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. #141
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    That's not exactly a revelation, Tanlic.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  2. #142
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Well I spoke to the almighty and he said back it and if you don't you'er fucked so I had a fiver on at 1.75
    Formely Fist of Fury

  3. #143
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Defi left in the entries for the Greatwood - which is a little surprising.

    Would love to see him run there, held-up off a strong-pace in a big field. Shades of Foghorn Leghorn.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  4. #144
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    Mohaayed will go close. I've a decent bet at 12s, if Mcmanus could withdraw Defi I'd be delighted, obviously for purely selfish reasons!
    Last edited by Marb; 14th November 2017 at 12:09 AM.

  5. #145
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Defi an intended runner according to Frank Berry.

    Nice.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  6. #146
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    I backed both him and Jenkins just for the value as neither will be the price on offer once the race cuts up and if they do run.

    Hard to oppose Defi in any race but the h'capper has clobbered him for a juvenile.

    He actually gave him 4lbs more that he gave Yanworth when he ran 2nd in the Neptune

    Even at that he'll take some beating but you'd want him to be winning this if he is a serious Champion Hurdle contender as he is getting weight from the new One.

    Jenkins will have loads of supporters as he was once thought of as a future champ by Seven Barrows and finished the season on a good note albeit in a dog race.

    Elgin who already beat him was buried away at Ascot and came with a very strong run which would hold him in good stead round Chelters

    He actually hit 19 on the home turn but was 2.68 by the time they jumped the last....At the weights he could be the biggest danger to Defi.
    Formely Fist of Fury

  7. #147
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    If Defi is champion hurdle quality, he wins this off his mark
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  8. #148
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Yep......I suspect he probably needs to.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  9. #149
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    If he does, which he really should there is a chance that he goes the jolly*

    *Until Sunday at least
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  10. #150
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Defi would need to win very readily indeed, if he was to go favourite, and even then, I think it unlikely.

    The books would clip him a couple of points all round (because that's what they do), but I can't see Defi usurping BDA; even if it is a command performance. And if Faugheen struts his old-school stuff on Sunday, then he'll be fave right the way through to the Festival, I reckon.
    Last edited by Grasshopper; 14th November 2017 at 10:19 AM.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  11. #151
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    Barry will need two arses come Cheltenham to ride them both

    Wonder does Mark Walsh get the spare ride or will it be one of Fehily/Johnson
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  12. #152
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Depends on how they both fare.

    If BDA appears to have the best chance, Geraghty will ride, and I suspect Jonners would get the Defi ride.

    If Defi looks to have the best chance, I suspect Geraghty rides him, and Fehily takes over on BDA.

    I don't think Walsh has a look-in on either.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  13. #153
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    He might have the plum ride on Campeador by then
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  14. #154
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by granger View Post
    He might have the plum ride on Campeador by then
    You'd need to be a plum, to think you had any chance in a Champion Hurdle on it.

    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  15. #155
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    TNO is the first champion hurdle horse to run in this since Khyber Kim ~10 years ago, although TNO runs almost 2 stones higher than him and has been on the downgrade in the past 2 years.
    Old Guard is the first since Olofi to return to the race after winning it. Olofi actually came 2nd in 2011 and the next year won it. OG is off a similar mark when he won it 2 years ago.
    London Prize only raised 5 pounds for a easy win in the Elite Hurdle, still unexposed, and I can't find the last winner of the Elite to run in this.
    Ivanovich G. and Defi are the first Triumph winners to take part in the race since Detroit City. IG only 3 lengths behind Arctic Fire in last festival County Hurdle off the same mark.
    Chesterfield is the first Scottish Champion Hurdle winner since Court Minstrel to run in this, but CM carried top weight in this while Chesterfield only has 10-11 to contend with.
    Tigris River the first Galway Hurdle winner to take part in this and with the record of Irish handicappers at Chelt(70% h-cap winners this last festival) it wouldn't surprise anyone if the british handicappers were fooled once again.

    This might be the most competitive Greatwood Hurdle ever. Defi needs to be a 165+ horse to win and needs to show it on season debut at only 4yo, almost a CH winner task and anything lower than 12/1 is not worth the trouble. I'll go with Amour de Nuit at 25s, the ground will suit and Nicholls thinks a fast pace will help which is `guaranteed`..

  16. #156
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    You'd need to be a plum, to think you had any chance in a Champion Hurdle on it.


    It would be an almighty gamble. Aintree hurdle might suit him better
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  17. #157
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    I'm all-in on Defi.

    As I alluded to in last season's Novice Hurdler thread, he is no ordinary juvenile, and a handicap-mark of 157 looks on the lenient side. The only time the words "impressive", "easily", "very readily", "not extended" or "comfortably" were missing from Defi's race comments last season, were those after the Triumph Hurdle, where it simply stated "ran on strongly to go clear". This horse hasn't stopped improving yet.

    I agree that he will need to run to a higher-mark than 157 to win this - the question is whether or not he is capable of doing so.

    First of all, he needs to run his race, and I've no concerns whatsoever on that front. He is as genuine as they come, seems to thrive for being on the racecourse, and has a very straight-forward and mature attitude, given his age.

    As far as fitness is concerned, I can't imagine Hobbs would send Defi here in any way under-cooked. It is a tough enough race for a juvenile, let alone one being asked to cart near-enough top-weight, for the first time against experienced handicappers. He wouldn't want to risk souring the horse, I don't think, and I expect him to be match-ready. There are absolutely no worries about the trip, track or ground, and with a fast-pace assured, he will get the kind of hold-up ride he wants.

    The positives far out-weigh the negatives for me, and whilst I missed the price (figured he was a cert to be kept back for the Bula), I went in last night at 6/1. He has everything in his favour, and it will be a major disappointment if he doesn't win.
    Last edited by Grasshopper; 14th November 2017 at 11:20 AM.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  18. #158
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    Hopefully he is sent chasing after his foray into hurdling this year
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  19. #159
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    The Road To The 2018 Champion Hurdle

    Jenkins is the horse here for me in the Greatwood and I took some of the 10s over the weekend. Work is very good at home and even in schooling he’s a different animal to last year according to my source in the yard who gave me a very positive report. Win this and the 66/1 for the champion hurdle is gone so along with my many Buveur bets the 66/1 is my ew angle for the champion hurdle.

    He might have had an ordinary year last year but they’ve addressed a few issues and Bags Groove, the ill fated Captain Forez and Pingshou have all advertised his Newbury win this time last year quite well . If he could win that beating a subsequent grade 1 winner and a horse who finished 2nd to Finnians Oscar in another G1 running as what Henderson yesterday described as ‘awful’ last year he’s a very decent animal indeed.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Kauto Abu; 14th November 2017 at 11:57 AM.

  20. #160
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Defi's price is crashing through the floor this morning.

    No bigger than 5/1 and into 7/2 in places.
    Last edited by Grasshopper; 14th November 2017 at 12:52 PM.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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