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Thread: The Road to the 2017 Champion Hurdle

  1. #581
    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    Irving, Ivan Grozny, The New One, Cyrus Darius and L'Ami Serge among the 10 entries for Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Sat

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    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    If all do what they say they are going to do the Champion Hurdle picture which is as clear as mud should be cleaned up a bit.

    Young pretenders Brain Power and Yanworth are said too be set to clash.
    Brain Power shot up the ratings recently and is only 2lbs Yanworth and a win could see Yanworth switching to the Stayers Hurdle.

    On the other hand a comprehensive beating from Yanworth might leave Brain Power in limbo with nowhere to race if the OH decide to leave him on 162 and raise Yanworth 4 or 5 lbs.

    Either way it should be interesting to see if the 20lbs rise was justified

    If Faugheen turns up there will be no hiding place for him if he is not 100%. For me Petit Mouchoir is the most improved hurdler around despite people saying NC never ran his race.
    De Bromhead took the scalp of a Champion Hurdler in this race before when Sizing Europe had Hardy Eustace for breakfast

    If that were to happen here It could turn the Champion Hurdle market on it's head.

    A lot to look forward to if it happens and I could see Petit Mouchoir and Yanworth being the ones who come out on top
    Formely Fist of Fury

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    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diamond Geezer View Post
    Irving, Ivan Grozny, The New One, Cyrus Darius and L'Ami Serge among the 10 entries for Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Sat
    Looks more like a line up for an Isle of Man Champion Hurdle Trial

    Irving The New One and Ivan Grozny if he comes over will be interesting to see which come out on top. Boring old The New One should be way too good for them

    Bet365 Handicap Chase on the same card I am over the cliff at 16/1 On Tour...definitely a good race in him sometime soon
    Formely Fist of Fury

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    Cyrus is one I've been waiting for but gutted he is going back hurdling. Id love to see him placed in the Haydock race as i think he has the quality to do something in the CH.

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    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Malcolm Jefferson wouldn't run him needing it Digger. not in a race like this, it's not his style..
    Perth was a terrible experience for him so I doubt they will go chasing again anytime soon.
    I'd love to see him beat this lot and cause a ripple or 2 in the Champion Hurdle as right now the race needs a boost
    Just can't bare the thought of The New One winning, knowing he is no threat to anything in the Champion Hurdle
    Formely Fist of Fury

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    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    When was the last time the Haydock "trial" (don't make me laugh) had any bearing on the big one?

    When was the last time the winner of the race got within eight lengths of the winner of the big one?

    They struggled to get close in the Kingwell next time out, ffs.

    Saturday's race is about as relevant to the Champion Hurdle as the Grand National.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


  7. #587
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    When was the last time the Haydock "trial" (don't make me laugh) had any bearing on the big one?

    When was the last time the winner of the race got within eight lengths of the winner of the big one?

    They struggled to get close in the Kingwell next time out, ffs.

    Saturday's race is about as relevant to the Champion Hurdle as the Grand National.
    Well the winner will come from the ICH so we may as well stop all the other "trials"

  8. #588
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Digger View Post
    Well the winner will come from the ICH so we may as well stop all the other "trials"
    Maybe, maybe not.

    I'm still hopeful that one of my bets can do the biz.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    When was the last time the Haydock "trial" (don't make me laugh) had any bearing on the big one?

    When was the last time the winner of the race got within eight lengths of the winner of the big one?

    They struggled to get close in the Kingwell next time out, ffs.

    Saturday's race is about as relevant to the Champion Hurdle as the Grand National.
    I reckon it's largely to do with the ground at Haydock, DO.

    Because it's inevitably Soft, it draws small fields anyway, and whilst you might get one high-class horse in the race, the rest of the field are generally aspirant handicappers. Winners just tend not to be suited by the completely different demands of Cheltenham, where it's usually appreciably faster, and they are often outclassed anyway. As a Champion Hurdle trial, it's generally one in name only, imo.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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    The older I get the better I was.

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    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    No Yorkhill.. so that ends that one
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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  13. #593
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    When was the last time the Haydock "trial" (don't make me laugh) had any bearing on the big one?

    When was the last time the winner of the race got within eight lengths of the winner of the big one?

    They struggled to get close in the Kingwell next time out, ffs.

    Saturday's race is about as relevant to the Champion Hurdle as the Grand National.
    Grassy makes a fair point about the ground. Wouldn't be so bad if it was run on soft ground but in 11 years it's either been run on heavy or abandoned.

    Not many good horses go there. The New One has won it twice, Celestial Halo won it Punjabi was 2nd in it.

    The best horse to win it was probably Inglis Drever who won it and the World Hurdle for Howard Johnson in the same year.

    I think it's more that it does not attract Champion Hurdles rather then the winners not being suited by Cheltenham.......Horses like Melodic Rendezvous and Snap Tie ran it but were never serious contenders.

    That of course could change in a flash so you simply can't say it will never have a bearing on the CH.....strange thing about racehorses they can suddenly improve immensely and surprise even the best of us.

    Did you see Thistlecrack coming when he won the Doom Bar at 25/1 by 12 lengths or something ?
    Formely Fist of Fury

  14. #594
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanlic View Post
    Did you see Thistlecrack coming when he won the Doom Bar at 25/1 by 12 lengths or something ?
    No, but I saw Rooster Booster coming when he beat Mr Cool at Kempton on his seasonal debut in his CH-winning season
    Illegitimi non carborundum


  15. #595
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanlic View Post
    The best horse to win it was probably Inglis Drever who won it and the World Hurdle for Howard Johnson in the same year.
    Best horses to win it are almost-certainly Dato Star, Granville Again and The Booster.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Not exactly conclusive, but worth noting:

    "Both worked well this morning and both have been pleasing me a lot more at home than they have been," Mullins told At The Races.

    "What I would like to do is get Faugheen there [the Irish Champion Hurdle] and get Annie Power to the mares' race at Punchestown. That would be the ideal scenario."
    Last edited by Grasshopper; 19th January 2017 at 5:28 PM.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    I had a quick run through my figures for the race last night.

    Faugheen and Annie Power, with her allowance, stand out but after that the ba's up on the slates.

    MTOY would need to run to his very best form and hope others didn't improve for him to be third.

    As mentioned elsewhere, I went high with both Brain Power (last time) and Sceau Royal (Wincanton) and any further improvement could put them ahead of MTOY so if only one of Mullins's runs they could be battling it out for second place and if the Mullins rep isn't at the top of his/her game...

    Plenty of ifs and buts but 33/1 remains far too big for Sceau Royal, especially with the NRNB concession and three places, while 12/1 is maybe BP's correct price now. I might try and lay the latter off at around that price.

    Petit Mouchoir might well have won at Newcastle but I get the impression King felt SR would have won that day if he had been right.
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    King must have some blinkers if he does
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  19. #599
    Senior Member tiggers1972's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    Not exactly conclusive, but worth noting:

    "Both worked well this morning and both have been pleasing me a lot more at home than they have been," Mullins told At The Races.

    "What I would like to do is get Faugheen there [the Irish Champion Hurdle] and get Annie Power to the mares' race at Punchestown. That would be the ideal scenario."
    Worth noting anything that comes out his mouth? Really, have you not learnt your lesson?

  20. #600
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    He probably is telling the truth now!!! I said a couple of months ago the plan with both horses was to do what he did with Annie last season....one run late on and straight to Cheltenham.

    Everything else about them ready to run in between was just bullshit IMO .........don't need a lot of smarts to work out the best plan for Annie is same again and why risk Faugheen after injury when u don't have to......one run no run for him and Mullins knows he can get him 100% on the day unless he injures himself
    Formely Fist of Fury

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