Following on from pkboy’s Key Reactions thread… I thought about the runners and riders. So just for a bit of fun, here’s how the race stands at the moment… (imo!)

The Race
The Van der Wheil Handicap Chase
Penalty Value £1,000,000 (as no one can win, we may double this)
Grade A1 or H seller – depending on your viewpoint

The Course
Run over a very long circular track with no finish line

The Going
Likely to be Heavy

The Runners
(A) Welcome to the Club (old Chestnut, Colt) 11st
(B) Stony Silence (Grey, Gelding) 4st
(C) Can’t Pick for Toffee (hold them at Bay, Mare) 24st(poor mare)
(D) Discussion (changes - sometimes Red, Green, or even Blue, but rarely Black & White, Horse) 30st (poor old sod)

Jockey
(A) F. Chester
(B) G. Hall
(C) MethodMaker
(D) Gummy Forum

Trainer
(A) Che Van der Wheil
(B) Jock Bingham
(C) Callam Names
(D) Tony Peach

The Sire & Dam
Welcome to the Club is out of ‘Hopeful Student’ by ‘Forever Dreaming’
Stony Silence is out of ‘Shhh don’t Tell’ by ‘Secret Society’
Can’t Pick for Toffee is out of ‘Methods Pants’ by ‘You’re all Mad’
Discussion is out of ‘Yes it Does’ by ‘No it Doesn’t’

Form Guide
Club – First time out. Hasn’t been seen on the track before
Stony Silence – We are not sure if this one has run before or not
Toffee – 10101010101010101010101010101010101010101
Discussion – 01010101010101010101010101010101010101010

Spotlight
There is no doubt the one with most appeal is Discussion. Has put up some good performances in the past and is currently in form on this forum track. Can certainly stay the distance. But he is an old horse, and so preference is for CAN’T PICK FOR TOFFEE, whose regular appearances here have always merited mixed reaction. A hold up mare that likes to come off the pace, I think she’ll be ideally suited to this course and going.

Odds
(Forecast odds by pkboy)
Cant Pick for Toffee 4/6, Stoney Silence 13/8, Welcome to the Club 33/1, Discussion 100/1.

Current Bets
BlackCat has taken £148 at the 33’s on offer for Welcome to the Club
Seanrua is still deciding whether to go for a win or play safe with EW
Ftse100 has staked his life on the odds on Can’t Pick for Toffee

You may bet ‘In Play’, although the odds may change from time to time

Commentary
Most tipped selection: Can’t Pick for Toffee
Going down (Oops, that was last night), and they’re off…

Discussion leads
Stony Silence 2nd
Welcome to the Club 3rd
Can’t Pick for Toffee being given a patient ride at the back of the field at the moment
Discussion still leads as they come to the first, an open ditch
And they’re all safely over it
Discussion still leads
Can’t Pick for Toffee is going well
Stony Silence has become detached as they come to the second…
And Welcome to the Club is down.
Discussion leads and being niggled along by his rider, Gummy Forum
Can’t Pick for Toffee still not off the bridle
Stony Silence is 30L down
Welcome to the Club has had to be destroyed, but good to see F. Chester up and OK
Discussion still leads
His trainer, Tony Peach, seems to be laughing all the way to the…
Discussion still leads
Can’t pick for Toffee 2nd
It looks to be between these two….

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BlackCat,

LOL,

...Discussion leads
Can't Pick for Toffee 2nd
the grey Stony Silence quietly making ground under G. Hall
Discussion leads
Can't Pick for Toffee coming alongside to challenge
Over the water jump and they've landed together
And Can't Pick for Toffee has put it's neck in front for the first time...

B.C
Excellent stuff,By the way 148 quid at 33's is a cracking bet.

Oh dear

It's quite early on in the race and the favourite, Can't Pick for Toffee is opening up an ominous two length advantage.

Can't Pick for Toffee goes on by two
The favourite was always going the better of these
Discussion's early advantage never looked like lasting long
Discussion is struggling in the heavy going here
Stony Silence isn't far away from the Discussion now, and is sure to pass him soon.
Meanwhile, Can't Pick for Toffee goes on by 6L under the smiling gaze of her trainer, Callam Names....

In the fantasy world of the Van der Wheil Handicap Chase, Welcome to the Club has somehow survived... the bullet missed, but the deafening shot caused him to wake from his apparent coma. Remounted by F. Chester, he has rejoined the race half a track down...

(It could be a plot from Eastenders!)

Can't Pick for Toffee looked to have this sewn up, but seems to be idling in front
Discussion making headway
Stony silence third
Welcome to the Club is alive!
Welcome to the Club has re-joined the race although is a distance behind
Can't Pick for Toffee is joined by Discussion
The old stager is rallying...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BlackCat,

...Discussion and Can't Pick for Toffee seem to be weakening this morning
Stony Silence is making headway
Welcome to the Club is getting nearer but still some way back
You can't write this (old) chestnut colt off yet
Stony Silence has joined the leaders
the three of them come to the next
All over safely
Stony Silence lands in front for the first time
Discussion next
then comes Can't Pick for toffee...

...Gummy Forum picks up the whip and Discussion responds
Stony Silence two lengths back
Can't Pick for Toffee a further length away
And Welcome to the Club has responded magnificently to the urgings of F.Chester and is now only 10 lengths behind Can't Pick for Toffee
What a race this is, and no end in sight...

Hey... in the world of The Van der Wheil Handicap Chase, miracles can happen. Anyway, I've got money riding on that one!

Black Cat,

with the way Discussion is going, Cant Pick for Toffee will be coming for a storming run very very soon.

stoney silence looks certain to stay on for a place.

Black cat
Welcome to the club,Will be at the post soon.

Bad news for favourite backers: Can't Pick for Toffee is weakening today

...Discussion is going nicely and opening up a 5L lead
Stony Silence lies second
Can't Pick for Toffee is weakening
while Welcome to the Club is right back in this
All over the next safely
Discussion being driven out
Stony Silence lies second
being joined by Welcome to the Club
Can't Pick for Toffee taking a breather brings up the rear
Its all to play for as the next fence looms...


Odds In-Running (by BlackCat)
Discussion 5/4; Can't Pick for Toffee 7/4; Welcome to the Club 6/1; Stony Silence 10/1

PKBoy was right. After a period where Discussion seemed to dominate and Cant Pick for Toffee seemed to be tailing off, the rest obviously did Toffee good and he’s got his ears pricked again!

…Discussion hits the top of that fence and has unseated his rider
Welcome to the Club in front
Stony Silence lies second
And here comes Can’t Pick for Toffee
Can’t Pick for Toffee moves out to find the better ground
Can’t pick for Toffee is coming with a storming run
And Can’t Pick for Toffee hits the front and goes on by 2L
Gummy forum has held the reigns and is trying to remount Discussion
Can’t Pick for Toffee leads
Stony Silence isn’t far behind (I’m sure)
Welcome to the Club weakening
and Discussion is in all sorts of trouble…

OK

so -

Get in there - and contribute - towards - "Discussion" !!

That way - "You can't , loose " !!!

Who Sir? Me Sir? Have Sir!

Stoney Silence has stormed into the lead, Cant Pick for for Toffee looks like he's given up and is going backwards.....Welcome to the Club has broken down completely

but wait...... whats this?................a Bank of fog has moved in and obliterated the whole View of the race.... we cant see Discussion or Stoney Silence.........those jockey's had better watch out.......it would be all to easy to take the wrong course in this fog!! I never anticipated that FOGGY WEATHER would play a part in this race.

the fogs miraculously cleared and discussion appeared from the mist 20 lgth up, cant pick for toffee is not going to take this lying down and he gets thrashed to close on discussion who's jocky has lost his irons and his whip, he is flailing furiously to keep discussion on an even keel.

Cant pick for toffe is closing and closing... oh my god whats this? The jocky takes off his boots and throws them at discussion and now the whip, discussion REALLY IS BEING HAMPERED HERE, it will be interesting to see what the stewards make of it.

Hey pkboy!



I thought my commentary was good, but yours is better still!

is there no end to the twists and turns in this race, Cant Pick For Toffee's jocky has fell off whilst trying to remove the weight cloth to throw at Discussion. Discussion appears to have found a new lease of life and is staying on strongly. Some how a spectator, who just happens to ridden Cant Pick For Toffee in the past, has seen the riderless horse and has managed to leap onto his back Mongolian style and is frantically trying to regroup the horse and eat into Discussion's PREPOSTEROUS lead. Only three hundred and twenty seven laps to go and the fat lady is putting her evening gown on. A truly unforgettable sight.

(oh my goodness... you're madder than me!)