Aig Irish Champion Hurdle

Al eile beat your least favourite horse by 1 1/2 lengths at Newcastle. Katchit ran on well enough again to suggest that the next time he might come on a bit. Was hardly a "thumping" (unlike the one Katchit gave to the existing champion hurdler...)

I am not saying that SE should be same price as Osana but the 11/2 available as opposed to the 5/2 for SE seems fair enough.
 
Originally posted by clivex@Jan 27 2008, 07:57 PM
Al eile beat your least favourite horse by 1 1/2 lengths at Newcastle. Katchit ran on well enough again to suggest that the next time he might come on a bit. Was hardly a "thumping" (unlike the one Katchit gave to the existing champion hurdler...)

I am not saying that SE should be same price as Osana but the 11/2 available as opposed to the 5/2 for SE seems fair enough.
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I had only looked at Ladbrokes market who has Osana at 4/1 with Sizing Europe at 3/1. Now that you pointed out those other prices that is fair enough I suppose.
 
Potts said after the race Andy McNamara will definitely keep the ride at Cheltenham.

Fantastic performance, especially given that he failed to really settle through the early part of the race. Has certainly improved for better ground (relative to that which he encountered at Cheltenham earlier this year), as his action suggests and the way he went away from Hardy and Al Eile so easily was fantastic to see.
 
Said to be the fastest AIG Champion Hurdle ever run---great to see a new star on the block and defy all those pundits who thought he had it all to do --despite his gutsy win in the Greatwood. Roll on March 11.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
 
Great stuff! And very good news that he'll have AMN up - I don't like to see a horse with a new jock up for a Festival race

Replying to another thread here! - but I think it's too late to be writing Hardy's obits yet, he still has a role to play even if it's not winning the top races. 2nd in that field and race today was good form! He'd be too highly rated for handicaps after all... He'd be worth a try in the Stayers if Inglis Drever weren't around, but as it is he may as well run in the Champion, he'd be almost certain to pick up good prize money
 
had only looked at Ladbrokes market who has Osana at 4/1 with Sizing Europe at 3/1. Now that you pointed out those other prices that is fair enough I suppose.
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Well....i would like some 3/1 i think! One point difference doesnt make sense...agree :)


i did look.ladbrokes really are standing out on this....wonder why ?
 
I can't see that the Greatwood form has any bearing at all on the Champion Hurdle picture otherwise we'd be talking up Chivalry and Trouble At Bay as lively outsiders. Osana and Sizing Europe have clearly improved a lot since then. For me, Sizing Europe just looked an absolute class act today and I'd expect him to shorten from 3/1. Harchibald remains a danger and will be suited by the pace that Osana will have to set but there's clearly a problem with the Meade yard at present.
 
Originally posted by Galileo@Jan 27 2008, 03:13 PM
That was very impressive. Well done Luke for your confidence.
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Thanks Galileo -I took the 25s with Labrokes on the double today and the festival.If he happens to win it will be my biggest win ever by some distance.
Henry trains about 4 miles away from where I live and I walked in with him after the Greatwood-despite not knowing him.I would love to see the horse win for lots of reasons but I know it could all go wrong very easily.
One of my mates has him backed at 100/1 and I know of another guy who was a tasty bet at a big price-either 66s or 150s.
Sorry about Sizing Africa I think the market showed that he was well fancied.The guy who passed on the information to me was fairly unhappywith the perfomance but personally I reckon like Mick The Man he could still ave a future over a longer distance.
 
Another thought... what has happened to Blythe Knight - any news anyone?

I read something in the Beast this week to the effect he is def going for the Lincoln, according to Quinn, and I wonder if they have seen the opposition for the ChH and decided to go for another win in this instead? His hurdling form doesn't seem to be up to Champion level this year. he's not entered for any other races than these two, and hasn't run since Dec 1st. Is he having a rest I wonder, pending the flat season, or is it just the ground?

I've had a nibble for the Lincoln accordingly at 25 tonight... I've looked a the race carefully and he looks as good as anything at this stage, and should be fit enough
 
It will be very interesting to see how Osana and SE perform relative to each other the next day but the whole thing is confused even more by the fact that the likely ground conditions will be completely different as well!

Clearly the 6lbs has to be taken into account when you look at that Greatwood but it was noticable just how Sizing Europe was powering on at the end while Osana wilted...the trainer says he's a real stayer so there's no worries on that score.

I suppose the only concern you may have is McNamara commenting on how keen Sizing Europe races. No doubt Osana won't be allowed get away this time but you could get into a situation like last year where the ones up front go hammer and tongs and just set it up for a classy sort like Sublimity who is good enough to keep them in their sights - you could say the same about Harchibald but there's a massive ? beside discussion of any Noel Meade horse at the moment as mentioned above.

Either way, a fascinating race lies in store where tactics will be crucial. Sizing will still have to sharpen his jumping a little bit because he could get knocked off his feet at a crucial juncture if he's fencing them..
 
Originally posted by Headstrong@Jan 27 2008, 08:50 PM
Another thought... what has happened to Blythe Knight - any news anyone?

I read something in the Beast this week to the effect he is def going for the Lincoln, according to Quinn, and I wonder if they have seen the opposition for the ChH and decided to go for another win in this instead? His hurdling form doesn't seem to be up to Champion level this year. he's not entered for any other races than these two, and hasn't run since Dec 1st. Is he having a rest I wonder, pending the flat season, or is it just the ground?

I've had a nibble for the Lincoln accordingly at 25 tonight... I've looked a the race carefully and he looks as good as anything at this stage, and should be fit enough
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Thought i read John Quinn saying he's a definite for the CH, perhaps with a run in the Kingwell beforehand. I believe I read that in the RP's CH pullout a week or so back.

He has more than enough form in the book to be considered a serious threat, leaving aside his performance in the Fighting fifth, which was too bad to be true and came after a prolonged period of time on the go in both codes. His Aintree win at a canter over Osana must read well, especially when it can be considered he has clearly improved on the flat since that run.

I have backed him accordingly. Hope that those comments re the Lincoln are wide off the mark, and think it would be a very unwise move, as he's off quite a high mark.

Andrew
 
The faster they go, the better it will suit Sizing Europe surely (though it will also suit the likes of Sublimity and Harchibald as well of course). Was fighting Andy Mac a fair bit during the early part of the race today. Would agree that Sizing Europe needs to sharpen his hurdling though.
 
I take your point about the weights re BK in the Lincoln Andrew, but still thought 25 was a price worth taking for a 'nibble' ie about a fiver in my terms!

He will be an interesting addition to the ChH field and as BJ comments, tactics will be crucial. The participants all have their ways of running which are fairly well known so the jocks will need to box clever. At least the ground at Cheltenham is fairly consistent in March which removes one imponderable to some degree
 
the obsession with 6lb's puzzles me...it really does

anyone that can't recognise a vastly improving horse should give the game up

the greatwood is ancient history to a horse improving as fast as SE
 
Originally posted by EC1@Jan 27 2008, 09:51 PM

the greatwood is ancient history to a horse improving as fast as SE
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And form at that time of year doesn't always translate to March either

I must say for a fairly inexperienced trainer, De Bromhead has managed SE's career admirably. Some trainers given what he has might have been tempted to go for easy wins and not aim right at the top
 
The parable of Rooster Booster looms large in my memory. For a long time I refused to believe he was good enough, once bitten etc........

I ended up splitting the going for the hurdles and chase tracks which has brought Sizing Europe out at 100.15, which would have been quick enough to win 6 of the last 11 Champion Hurdles. He improves to about 101.10 if I permit both courses to contribute to variance. It's increasingly difficult to make the case against him.

I just hate the horses name though :P I t doesn't sound like a race horse, and is of course something of a commercial advertisment instead I believe. Please don't let it festoon the pantheon of winners
 
I hated the name Beef or Salmon also and it cost me because I never backed him.
With reference to the course used yesterday---it is considered more exacting,stiffer climb to finish than Pierse--inner track---and has been used many times for AIG. Rating of this performance will be very high--- e.g. unofficial one from our Warbler.
Serious boost for our TTTF!!!--- :clap:
 
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