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I say "Elusive Dream". My old internet mucker rory says "Pettifour".
Personally, I’m not convinced by rory’s argument.
What I am convinced of, however, is that the mighty Inglis Drever will find a four-timer beyond him, Kasbah Bliss will find the carriage of Christophe Pieux beyond him, and Blazing Bailey will find handling the track beyond him.
Elusive Dream is interesting.
Im lead to believe Franchoek may be aimed at the World Hurdle either this year or next if he doesnt go jumping.
Blazing Bailey might be in with more of a shout than people are thinking.
Blazing Bailey’s predilection for smacking one or two one the way round worries me, win or lose – he got away with a late-ish error at Aintree in April, but leaving his autograph on the seventh and eighth in the World Hurdle before that didn’t aid his cause on the day.
It’s a toss-up between Elusive Dream and Franchoek for me at present, depending on who best copes with the step up in trip. Kasbah Bliss’s late finishing effort just seems to get dulled too often on genuinely good ground for my liking (he’s still to win on ground officially described as good or faster).
With most of last year’s staying novices being sent chasing this division looks largely devoid of strength in depth at this remove, though, so I wouldn’t rule out something emerging from leftfield to stake a claim part-way through the season.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
I’m in the Franchoek camp.
I think the step up in trip will be the making of him, he loves the track, hurdles well and he can go chasing next season.
Influential forum this!
Franchoek intoduced into betting by Hills according to Market Movers in the Post today.
20s.
Pettifour looks a chaser in the making. Is there any official word on his target?
I caught an interview with Twister on ATR and he suggested the plan was to start out over hurdles but if he gives signs he won’t make it to the top, they’ll switch him to fences.
It’s very much down to the owners for the Franchoek decision.
I would really like him to go for the World Hurdle.
What plans are there for Kazal this year? could he possibly improve on last years third place?
I reckon most will have a bet on Inglis just in the hope he gets number 4, can Lough Derg find the vast improvement needed or will Black Jack Ketcham rise from the depths to shock us all???? i think Kasbah Bliss can go very close but my heart hopes it’s the drever
Age catches up with us all and at 10 years of age the question must be can Inglis Drever defy the gods of time.
His defeat at Aintree was no suprise as it is simply not his course. He looked as good as ever last season and unless he shows signs of going backwards pre-Chelteham he is going to take some beating.
With normal improvement the much younger Kasbah Bliss would be expected to give him won helluva race and is an obvious choice to do so.
However there is a much less obvious choice lurking in the wings.
I was immensley impressed by Tazbar’s victory over Cheltenham winner Whiteoaks. The 2 miles of that race was far too short for him yet he showed enough toe, grit and determination to beat a very good horse.
In his next run at Haydock ovr 3 miles he could not have won any easier.
Reckoned by the Revelys to be one of the best horses they have ever had he went to Aintree and started warm favourite for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle won by Pettifour. For some reason he never got going that day and finished unplaced.
He gave me the impression last season that we haven’t seen the best of him and to my surprise they ran him again last season at Perth. He ran well and was a bit unlucky but I am convinced he is much better than that. The third horse was much to close for my liking and I can’t see anything in that race being in the same class in the long term.
I backed him at huge odds for the World Hurdle more out of interest than anything else. I believe he will win some good races this seaon and be a force to reckon with come Chelteenham.
Tazbar EW is my idea of a sporting bet.
Given the Revely’s record of even sending horses to the Festival, I’d be looking for a three-figure price about Tazbar.
That was definately a worry mate as they have never been great supporters of the Festival.
His trainer has been quoted as saying he thinks the horse will be suited by Cheltenham and the World Hurdle is supposidly his long term target.
He gives me the impression he will relish every yard of the stiff 3 mile trip
Time will tell
I reckon most will have a bet on Inglis just in the hope he gets number 4, can Lough Derg find the vast improvement needed or will Black Jack Ketcham rise from the depths to shock us all???? i think Kasbah Bliss can go very close but my heart hopes it’s the drever
I have the feeling that Inglis Drever might have too many younger rivals and one, even two, will beat him on the day.But I would love to see him do it again, watch Ginni Wright celebrating and Howard Johnson retire him immediately afterwards. Regardless of the outcome it will almost certainly be his last race.
Gay and Derrick Smith have retired Black Jack Ketchum.He’s spending his well-earned retirement at the Smith’s farm in Barbados.
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Tazbar looked every inch a star in the making when winning at Haydock in February, but the form of that race isn’t great by any stretch of the imagination and his subsequent efforts behind Pettifour and Lodge Lane leave him with plenty to find.
I would sincerely love to see Inglis Drever win the race again, but I can’t see past Kasbah Bliss in light of his performances toward the end of last season and his recent exploits on the flat.
Pettifour just doesn’t appeal, despite the potential for improvement. His victory over Gone To Lunch reads well enough, figure wise, but The Tother One surely isn’t worth his rating of 145? In fact, looking back through his form, I’m absolutely astonished as to the handicapper’s reaction to his third in the Albert Bartlett.
Nenuphar Collonges won the race from a mark of 135, carrying the same weight as The Tother One who ran from 143 (beaten three lengths). The latter was raised 2lb, the former 13lb and fourth-placed Seigemaster (three-quarters of a length behind the Nicholls horse) 9lb, with the runner-up a five-year-old rated a mere 123 and receiving 7lb. The numbers just don’t stack up and I’m very much of the opinion that a number of lofty novice reputations will be sent tumbling against proven high class opposition this season.
Elusive Dream certainly looks the part, but I’m not all that sure that he’s straight forward and fear he may turn out to be another Desert Quest.
So, Kasbah Bliss for me – nailed on.
The whole point of Tazbar swerving Cheltenham last season was not that it was thought to come a year too soon for him, for example, but because the course was thought not to suit him a jot. Unless something has occurred for connections to think differently since then, I don’t envisage him setting a solitary hoof upon the Prestbury Park turf this coming March.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
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