does anyone have a view on Snow Falcon's chances in the RSA?
Some people were promoting his chances ahead of the Stayers either last season or the season before and, if memory serves, he was rated in advance of 160 as a hurdler at one stage.
Could he be - potentially - a 170+ chaser?
Meade is much more patient with his chasers than some others so I was just wondering if he was on anyone's radar?
Illegitimi non carborundum
Would be interesting in the Ultima.
All comers, all grounds, all beaten!
This perfect mix of poetry and destruction.
Desert Orchid (3rd March 2018)
I thought the Flogas was a good race and he travelled as well as anything but he didn't see it out as well as the principals.
I was thinking of him more in terms of handicaps tbh though like the other also rans in that race (have backed The Storyteller for the Plate)
Think he'll be better seen on decent ground as well and if Monalee goes for the JLT, the RSA is open, although Al Boum Photo would be my pick in that event.
Desert Orchid (3rd March 2018)
Despite plying his trade in staying hurdle races I don’t think Snow Falcon truly stays 3m
Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."
Footpad drifting for the Arkle and money for him in the JLT
A look at the previous day's closing prices for JLT, he has undoubtedly been clipped in places, but not drastically so.
Mullins has apparently said that the target remains the Arkle "as far as he is concerned", in an exchange of Tweets with Chris Cook (Guardian).
I wonder if Arkle drift may be ground related?
Last edited by Grasshopper; 3rd March 2018 at 3:52 PM.
"Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".
SlimChance, March 2018
Would you run them both in the same race when its not inconceivable to think they could win both.
Anthony Bromley suggesting that the drift is something of nothing, and that plan is still the Arkle for Footpad (obviously that could change).
"Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".
SlimChance, March 2018
People bored and idle in the snow
Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done
Maybe a bit of that, PJ........and these things tend to have self-generated momentum.
"Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".
SlimChance, March 2018
Monalee confirmed for RSA according to Sporting Life
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Henry de Bromhead has confirmed the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase as the preferred Cheltenham Festival target for Monalee.
The seven-year-old bounced back from a heavy fall at Leopardstown over Christmas when landing the Flogas Novice Chase at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival a month ago.
That first Grade One success came over two miles and five furlongs and he holds an entry in the two-and-a-half-mile JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham, but De Bromhead is keen to see his charge return to an extended three miles in the RSA unless testing conditions prevail.
Speaking on Racing UK's Luck on Sunday programme, the trainer said: " We'd be leaning towards the RSA on what you would call normal Festival ground. That would be our preference, but if it came up soft or heavy, maybe we'd start looking at the JLT a little bit more.
"We'll see what way the ground is nearer the time, but at the moment our preference would be the RSA."
The Knockeen-based trainer reports the cold snap to have bitten hard in County Waterford, but his team have been working hard to keep the show on the road.
He said: " It's been pretty rough. Friday was pretty bad for us, but we're getting through it.
"All the (Cheltenham) horses seem well, we're happy with them and we're just trying to get this last week out of the way.
"To be honest I've been so focused on clearing snow, if I ever see snow again it will be too soon!"
Monalee will be part of a strong De Bromhead team heading for the Cotswolds.
Special Tiara will defend his crown in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, while Petit Mouchoir is set for an intriguing rematch with the Willie Mullins-trained Footpad in the Arkle Trophy.
Balko Des Flos is also well fancied to go well in the Ryanair Chase.
De Bromhead said: "Special Tiara seems in great form and he did it last year.
"He always goes there and runs his race, in fairness to him. He's one of the most consistent horses in training.
"I was happy with Petit Mouchoir in Leopardstown (second to Footpad in Irish Arkle). It was a matter of trying to get him to the race, which we did, and he ran well. I hope he'll come on for the run.
"Balko Des Flos is in great form. G round would be a factor for him - the better the ground the better he is."
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Not exactly true. HdB said this morning that their "preference is for the RSA, at the moment" with a view to "normal Cheltenham festival ground".
But if it where to come up soft (Increasingly possible), then they'd "start looking at the JLT a little bit more".
https://twitter.com/Racing_UK/status/970238262894718976
Last edited by Double Handful; 4th March 2018 at 2:37 PM.
Is Sutton Place definitely ruled out does anyone know? Obviously had a stinker in the flogas due to clouting the first but possible soft ground a bonus.
Racing Post headline - 'Heavy ground could prompt Monalee camp to consider JLT challenge'.
Irish Racing headline - 'de Bromhead confirms RSA as main aim for Monalee'.
The quote from Henry is the same.
The older I get the better I was.
FWIW, no real movement on Monalee's price today on the machine either way in either race.
However, with all books on Oddschecker his RSA price has remained the same, but his JLT price has been clipped a point or so by approx. 9 different books. Read into that what you will
Last edited by Double Handful; 4th March 2018 at 8:20 PM.