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Tough race and undoubtably the toughest championship race to call.
Riverside Theatre unquestionably deserves to be favourite, he oozes class this animal, but there has to be a doubt about him being as effective around cheltenham as he clearly is around flat tracks. Also theres a worry in my mind that the dreaded "bounce" factor comes into play given theres not much recovery time before the fesival and before today he’d been off for a year.
Albertas Run is continually underestimated but history shows that he’s very hard to pass. However I feel he may finally come unstuck this year as this renewal looks as strong a Ryanair as theres been.
You don’t need a crystal ball to see that Rubi Light is extremely dangerous as well, throw in Somersby, Noble Prince, Medermit etc and you really have a cracking race, as theres not much between several so it could have the making of a very exciting finish.
However the one I like at the odds is Great Endeavour. I feel his early season form suggests that on good ground at least, he’s as good as any horse in the country over 2 miles 5. We know he loves the track, which at the festival is obviously very important, and If he gets his ground I think 14-1 could look very generous indeed.
Hard one to call between the Pipe horse and Riverside Theatre. Might end up backing both!
I thought Riverside Theatre was mightily impressive before. From fresh that was grand. There’s no fooling though that he won’t be the same horse at Cheltenham, and the Ryanair, for me, just isn’t his race.
Classy horse, just not a Cheltenham horse.
Just Watched Rubi run on DVD from last yr RA in full and as a 6yo and ran every inch to the line after been headed two out and gaining ground at the line. He’s Twice the horse this season.
Never mind the ground. Wont be any faster than last yr. This horse is the real deal over 2.5m.
I’m on at 8s which was my bet of the week and even at 5-6s he’s a knocking bet IMO.
Question marks against the rest.Unbelievable there was 25/1 about Rubi Light at the start of the season, granted he really does look the real deal. It must be said though, if he doesn’t win it this year, he might just be another one of those ‘non-Cheltenham winning’ horses.
I’m not sure if I’ve come unstuck or not. As I posted earlier, I really think Little Josh has a very good chance in the Ryanair.
I bagged the 25s after his run in the Argento behind Midnight Chase. He looked to be coming back to his best, just tiring at the end as if he needed the run. Travelled really well, and having won the Paddy Power at Cheltenham we know he likes the course.
Blow me, he comes out at the weekend in the Betfair at Ascot and looked like a horse that was unhappy, lost his place quickly and Sam Twyston-Davies pulled him up. I knew before the race that he didn’t like running right handed, so I was surprised at the Ascot entry. I wondered if something was wrong with the horse, but I see that STD said on twitter (there’s a link for NTD’s site) "he is ok wasn’t himself so looked after him". Not quite sure what to make of that.
Anyway my money is down so not much I can do about it. The betting market is odd…..on Saturday Betfred and Tote cut him to 16-1 (both still 16s). Most stay about 20 or 25s……but VC, who I took the 25s with, has pushed him out to 50-1.
I’m hoping he is back to his old self come Cheltenham and runs like he has done before at the track. If he does, that 50-1 is awful big.
Any thoughts?
Pricewise makes his selection tomorrow in what is now looking a very good and interesting race.
One that it could be at the prices is an ex runner up in KALAHARI KING at 33s and 25s
More likely to be Medermit though
Horses for courses, but there are going to be about 8 front-runners in the Ryanair. Anything that needs to lead is going to have a hell of a task on their hands.
Now! would be a good time to be taking the 10/1 about Riverside Theatre
Lol good job HGM. He clearly does’t like Cheltenham, but you keep believing in Nicky
Granted right now 2 miles isn’t his trip, but back then he’d just come from hacking up in a 2 mile chase over a less testing track. With regards to the King George, Kempton is clearly a place he loves and I always had him down as a cracking e/w bet for that race, and it didn’t surprise me a jot that he ran on so well for second. As for the Ascot race, the only other half decent horse in the race departed and was sadly lost, leaving him with not a lot to beat. And I don’t want to hear about Gauvain’s form this term as we all know he’s had a much better season than he’s ever shown in the past.
He won’t win the Ryanair, end of!
Not disputing that Boz. I did say NOW was a good time to back him, knowing he was due to run.
He was matched as low as 6 and was available at 12 when generally 10/1 with the bookies. Laid back at 6.8 on average that’s 76 quid for every hundred win or lose.
There are loads of chances to make a bit of cash at Cheltenham by backing to lay. lots of best were struck on Binocular before the Kingwell and you can bet the same people were those laying him at half the odds.
There could be an chance to make a few quid with Kauto Stone currently 44 on the machine. Though getting matched for decent money may not be easy
He went out like a burnt squib against Riverside Theatre which could easily mean he was suffering from the bug at PN’s. They already decided the Ryanair was going to be his target so one word from PN stating he was under the weather and he’ll be a 16/1 shot at best. Even if he’s in the line up the PN name will ensure he’ll be at least half his current price.
Point taken Zarkava, its going to be an interesting race. After Little Josh’s antics at the weekend, I’ll settle for just getting there at this moment.
PWise did indeed select MEDERMIT as suggested
Also KALAHARI KING put up by Topseed
Who needs pundits
I am really beginning to think Somersby could win this. Nicky Henderson fancies Riverside Theatre big time but I’m not totally convinced in my heart of hearts he’s the real deal no matter what the master of Seven Barrows says.
I’ve never been a big fan of Somersby but as I said before he won last time the way he was travelling in the King George before hitting the wall was extremely eye catching.
Maybe he will find this a yard too far from him but I think he’s improved an awful lot since last season and can win this.
Rubi Light twice the horse he was last season – only beat about 3 lengths then, bet of the week at the odds for me.
He has a shout. i love the horse to bits which is remarkable because i have followed him blindly and finally decided to lay him last time thinking he always finds atleast one too good!!!!
Reworking the champion chase last year he was avery decent 5th or 6th. Was bang there at the third last and hit it HARD. The mistake took it right out of him but he kept on better than i expected. my concern is his jumping again but the extra half furlong might be perfect for him.
Like him a lot and wouldn’t be surprised if he won but will be taking him on with Rubi i think, who is improving and ran well last year.
I think any Great Endeavour backers should be slightly worried about him being entered for the Byrne Plate. Surely if they thought he was good enough for the Ryanair he wouldn’t have been entered?
I have to say i just don’t think Great Endeavour is up to winning this race imo.
I like the horse but there are some genuine top notch 2m4 horses going for this.
I do love this division at the moment. I think it’s about as good as it’s been since this race was created. It is true that on paper, Great Endeavour has a lot to find with the rest here, but he is most certainly on an upward curve, winning the Paddy Power over course and distance by streets, running an absolute cracker in the Hennessy before being purely outstayed, and finding the December handicap one race too many.
I won’t argue his case too much as I’m fully aware that there are far more likely winners in the race right now, but I truly believe that he’s been kept for this, as he’s much better from fresh, he loves the place and it’s certainly his best distance. There is no writing him out of it, and for value, he seems the e/w bet.
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