Cheltenham 2019 Ante Post Thread

Yeah Gordy has been acting the maggot alright, he is normally pretty straight with punters so it's annoying to see all this switching around not that he gives a toss what we think!

 

I am intrigued regarding what NTD is up to with Blaklion. It would appear he is being aimed at the Grand National but what is the horses target at Cheltenham? Potentially could be the Pertemps final but I have heard nothing, not a squeak about him being considered or even entered for that. He has an entry still in the Cheltenham Gold Cup...I m assuming no one on here is the wiser?

I should add you can get 100/1 !!NRNB for Blaklion in the Cheltenham Gold Cup...pretty mental price that!

 

I just get the impression NTD is up to something with Blaklion. It could well be a crack at the Pertemps followed by the national. When the weights for the national came out trainer acknowledged Blaklions weight is more manageable and maybe they planned a few below par efforts to get his Mark down which it is. Last year NTD was raving about his jumping and comparing the horse to red rum. I know NTD can get carried away but I don't think Blaklion needs a confidence builder does he? Brought down at the first in last year's national and normally a very safe jumper. Maybe it's hurdles prep all the way before the big un. The fences are hardly the size and challenge they once were..

 

Each year in the ‘Pertemps’ there are usually, as someone once said, ‘more plots than in an Agatha Christie novel’ so maybe Blakion is merely one more strand of these. Although let’s hope he’s not unmasked at the villain when old boy Poirot gathers everyone in the Library…

Am always a bit obsessed by the Final and even the Qualifiers and note that there is yet another of these down in God’s own county on Friday. A few notables entered as well – Lil Rockerfeller, Minella Rocco and even the Lieutenant himself throws a couple of entrants in…

 

There's a qualifier in Ireland this week as well, with an entry from Elliott named "It's All Guesswork" just about summing the whole series up

 

I see that in the sporting life that Blaklion has been bought by Darren Yates and is switching to the Phil Kirby yard with the main aim being the Grand National. Cheltenham target will be interesting if they still go there with any target between now and Aintree not certain. Interesting stuff...

 

Would anyone sell a horse if they genuinely thought it had the potential to win the GN 2 months later?

 

For 360k I would!

 

unless he wins the big pot , then it’s a good sale ? he’s won a fair bit of prize money , so it’s one of those rare things , a profitable nh horse .

 

Crikey that’s a lot of dough for a 10 year old NH horse. If he wins the GN they may break even!

 

I’d say it’s a good sale anyway, if he wins the GN then you’d be gutted but there are plenty of doubts about his form currently. It’s a very odd one, I thought he was good enough to be running against Native River et al a year ago but now his form does look regressive.

Horses can make fools out of people but for 360k I’d be walking away with the money too!!!

 

Sounds like the owner has got money to burn and is trying to build a nice team of horses...half or is it a.million pound now if you win the race? Decent prize money for 2nd and 3rd too...Money talks and all that. I personally think horse has a big chance in the race. The switch to another yard too might provide an uptick in fortunes. Trainer is up and coming and has been doing well with horses like reebs favourite lady buttons.

If it cost £360k to prize Blaklion away from his previous owners he must be showing something at home alright....

 

there are people who have so much money they literally don’t know what to do with it , hoarders of it , so they indulge in all sorts of stuff , luxury boats , planes , horses , you name it , only thing i know , it wasn’t gained through working with hands !

 

I think that is an amazing sum to pay for a 10YO gelding! Still if he wins the Pertemps and then the GN it will look cheap! Blaklion’s hurdles perch reduced another 3 lbs, today, to 144. That may now make the Pertemps look somewhat attractive to the new owner.

 

Come on Rudey you would think we have people having to go to foodbanks and homeless the way you go on ; )

 

you know it Joe z

 

They'll need to go some to do worse than Sheikh Obaid. He paid 1.9 million Guineas for Willie John a son of Dansili, out of Izzi Top. Willie John had won a maiden for William Haggas as a 2YO on his sole start and was purchased to be trained by Roger Varian. The thinking was that the colt would be a 2000 Guineas and Derby contender but we did not see him until August, when he readily won a class 5 Novice race. Sent to Group 3 company next time, he was thrashed, finishing last of the seven runners in September.

That has been it for Willie John so far and he has earned just three thousand seven hundred and fifty two pounds and two pence for his owner to date. Perhaps that 2p makes all the difference but it's a bit shy of the 2 million quid investment.

Blaklion seems a bargain by comparison but he is on 156 for this year's Grand National,which is 4 lbs higher than when 4th as 8/1 Fav in 2017. Perhaps more of a worry is that he will line up at this year's Cheltenham with just ONE win since landing the RSA Chase three years ago.