes it is similar, and the horse has had many fewer runs. Pretty good hey? Min at Leopardstown isn’t bad either, record wise anyway.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!How many JLT winners or placed horses went on to become champions over 2 miles?
I have the feeling that DDS is simply better suited by 2m4f and upwards. His entire campaign last season was over 20f, why should he be a 16f horse this season? It’s obvious that the more valuable races throughout the season are run over 2 miles or 3 miles. Two miles seem to suit him okay, but I’m convinced that 2m4f is his optimum trip. However, he could still be classy and speedy enough at the business end of a truly run CC.
That’s how I see Defi and his trainer did too…Hobbs has always said he thinks he’d be better over further that’s why he was campaigned like he was last year…the natural progression from that JLT win would have been a crack at the Ryanair which I believe he would win comfortably on any ground.
What has happened though is Altior was stepped up in trip and talked of as a King George, possible Gold Cup contender before taking on Cyrname and Hobbs spotted an opportunity and fair play to him on that it’s worked out. If you watch interviews with him he says as much about going for those races because Altior wasn’t there.
What’s happened now though with the failure of stepping up in trip and Altior showing Saturday that he’s still a class operator at two miles, Hobbs has a massive decision to make! He said in an interview the other day that he’s not sure whether Altior is back to his best and he may need further evidence to believe he is but where on earth is that going to come from now?
The way I see it is it will be massively dependent on ground…if it’s a really dry week and it’s decent ground I think it’s a near on impossible task for Defi to bear Altior, and arguably finish in front of CPS… and I think deep down Hobbs knows that….if it’s really testing ground then his chance greatly improves and I think he’ll be more than happy to give it a shot…I still think he’d get beat though!
And Jack…
The last two champion chases have been run on soft ground and Un De Sceaux was nowhere to be seen! Yes, on his day he’s ran some excellent races over two miles on soft ground.
I think the clue to him being slightly on the decline at 12 was finishing just under 5 lengths in front of the 143 rated Marracudja last time! Whatever you think of the controversy afterwards with the handicap mark, that is clear evidence he’s not the horse he was (in his favoured ground) and to me highlights the couple of easy tasks DDS has had in the absence of Altior…
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