Champion Hurdle 2014

The Stan James Champion Hurdle has attracted 18 entries, with The New One, Hurricane Fly and My Tent Or Yours among them. Zarkandar the most high-profile absentee, while Willie Mullins has added Annie Power and Un De Sceaux to last year's winner
 
ACT OF KALANISI. Trainer: Dr Richard Newland

ANNIE POWER. Trainer: Willie Mullins

CINDERS AND ASHES. Trainer: Donald McCain

COTTON MILL. Trainer: John Ferguson

GRANDOUET. Trainer: Nicky Henderson

GRUMETI. Trainer: Alan King

HURRICANE FLY. Trainer: Willie Mullins

JEZKI. Trainer: Jessica Harrington

MELODIC RENDEZVOUS. Trainer: Jeremy Scott

MONTBAZON. Trainer: Alan King

MY TENT OR YOURS. Trainer: Nicky Henderson

OUR CONOR. Trainer: Dessie Hughes

PTIT ZIG. Trainer: Paul Nicholls

ROCK ON RUBY. Trainer: Harry Fry

ROLLING STAR. Trainer: Nicky Henderson

THE NEW ONE. Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies

THOUSAND STARS. Trainer: Willie Mullins

UN DE SCEAUX. Trainer: Willie Mullins

Interesting to see both Grandouet and Rock on ruby entered .
 
Last edited:
reet hard said:
Can't see it, Grass, as it's almost 5 weeks before the big one, and would hardly fit with plans "to take the freshness out of him".
Click to expand...


As I said before on this thread, only 2 realistic options for My Tent Or Yours are the Sandown race or the Wincanton one.
 
davidjohnson said:
Timeform sponsor the Morebattle, so I'd love to see him go there, but I'd have it as a big outsider of the three.
Click to expand...

I believe I'll be required to 'work from home' that day, should MTOY come to Kelso. I can't see it happening myself.

And I can't see much wrong with Sandown as a venue for a prep race either; unless Henderson really was intending to wind him down and then back-up i.e planning on going straight to the Festival.

Why do you think the Contenders Hurdle is such a poor option, reet?

Granted, small, uncompetitive fields are the norm, and it's rarely a true-run race.....but he's not guaranteed to get a strong gallop in any prep race - mainly because he'll scare most entries away.
 
Last edited:
Simple arithmetic, Grass: he's already kicking and squealing just 7 weeks after his previous race, yet the Sandown race would leave a full 6 weeks to the Champion Hurdle.
Wincanton's the obvious one, but if it's heavy ground there and much kinder at Kelso, then who knows?
 
reet hard said:
Simple arithmetic, Grass: he's already kicking and squealing just 7 weeks after his previous race, yet the Sandown race would leave a full 6 weeks to the Champion Hurdle.
Wincanton's the obvious one, but if it's heavy ground there and much kinder at Kelso, then who knows?
Click to expand...

Don't think the timing is all that, to be honest, reet......or at least not so significant a reason to make travelling him 600 miles round-trip to Kelso a preference. There's a case to be made for Wincanton, but it has no more/less merit than Sandown, imo.
 
Last edited:
Jakers said:
He was fumbling around for a reason to keep Un De Sceaux from running in the Champion hurdle, needing to find a stone to even compete with Hurricane Fly was one line he used, but he comes across as man with a real dilemma, three different owners and all three should be taking their chance based on what we have seen so far.

Ricci said recently that they kept Annie Power over hurdles this season so she can run in the top races, the World Hurdle he said was one but he also said he would not be being honest if he didn't mean the Champion Hurdle.

It may all come down to the going?
Click to expand...

Or what happens if they don't run AP in the Irish champion and HF gets turned over......
 
Blows it wide open again links and then all three would have to take their chance, I am a fan of Hurricane Fly and right now he should be favourite, I want him to win and for years to come talked about as the best, but I do think at 10yrs old he is vulnerable particularly if the ground is closer to good than soft.
 
granger said:
Should send Annie over again and see how string the English challenge really is
Click to expand...

This sounds a good plan until you try and execute it. The New One won't run again until the Festival so that puts Annie in against My Tent Or Yours. If he runs at Wincanton, that kind of test at 2m would play massively to his strengths and against hers wouldn't it?
 
The thing is David, we are not sure just how good she is. They need to get some sort of a trial race into her. The best Irish trail race will have HF, and looks like red mills will be set up for Un de Sceaux.

Her prep could well be in England yet
 
chroniclandlord said:
I'd say they'll go to Sandown rather than risk bad weather causing the loss of the Wincanton fixture and be left with no prep race.
Click to expand...

He doesn't need a 'prep race' in the usual sense of the term. His whole profile shows he takes little getting fit, and his trainer has indicated that the horse is bouncing already.
He's also said, on numerous occasions, that the horse gets too fresh without a run and has a tendency to race freely.
The Sandown race is on Feb 1st, the CH on March 11th, which is a fair old gap for a horse with his disposition, and timing is important in his preparation, which is why I just don't see it happening.
 
reet hard said:
He doesn't need a 'prep race' in the usual sense of the term. His whole profile shows he takes little getting fit, and his trainer has indicated that the horse is bouncing already.
He's also said, on numerous occasions, that the horse gets too fresh without a run and has a tendency to race freely.
The Sandown race is on Feb 1st, the CH on March 11th, which is a fair old gap for a horse with his disposition, and timing is important in his preparation, which is why I just don't see it happening.
Click to expand...

The only thing "bouncing" will be McCoy's arse: up and down on MTOY's back, on the run to two-out in the Champion Hurdle.

This renders any further interest in where and when he'll have his prep-run moot, and strictly for the fishwives. :cool:
 
Last edited:
I tipped Katchit as a 5yo for the Champion Hurdle based on his winning distance and performance in the Triumph Hdle. His form leading up to the CH win was progressive and encouraging enough for me to go against the stats of recent years.
I'm siding with Our Conor for exactly the same reasons. That comeback run behind Hurricane Fly was very useful form and I can envisage at least 7l improvement in him.
Theres a formline with Jezki/Diakali/Our Conor that puts OC at least 5L in front of HF . On the likely going at Chelters I'm going MAX. at 9/1
 
Back
Top