View Poll Results: Who will win the 2018 CH

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  • Buveur D'Air

    17 54.84%
  • Faugheen

    10 32.26%
  • Other

    4 12.90%
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Thread: The Road To The 2018 Champion Hurdle

  1. #221
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Best of those that finished closely behind Hurricane Fly include Solwhit Go Native Thousand Stars Peddlers Cross Our Conor, Jezki and of course Arctic Fire.

    Despite the long list of scalps he was rated between 2lbs and 5bs inferior to Faugheen by the handicapper and Timeform

    One of them is wrongly treated best ask Inspector Grassy..he knows best
    Formely Fist of Fury

  2. #222
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Faugheen's performance was roundly applauded in Members yesterday afternoon. It's really great to see him back, and in such top-form too.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  3. #223
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    Limestone Lad but no Hurricane Fly is akin to having a list of all time great heavyweights containing Deontay Wilder with no place for Ali.
    Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to wilsonl For This Useful Post:

    Danny (20th November 2017)

  5. #224
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Agree re Limestone but he has a special place in my heart

    Nice piece in RP on him yesterday, he is still alive at 25 with the Bowe's
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  6. #225
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    Yes, he was a lovable, reliable and extremely good horse.

    but...
    Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."

  7. #226
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aughex View Post
    In case you don't know Faugheen's been around since 2013, almost 5 years, he just returned with a sensational performance. Rather than dismissing him because he was injured for 2 years, you could appreciate the best performance in that race's history, beating a former Champion hurdler(his jockey Mark Walsh claimed after the race Jezki was back to his old self) by 16 lengths is unheard of. The uniqueness and circumstances of yesterday's performance makes him the best I've seen.
    Don't think I've dismissed him at all he's a very good horse. I just said that that for me he'll never match up to The Fly or Istabraq but having said that I might be a bit premature as if he won the next 2 champion hurdles then I too might hail him as the greatest. Personally despite his other performances I didn't really rate his champion hurdle win as that good for various reasons.

    Should just add that by longevity I didn't simply mean how long a horse has been around but the length of time he's been winning in top company. Thought that was obvious otherwise I'd be having Big fella thanks in my list of all time greats and Jamaican Flight as one of the best flat horses of all time.

    I haven't really looked into his performance that much yesterday apart from watching the race which visually was very impressive so I can't make much judgment on how good it was or wasn't. Certainly looks in good order so lets hope they can keep him in one piece and lets see what he does from here on in.
    Last edited by Danny; 20th November 2017 at 12:17 PM.
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

  8. #227
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    Quote Originally Posted by granger View Post
    Agree re Limestone but he has a special place in my heart

    Nice piece in RP on him yesterday, he is still alive at 25 with the Bowe's
    That is great news.
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

  9. #228
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    I think he must have a place in Timeform's heart..

    He never got closer than 6lbs of Hurricane Fly with the h'capper yet Timeform have him 4lbs ahead

    A 10lb deficit and tbg I reckon the Fly would have laughed at him at levels.

    He won the Hatton Grace looking back but he beat Scottish Memories in that who won nothing of note I can remember


    You know if you train in the dojo 3 times a week regular for 2 years your sendie will give you a black belt for good attendance.

    That's how I tend to think about Limestone lad who ran about 65 times in 6 years.. He ran in everything going and won about half of them
    Formely Fist of Fury

  10. #229
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    Quote Originally Posted by frontrunner View Post
    Paul, the time was 4min dead , for the ground exceptionally quick . The race was run 9 seconds quicker than the 2mile handicap and 14 sec quicker than a decent bumper. It was quite a performance first time out against race fit horses. I have it up there with his best runs. If he keeps this form or improves nothing will touch him in March
    Thanks Brian. I've just logged on to post something very similar. I concur, I've just done the card and the time was very quick, and given it was off the back of such a long lay-off it's all the more impressive.

    I will say that it looked like Mullins had him properly fit first time up. He didn't look anything like the barrel he usually does at this time of the year, so the difficulty will be keeping in that sort of form all the way through to mid-March. A different challenge than they usually have with him.

    I've had to back him and add him to my book which is something I hadn't expected to do yesterday. Buveur D'air could well be his equal though, and if the race was now I'm genuinely uncertain which way I'd go. Can't wait. We've got a fantastic Festival bubbling up.

  11. #230
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    I thought Faugheen looked as big as a bull (commented as such to Digger during the race), and think he could actually improve next time out.

    I was seriously impressed with the performance.

    Can't agree with the sentiment that BDA could be his equal. At his best, Faugheen would give Buveur quite a tidy cuffing, I reckon.......and he looked not far of it on Sunday.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  12. #231
    Senior Member an capall's Avatar
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    Le Sauvignon 2Lbs better than Faugheen.

    Beam me up, Scottie.
    "And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.

    And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."

  13. #232
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    Faugheen was impressive but rather surprised that Mark Walsh said Jezki was back to his best - that clearly is nonsense if he had been Geraghty would have been in Ireland on Sunday not at Cheltenham .

    Patrick Mullins appeared to suggest that Faugheen was not back to his best either in an article I glanced at but I suspect they are of the view that he doesn't need to be and that if he is within 7lb of it he will still win the CH .

  14. #233
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    They were reporting on the tv that he looked gross on the track but compared to Ascot a few years ago, i thought he stripped fit enough

    'Devours Ground' will be his legacy
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  15. #234
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    Interesting mini stat. The last two 10yos to win the CH went on to win it as 11yos as well.
    The older I get the better I was.

  16. #235
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Yup they said Magic Court in his prime could give that exact amount to Salmon Spray in a VH trial and Johnny Haine barely had to move a muscle to win on the latter...7lbs is a massive amount to be wrong in any Champion Hurdle.

    If Faugheen turns up 7lbs below his best he would like the Fly was... beaten hands down.
    Formely Fist of Fury

  17. #236
    Senior Member Grey's Avatar
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    Jezki's hurdling technique, one of the best you'll ever see, is still as good as ever but I agree that if he still had the same zip between the hurdles BJG would have been riding him.

    Nevertheless Faugheen has produced an amazing performance for a horse that was 660 days off the track. Even without taking the lay-off into account it was top class.

    I suspect he won't run at Christmas and will wait for the Irish Champion Hurdle.

  18. #237
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    I think if you check back time comparisons for the Morgi against other hurdle races the time Faugheen returned was way faster so there is no evidence to suggest he's lost any of his ability

    My question is how good was/is he and we wont know that until March
    Last edited by Tanlic; 20th November 2017 at 5:53 PM.
    Formely Fist of Fury

  19. #238
    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    News from Willie Mullins on Faugheen: "He seems to have come out of the race well, which is very pleasing. Nothing planned at the moment, but Christmas Hurdle (Kempton) and Ryanair Hurdle (Leopardstown) are two races we are looking at."

  20. #239
    Senior Member Grey's Avatar
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    From that Timeform link that DG posted on another link:

    Over in Ireland, the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen (remains on 176) made his long-awaited return in the Morgiana Hurdle, and it was straight back to business as usual, posting a high-class effort ridden from the front. He faced opposition outside the top bracket, but was significantly strong in the market, and could hardly have done more to suggest all of his ability is intact in running his rivals ragged. It must be pointed out that history is against him in his quest to win another Champion Hurdle, as no horse has ever reclaimed the crown after a two-year gap and no ten-year-old has won the race for well over 30 years, but he's an exceptional talent and still very lightly raced for his age.

  21. #240
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Doubt he goes to Kempton
    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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