On that subject..... Best Prices and current BHA mark: 13/2 Grand Crus - 157 7/1 Hunt Ball - 157 8/1 Cue Card - 157 12/1 Menorah - 160 14/1 Aerial - 155 14/1 Champion Court - 156 14/1 Crystal Bonus - 152 14/1 Silvaniaco Conti - 155 14/1 Giant Bolster - 164 16/1 Divers - 140 16/1 For Non Stop - 151 16/1 Havingotascoobydo - 137 16/1 Michel Le Bon - 140 16/1 Roudoudou Ville - 152 20s Bar Last seven winners were rated 147, 146, 148, 139, 146, 139, 149. Most of the above are rated higher. At the other end of the spectrum, this looks an ideal target and 137 a fair mark for Havingotascoobydo. I'd be surprised if Keighley didn't have this as his target.
Be very careful with Cue Card- colin Tizzard has already said the Betfair Chase might be a potential aim. I fancy Michel Le Bon to run a great race at very nice odds as I think he will be all the better for an injury-free season last year and has had more time to improve jumping Great Eneavour was a smilar type last year IMO.
I like the look of Bless The Wings, also off 137. Only quoted on Betfair at the moment (19) but won first time out last season and is a C&D winner off 130 (novices handicap chase). If he's done well over the summer he could well step up again.
Had a cheeky fiver ew on 16/1 Havingotascoobydo the tother day, think he's value, rated correctly and could go for the race.
I'd be very surprised if this wasn't his target, Wuby. Many of those ahead of him in the market look doubtful runners so can see him being shorter on the day.
I am really looking forward to the National Hunt season getting underway. One novice chaser I am really looking forward to is Back In Focus. Think he could be an absolute beast over fences this year. Already had a nice run out this season beating the useful yardstick White Star Line by 33 lengths without being asked a single question. The other race I am looking forward to is Sanctuaire taking on Sprinter Sacre, I think this could be the horse to pose the most questions to the Henderson inmate this year. The beating of Somersby last year gave some indication of his potential over fences. With only 3 trips over the larger obstacles, there is huge scope for improvement and the Sandown fences take some jumping. Great season to look forward to with hopefully a fond farewell to Kauto Star taking his sixth King George...... well we can dream.
Just watched the videos Topclass has put up... (I know he put them up a bit ago but i didnt watch them...) thanks for that Toppy by the way, and i have to say that a couple that really took my eye. One was Dodging Bullets and the other Toubab... I know we have already seen Dodging Bullets as he went in a 10/11f winner the other day and looked every bit like one to improve from that run. I think we can safely say this is deffo one to watch... Toubab hasnt got any entries as of yet but i will be looking forward to his reappearance very soon i hope. Just looked at his last race when he came 2nd of 4 to Sprinter Sacre by 13l's in the Maghull Novice Chase at Aintree. He hit the 2nd out quite badly, and although was never going to catch SS, i thought he ran well. I see that on his racing notes for some of last years runs it dos seem that he clips a few of the obstacles. Lets hope PN gets him schooled a bit better and i think we could have a good one for this year...
A fine write-up by Tamerlo and relevant comments by SBC also....this coming NH season is alll about the unbeaten Sprinter Sacre and Big Bucks for me with Grand Crus,Hurricane Fly and Binocular being the others I am mainly interested in.The Gold Cup looks to be another puzzle to solve even though Long Run and Sir Des Champs look the likeliest pair currently ! It would be great for another Denman to emerge from somewhere..though to have more fortune health-wise than the best British staying chaser since Mill House did !
