Champion Hurdle 2014

I think thats the key granger and HF will be almost certainly meeting toughest opposition to date at the tail end of his career.
 
clivex said:
Take point and that follow up was something to see, but was CF up to scratch that day? Cant recall..or be bothered to look

A lots of ifs and buts but just sense he wouldnt have won even if he met last well.
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NO way CF was at his best at Punchestown but was still a visually very impressive performance from Jezki,

I think the best horse won last years supreme, no doubts.

Hearing today that Jezki may run in the Morgiana now too.
 
Hamm said:
Oooh, you are coming across like I have insulted your own son.. :p

If he is a great, great horse, he has every chance of winning. I feel he is a very, very good horse, but there are horses this year who I feel will beat him at a course where I think his form has been below his best in Ireland.
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It's actually more akin to defiling one of my daughters! :D

Don't forget injury meant that HF was robbed of a Supreme Novices and at least one other Champion Hurdle, because he would have wiped his ar*se with Go Native and Binocular in 2009 and 2010, if he'd made the races. By any definition, he is a great hurdler, regardless of whether he wins the next Champion Hurdle or not.

I do agree that Cheltenham probably suits him less well than other tracks - so it's testament to his undoubted class that he already has two CH's in the bag.

Whatever happens, I will curate his legacy very closely, and will immediately harpoon any fishwives who suggest he is/was anything other than a giant of the game.

Forewarned is forearmed. :cool:
 
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Can we just agree before the season begins that age is not an excuse (he is only 9)? I thank you.
 
Hamm said:
Can we just agree before the season begins that age is not an excuse (he is only 9)? I thank you.
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Can we just agree that it generally takes an exceptional 10yo to win a Champion Hurdle, given so few have done so?

I thank you. :lol:
 
I knew you would lose faith when what looks like a great crop of novice hurdlers came into their second season...

Never mind, it's the (financially) sensible thing to do...
 
Hamm said:
I'm only half joking. Your refusal to say you think he will win it only gives me even more confidence he can be readily discounted.
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Any perceived lack of enthusiasm on my part, is borne of a caution built-up over 5 years of following this one - the thundering highs only marginally compensating for the few, withering lows - rather than any lack of faith.

I was equally circumspect at this stage last year, and it's essentially this caution which separates me from the mewling herd, when it comes to the Champion Hurdle. ;)

:D
 
Too early to have a strong view for me

My tent, Our connor, jezki and the new one all interesting

Hurricane will be too old

Annie Power very unlikely to run

rock on ruby too old, grandouet exponed and not good enough
Zarkandar too slow


Un de sceaux looks top class but I dont know what campaign is being plotted by mullins for him, i think this one is top class
 
The New One is an impressive arb for the race at this stage at 5/1 with Powers and Ladbrokes.
 
I was firmly in the Jezki camp last year against MTOY but mistake at the last or not he wouldn't have turned the tables.If it had been run differently it would have been a more convincing beating.Thats Jezki discounted.ROR just not good enough,Zarkander's a plodder.If you take the fly you are taking his fragility/will he won't he turn up/age in your hands.
A year for the new pretenders for me.Have been getting MTOY and TNO on side in smallish AP bets already.Our Connor has everything stacked against it and he would have to be exceptional IMO....and he may well be.Gun to my head MTOY.......by a nose from TNO.
 
I find it hard to discount a novice on any single race. Very closed thinking approach. Lots of good placed novices ended up champions.

Add to that he was in bad need of a prep run.
 
SlimChance said:
The New One is an impressive arb for the race at this stage at 5/1 with Powers and Ladbrokes.
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Arbing is for bent lords...don't for one second suggest you are going to arb this.
No angle in this market yet....wide open and betting to 150%+ with almost 6 months to the race. You don't know what you are doing tomorrow never mind 6 months time....
 
Yeah maybe grange and I maybe looking at it a little one eyed as I backed him accordingly but Jezki will never beat MTOY at Cheltenham.....any year,for me.
 
On The Bridle said:
Arbing is for bent lords...don't for one second suggest you are going to arb this.
No angle in this market yet....wide open and betting to 150%+ with almost 6 months to the race. You don't know what you are doing tomorrow never mind 6 months time....
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I would back The New One at 5/1.

He's certain to run barring injuries
He's a proper horse.
 
clivex said:
Cant agree with that reet. Watch race again. But i still think hes a likely winner.

Why is jezki being touted? Need soft which is hardly guaranteed at the festival and was easily put in place by MTOY.

I also dont get how anyone can blithely claim the ROR was not fit yesterday when all the evidence both visual and rhetorical was the opposite

Yesterdays win was all you would want to see from a contender. Writing it down doesnt make sense
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As I recall, Clive, (can't access replays at the mo) MTOY had 2 very good horses on toast approaching the last, and that's a fair measure of his superiority. To me, all of his form, and his programme (last season and this) indicate that a strongly run stiff 2m stretches his stamina to the hilt, and he visibly weakened up the Cheltenham hill.
Can't honestly see anything to get him off the bridle, given a lesser test.
 
reet hard said:
MTOY had 2 very good horses on toast approaching the last, and that's a fair measure of his superiority. To me, all of his form, and his programme (last season and this) indicate that a strongly run stiff 2m stretches his stamina to the hilt, and he visibly weakened up the Cheltenham hill.
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He'd been quite keen for much of the race and paid the price. If they get him to settle fully a stongly-run stiff two miles will be right up his street. It looks like a vintage year, though.
 
313D Stan James Morgiana H'dle (Grade 1) €48,000.00
( 2m - 4yo+ )[MAX 22] FIRST FORFEIT: 12-NOV-13
SUPPLEMENTARY ENTRY: 12-NOV-13
NHFrm
1 Cotton Mill (GB) (JFerguson (in
GB)) - .......................... 11,10
1-111 2 Hurricane Fly(175) (WPMullins) - . .... 11,10
11-31 3 Jezki(161) (MrsJHarrington) - . ........... 11,10
-13f2 4 Marito (GER)(138) (WPMullins) - . ..... 11,10
p6402 5 Midnight Game (GB)(142)
(WPMullins) - . ............. 11,10
-1332 6 Mikael D'Haguenet (FR)
(WPMullins) - . ............. 11,10
21111 7 Sea Lord (JFerguson (in GB)) - . ....... 11,10
11 8 Un De Sceaux (FR) (WPMullins) - . ... 11,10
-4621 9 Blood Cotil (FR)(141) (WPMullins) - . 11,07
24121 10 Diakali (FR)(145) (WPMullins) - . ........ 11,07
11-11 11 Our Conor(161) (DTHughes) - . ......... 11,07
44114 12 Akatara(106) (MJBowe) - . .................. 11,03
1-111 13 Annie Power(154) (WPMullins) - . ...... 11,03
Click to expand...
 
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