Nube Negra
14th November 2021 – Cheltenham – With the reigning champion running no race this took a lot less winning. In essence he has tracked a veteran chaser, albeit a very good one, before out speeding him from the last fence to the winning line. To his credit he travelled and jumped well throughout before winning with plenty in hand at the line. This success was proof of his wellbeing so one can understand him being shortened up for the Champion Chase. However, this race could not have gone any better for him and he will have a lot more on his plate in March. Being held up in a big field race requires a different skill set to tracking one target horse as he did today. Even more so when you can afford to have plenty of confidence that your horse will possess more speed than the target horse in question. He will need more luck in running next March than, perhaps, he enjoyed in the 2021 Champion Chase. His trainer stated he sees him as being better when fresh so it will be interesting to see if he lines up in the Tingle Creek Chase in early December.
Politologue
14th November 2021 – Cheltenham – This was another tremendous front running display from this now veteran chaser. That said, it must be noted that nothing ran a race that finished behind him. He is best when competing as a fresh horse so it will be interesting to see whether his trainer takes a chance on the Tingle Creek Chase in three weeks’ time. He bled in the race two seasons ago after running here first
Put The Kettle On
14th November 2021 – Cheltenham – Her jockey offered his first signs of distress before and after the water jump. By the sixth last she was losing ground and it was obvious she was traveling least well of the four strong field. She eventually ran on past one beaten horse to complete in a very flattering third place finish.
Rouge Vif
14th November 2021 – Cheltenham – Immediately after the first fence he pulled himself into second place. He then continued to over race for much of the contest. He looked beaten coming down the hill before understandably weakening rapidly from two out to the line. I prefer him when competing on a flat track and would suggest that the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton on 27th December might be where we see the best of him this season.
