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That’s twice he smashed Jonbon , wonder what they’ll do with Jonbon now , can’t go Ryanair unless they throw the dice with FTF in GC
Lovely horse..Well done winners.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...As I said earlier in the thread because Mullins has so many great horses he does under the radar , Jesus in anyone else yard he,d be the star turn , I love Marine Nationals but I think this lad is really going to take it to him at the festival
Cracking performance from a brilliant horse.
Always appeared to be underrated by Willie to me. Only since Sandown has he realised just how good he is.
I always said he was better than Facile Vega and Willie was just blinded by his love of the Quevega offspring.
I was on at 50/1 for the Supreme Novices and was gutted when Townend wasn’t onboard.
Like everyone else, I’ve underestimated him; unprepossessing, efficient rather than spectacular jumper, always seemed to be Willie’s second string. But that was impressive today, altho Jonbon perhaps not the force of old
I think him being underrated was due to him being a bit of a tearaway when he was younger, Townend said to Alice on ITV coming back to the winners enclosure that he is now so much more laid back to where you can ask him at a fence and pretty much do anything you want with him in a race whereas as a hurdler you would always be wary that if you did ask him you might set him alight and likely never get him back.
He is not flash but is very slick, clean and professional at his fences and clearly he has more jumping scope than his rather small size would indicate – he also stays further which is a trait that most all Champion Chasers have in their locker.
Hard to say how Jonbon has run today (clealy looked fitter today) but even given that L’Eau Du Sud seemed to underperform compared to his Cheltenham run, IET has played with him today and did it on Jonbon’s favourite track to boot.
Personally, they might be better off giving Cheltenham a miss altogether and head for the Melling Chase (although there is a chance he could still face IET there) because we know Cheltenham is not really his cup of tea and I don’t think he will now be quick enough for the QMCC with the new brigade coming through (including JP’s Majborough) and the Ryanair would mean running into Fact To File who is just a better horse.
He could become rather difficult to place going forward as whatever trip (2m, 2½m or 3m) he opts for he is going to be facing better horses and he will soon be turning 10 so his very best form is likely behind him now (although he will still be good enough to win slightly weaker G1s and beat up plenty of G2 chasers).
Majborough still co fav for the Champion , see how he is tomorrow but he couldn’t win a arkle nowhere near strong as the champion is likely to be , let’s face it he’s likely to miss at least one fence
I feel that Majborough is a 2 and a half/3 miler running over 2 miles at present, mainly because of the owner having the Ryanair and Gold Cup champs. Mullins himself viewed him as a stayer. Clearly talented as he had a good engine over 2 as a novice, we will see if he can step up to Champion Chase class.
I agree that IET is very good and looks like the best two miler around but a note of caution . He is 0 from 3 at Cheltenham whereas Marine Nationale is 2 from 2 . Sir Gino could be capable of beating them both, but I really think he’ll end up in the Champion Hurdle
L’Eau de Sud wasn’t the same horse yesterday and will get closer at Cheltenham but probably a good group 2 horse at best. Jonbon is certainly worth a try at the Ryanair – I think he can win the Ascot Chase en route. There’s no reason why JP wouldn’t run them against each other (Fact to File took on his Gold Cup winner and National winner recently).Not like IET has run badly at Cheltenham considering his tearaway nature as a hurdler when he was 5th to both Vauban (in the Triumph) and Marine Nationale (in the Supreme), his last effort at the course was a 3rd to Gaelic Warrior in the Arkle, where the RP write up was:
Didn’t jump well, in touch with leaders, mistake and dropped to rear 7th, bad mistake and stumbled 4 out, outpaced 3 out, rallied home turn, left in fourth and ridden 2 out, went third run-in, stayed on, did well in the circumstances.
He is five from five since that race (which also included beating Gaelic Warrior) but in between that run of wins, he had a year off the course and that seems to have been the making of the horse as he settles in his races now and hisjumping has been night and day different ever since his return to win the Celebration Chase.
He is 7 rising 8 so should be reaching the peak of his powers and he already holds a win over Marine Nationale over fences in the Irish Arkle where he also beat Found A Fifty. To me he sets the standard and there is potentially a chance that all three could meet over Christmas at Leopardstown.
I was mighty impressed with all aspects of his Tingle Creek win and if that same horse turns up at Cheltenham he wins the QMCC and probably quite comfortably.
If Marine turns up fit it won’t be comfortable , he’s loves Cheltenham and is a spring horse , I’m looking forward to a hell of a race
“Fact to File took on his Gold Cup winner and National winner recently”
Yeah, but we all know that the Gold Cup and Grand National horses weren’t there to win.
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