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Was very impressed with Captain Cee Bee today, jumped well and I’m sure Eddie Harty could not have been happier with him. He is probably my idea of the one they hve to beat in the Arkle.
Incredible comeback from Captain Cee Bee today, jumped really well apart from getting a bit close to the 2nd last. He travelled like all the old abililty remains and battled when challenged on ground he would have detested. He should come on a tonne for the run and improve stones when he gets some better ground. Provided he stays sound he’s already my idea of a Cheltenham nap. He’s still available at 25/1 after todays race which is amazing value in my opinion. He’s probably going to have only one or 2 more races before Cheltenham (Leop christmas maybe) and if he gets to the Arkle unbeaten (and i think he will) he wont be bigger that 5 or 6/1 on the day. Alot of ifs there, but this fella has a huge engine. Get on!!
Definitely a bit of value in that price. Captain Cee Bee is a serious horse. Hope he stays sound because he has got buckets of ability.
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According to to his trainer the most important thing was getting him back on a race course and not the race itself. What’s he going to be like when the race is important?
To be honest I don’t even know what was wrong with him but whatever it was I hope he stays sound this time round. He’s still 20/1 in places but I’m hanging back in the hope some feedback will filter through on how he is afterwards and what AP thought.
The fact he beat Binocular in the Supreme yet was immediately said to be going chasing the following season tells you just how much his trainer thinks he is capable of in this sphere.
It’s difficult to judge just how valuable that form is as both were only novices at the time. You would have to say it was a better race than the Fred Winter that Crack Away Jack won but while both Binocular and Crack Away Jack improved into the top ranks you can’t be sure Captain Cee Bee has.
Suppose that’s why he’s 20/1.
According to to his trainer the most important thing was getting him back on a race course and not the race itself. What’s he going to be like when the race is important?
To be honest I don’t even know what was wrong with him but whatever it was I hope he stays sound this time round. He’s still 20/1 in places but I’m hanging back in the hope some feedback will filter through on how he is afterwards and what AP thought.
The fact he beat Binocular in the Supreme yet was immediately said to be going chasing the following season tells you just how much his trainer thinks he is capable of in this sphere.
It’s difficult to judge just how valuable that form is as both were only novices at the time. You would have to say it was a better race than the Fred Winter that Crack Away Jack won but while both Binocular and Crack Away Jack improved into the top ranks you can’t be sure Captain Cee Bee has.
Suppose that’s why he’s 20/1.
He is 25/1 with the magic sign Fist!
I’m pretty sure he was out for the year because he got a leg but I’m not 100% certain on that. He has had a few niggly little problems down the years though and that is why he is so lightly raced for his age.
Eddie Harty has always thought the world of him. I remember when Kevin Manning won a 1m3 flat race on him down at Killarney one day and Harty came out straight after the race and said he thought he was a Cheltenham horse. This was before he’d ever seen a hurdle in public.
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I am amazed he is still 25/1 with Ladbrokes.
Its not like the bookies need an excuse to shorten a horse up – especially one that is ‘well-known’ – normally you hear rumours they worked well and then collapse in price.
A decent win on unsuitable ground – does the magic sign know something we do not??
25-1!!
That is a monster price!
He traveled brilliantly well considering he does not like the ground.
I have to admit he is not my idea of the Arkle winner but that is still a huge price.
The Arkle usually goes to a high-rated hurdler. In a normal year he’d be a good bet, but this year he’s already 10lbs shy of the likes of SE, CAJ and Osana, and his age is a big negative.
It all looks rosy now, but the day of race analysis, all things being equal, will more than likely leave him around the 3rd best horse in the race…IMO
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25-1!!
That is a monster price!
He traveled brilliantly well considering he does not like the ground.
I have to admit he is not my idea of the Arkle winner but that is still a huge price.
Well I’m going to have to disagree with you Ben.
I studied the race much closer today and ok you can blame the ground if you like but he was never travelling like a top class horse at any stage.
When I watch that arce and watch the likes of Sizing Europe there is absolutely no comaparison. I actually took a real dislike to him on 2nd viewing.
The problem is it was a race and it should have been an exhibition round at leastat some stage of the race but it never was. Too many were going well 2 and 3 out and they were after all only moderate animals.
I am very tempted to write him off completely but two things prevent me from doing do so.. The fact his trainer said what he said beforehand and the way he drifted like a barge in the betting suggested he wasn’t fully wound up for that.
What I am prepared to say is this horse won’t win the Arkle. I think his win in the Supreme was a flash in the pan and whereas he might win a Grade 2 novice that isn’t too hot I think that will be his limit.
If he hadn’t won a Supreme Hurdle I doubt if anyone would have given him a second thought for the Arkle on that performance.
H edint exactly travel like a superstar in the Supreme either Fist, yet he still beat your horse. Zaariot isn’t a bad animal and I expect much more to come from this lad. Remember, its what happens when they come off the bridle that matters.
I recall Forpadydeplaster scraping home on his chase debut at Punchestown last year from Clarified and there were plenty of people scoffing at his Cheltenham claims. You only need to look at the crazy odds that were being offered about Pandorama for the Drinmore earlier on in the week to see how people sometimes overreact to a horse’s chasing debut.
A beginners chase is all about getting experience into the horse. You have to hope your horse gets into a good rhythm over his fences and he enjoys the experience. If they can win its a bonus. Captain Cee Bee was very much an exceptional case because he’d been off the track for so long. The betting showed he was expected to need the run and the ground was far from ideal. Yet he still won displaying great fighting spirit to fend off a worthy challenger after the last two fences. Zaarito might be small, but he is a useful stick and he has plenty of solid form.
Captain Cee Bee will have improved plenty for the run and I’m expecting a big show from him on Stephens’ Day. Having him taking on Sizing Europe/Osana/One of the multiple Willie Mullins entries will make for a cracking contest. Could be a better race than the King George!
People forget that it was soft the day that Captain Cee Bee beat Binocular to win the supreme. In the run up to that festival, his trainer was adamant that the horse wanted the best ground possible. It was the turn up of the ground that day that turned me off backing him at the last moment.
Watching Binocular cruise to victory at Ascot last season made me shudder to think how good Captain Cee Bee could be, and how much he could have beaten Binocular by had he been running on his favoured ground.
I’ll admit that I backed the horse at 20’s for this before his chase debut the last day. Before the race, which was a very competitive affair, his trainer said that he was only really out for the run, he would come on a ton for it, and that the ground was totally unsuitable. Yet he still won! I cant understand how he can now be got at 25’s for the race. Needless to say, I have taken that too.
The horse was off the track for over a year. Improvement can only be massive.
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Well I think you are all failing to look at the bigger picture.
Binocular: was only a 4 year old and Nicky was desperate to run him in the Triumph. Weeks before the race and even 7 days before, when he should have been having his last couple of bits of work he is told he doesn’t run in the Triumph keep him for Aintree. Then at the last minute he’s told to run him in the Supreme.
The whole thing was a balls up.How near to spot on Binocular was in that race who knows?Take him out of the race what do we have?
Snap Tie 3rd beat an out of sorts Katchit the following season, then ran no sort of race in the Champion Hurdle finishing 8 lengths behind Katchit and miles behind Binocular.Since then he’s won a poor novice chase in workmanlike fashion.
Kalahari King 4th was coming back from a set back and Ferdy said at the time the race came a week too soon for him.
Rippling Ring 5th turned out to be very moderate.
I think it’s fair to say it was anything but solid top class form. Binocular for me improved 7lbs for that run at Cheltenham and pure class enabled him to finish where he did. If I am wrong why on earth was an immediate decision made to send Captain Cee Bee chasing and Binocular his supposedly inferior opponent for the Champion Hurdle? Doesn’t that strike any of you as odd?
They say he might take on Sizing Europe at Xmas. If he does even allowing for improvement he won’t get Sizing Europe off the bridle IMO.
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Binocular was beaten by the better horse on the day, it’s as simple as that. Captain Cee Bee barely travelled a yard on the ground, a sentiment echoed by Edward Harty after the race, but made the best of his way home having looked likely to succumb to the stronger-travelling runner-up (quite how supposedly suspect form can be used to discredit the achievements of the winner, but not the second, is completely beyond me).
Following the race the plan was very much to aim him at the next year’s Champion Hurdle – McManus, at the time, had a two-mile arsenal comprising Binocular, Captain Cee Bee and Jered (whom he bought after his defeat to Captain Cee Bee at Punchestown) – but both his prolonged absence and Binocluar’s progression forced the hand of connections somewhat.
Edward Harty has always thought the world of Captain Cee Bee and I doubt very much whether he was in top nick for his reappearance. In fact I can almost guarantee that he wasn’t, the purpose of the run being to just get him round unscathed – the fact that he won speaks volumes about how much ability he has.
He’ll give Sizing Europe a race, that’s for sure.
Nothing race, but I was much more impressed with Osana today than I was on his first start. Jumped great for Andy Mac and was full of running up that Navan hill.
Hope he lines up in the Bórd Na Móna race at Christmas. What a contest that is shaping up to be.
OSANA hacks up at NAVAN on his 2nd Chase start.
Quietly simmering along in preperation for a tilt at the ARKLE…..
For me Sizing Europe is not a horse you want on your side in a battle. When he outclasses the field then yes he is a pretty safe proposition but he does not strike me as an animal who would get down and dirty when the chips were down. I cannot see him outclassing the Arkle field….
Word perfect Ben,and if the ground was to be Good at Cheltenham
he would have even less chance!I am amazed he is favourite for the Arkle,in a match with Tataniano it would be 10/11 Sizing Europe,11/10 Tataniano,and Tataniano would run him ragged!Of course there is a horse called Somersby who will spoil the market leaders party!Its party night and the feelings right,yes its party night oh what a night! oh what a "Knight"! Henrietta,you have a new Best Mate in TAPK!
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