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. #541
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by reet hard View Post
    Chuffed for both of you - and not a sign of jibbing.
    I confess I was expecting him to chuck it halfway up the run-in, Reet, and was pleasantly surprised to see him run all the way to the line.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  2. #542
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    The New One World Hurdle bound according to NTD.

    Don’t think Melon would place in a champion hurdle to be honest.


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  3. #543
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maruco View Post
    Melon pulled for the entire race and was still only beaten a length.
    That was my impression but David Mullins made no mention of it post-race. He said the horse travelled beautifully. Could it be his rising style that makes it look like the horse is pulling?
    Illegitimi non carborundum


  4. #544
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Melon has still had very little racing but last years Supreme was average enough
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  5. #545
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    If TNO is a solid 163, Melon ran to 162 on his 5th run over hurdles. At the same stage of his career, Buveur D'Air was rated 157.
    The older I get the better I was.

  6. #546
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Don’t think Melon has ran poorly, but I do agree he doesn’t seem to find much, when asked go about it.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  7. #547
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    Don’t think Melon has ran poorly, but I do agree he doesn’t seem to find much, when asked go about it.
    Looked like race was there for him at one stage but he either lacked the toe or the resolve.

    MTOY is a nice story all the same
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  8. #548
    Senior Member Double Handful's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by granger View Post
    Looked like race was there for him at one stage but he either lacked the toe or the resolve.

    MTOY is a nice story all the same
    I think it's definitely the resolve. I can see how 20/1 is appealing to people and I can see you getting a great run for your money. And he could/should Tavel into contention, but inevitably he just won't find, imo. We now have 3 strong pieces of evidence to support this.

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  9. #549
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    The Road To The 2018 Champion Hurdle

    Quote Originally Posted by archie View Post
    If TNO is a solid 163, Melon ran to 162 on his 5th run over hurdles. At the same stage of his career, Buveur D'Air was rated 157.
    Bit of an unfair comparison there. BD had embarked on a career over fences ! His 5th run over hurdles came in February of this year at Sandown. If he was running in and winning Graded hurdles at the end of 2016 that rating would’ve been at a loftier mark.


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    Last edited by Kauto Abu; 16th December 2017 at 9:12 PM.

  10. #550
    Senior Member Frankel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JamesRB View Post
    20s for the CH not a bad e/w poke at all
    Agreed.
    All comers, all grounds, all beaten!

    This perfect mix of poetry and destruction.

  11. #551
    Senior Member tiggers1972's Avatar
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    Can't see how anyone can go near Melon for the CH after today! His Supreme is a poor one.
    Glad for MTOY, deserved that, well in front of TNO on head to heads, all defeats to TNO have been tactical, today was his CH.

  12. #552
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aughex View Post
    Disgraceful from RUK pre-race talking about giving it a name after a horse.. would've been great if someone smashed their heads to bring back the long-term memory loss of the Bula Hurdle

    Glad someone else noticed that -Machin is some spoofer.

  13. #553
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    Great race to watch -would have been happy to see either of the first two win.I wouldn't be in a hurry to lay Melon at 20/1 -he was up against hardened performers today and I thought he ran respectably -give him better ground and a faster pace in March and he could be a factor.

  14. #554
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    Quote Originally Posted by LUKE View Post
    Great race to watch -would have been happy to see either of the first two win.I wouldn't be in a hurry to lay Melon at 20/1 -he was up against hardened performers today and I thought he ran respectably -give him better ground and a faster pace in March and he could be a factor.
    MTOY so game today - he surely would have won lots more races when he young including the 2014 Champion if he had settled when he was young like he does now .

  15. #555
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    Quote Originally Posted by Double Handful View Post
    I think it's definitely the resolve. I can see how 20/1 is appealing to people and I can see you getting a great run for your money. And he could/should Tavel into contention, but inevitably he just won't find, imo. We now have 3 strong pieces of evidence to support this.

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    I'm not sure about that DH. I've just watched all three back and I'm even more convinced than before that he's not a bridle merchant, but they do need to teach him to settle. He's tanking through his races. Quicker ground and championship pace can only help him with the petrol at the end of his race compared to the field.

    For those that don't think he was pulling re-watch the race. Mullins let out an inch of reign at each hurdle and he quickened into them at the speed he was wanting to go for the whole race. He seriously impressed with his jumping though, taking half a length from the field at pretty much every one. It's to his credit that he pulled like that and was a length and half length behind MTOY and TNO.

  16. #556
    Senior Member Double Handful's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maruco View Post
    I'm not sure about that DH. I've just watched all three back and I'm even more convinced than before that he's not a bridle merchant
    It's not so much the on/off the bridle part. It's the guts/will/heart or the want to win of the horse. I rewatched the races myself this evening, and that Punchestown race, Cilios Emry comes from so far back, once he got upsides Melon, Melon didn't want to know.

    I agree with pretty much all you say in terms of hurdling, pulling hard, appreciate the championship pace more etc. I just think when it's put up him he doesn't like it


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  17. #557
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    Whichever way you look at it, Melon ran a mighty fine race - for a putative 2nd string.

  18. #558
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grasshopper View Post
    Don’t think Melon has ran poorly, but I do agree he doesn’t seem to find much, when asked go about it.
    Depends when a horse is asked to go about it..I said beforehand he should kick approaching 2 out but he sat there talking pull after pull using up energy and had very little left by the last

    Criminal ride although probably under instruction..........he really should have gone for home when he was travelling all over them and grabbed a few crucial lengths instead he ended up getting hampered which cost him a length or so.
    Formely Fist of Fury

  19. #559
    Senior Member Tanlic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by archie View Post
    If TNO is a solid 163, Melon ran to 162 on his 5th run over hurdles. At the same stage of his career, Buveur D'Air was rated 157.
    So did half the field Archie.this is no more Champion Hurdle form than flying in the air. There was 4 1/2 lengths and less between Tent and horses who wouldn't be sighted in a Champion Hurdle and Melon is one of them.

    You simply won't see the best of Melon until he goes chasing imo and I'd be amazed if Mullins runs him in the CH other than the owner insisting

    Make no mistake Mullin was testing the water here and Melon would be 110% fit and what you saw is what you will get in March...and look where TNO finishes year in year out
    Formely Fist of Fury

  20. #560
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    I see NTD has called it "a travesty" and "pathetic" that the Bula/International is not a G1 hurdle.

    Weird, but I can't ever recall him saying this after any of TNO's three wins in the race.

    The man is a complete plum.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

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