Champion Hurdle 2014

I backed this thing on word from a mate of one at 33s in July... Only a small stake but it's meant to be a monster at home. Only concern is if it would beat the fly they might skip Cheltenham all together. But if they do go here's your pace setter
 
"It's some achievement for the horse to win a record 17 Grade One races considering he missed a lot of the early part of his career with injury. Keeping him sound is always our main concern and, because of that, he always goes first on the gallop to make sure he gets the best of the ground each day," said Mullins.

"Paul (Townend) rides him all the time. He's got a great pair of hands and has been very good for the horse. He can be very keen as he's so competitive if another horse is alongside him. That's another reason why we let him go in front at home.

"He's stronger and heavier this year and I didn't realise how much he needed the run at Punchestown. He came in from grass full of condition, and I'd expect big improvement. He'll strip a lot fitter at Christmas. We will follow the same path as last year, with everything geared towards Cheltenham in March.

"Each year since we've had him we are trying to find another one like him but you can't buy those horses with all the money in the world."

Annie Power is an intriguing case. Unbeaten in eight career starts, the five-year-old won over the intermediate distance of two and a half miles at Ascot, but has the pace to go back to two miles if connections wished. That, however, seems unlikely given Hurricane Fly is currently the top dog in that division and Annie Power may instead test her powers at three miles in the woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle a day earlier.

Mullins said: "I was hugely impressed by her at Ascot. We asked a big question of her and she answered it. It was some achievement for basically a novice mare. If she can make normal improvement then I don't know how far she can go. She has lots of stamina and I'll try to keep her away from Hurricane Fly."
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My kind of upbeat, my-hangover-suddenly-aint-so-bad, festive bulletin from WPM.

I sincerely hope The Fly humiliates the upstart Our Conor later in the week.
 
I'm really glad that HF is still viewed as being at his best..because any horse that beats him can be then fully lauded. There can be no.."he's not the same horse" after the race.

Apart from the off the scale time performance Our Conor put up..without coming out of 2nd gear in the triumph...form wise the beaten horses have only confirmed how good he must be.

Far West..148 horse..makes OC a 168+ horse allowing for ease of beating [15+5 for ease?)

Samtegal..150 horse..makes OC a 172+ horse

Diakali..shows that Jezki won't live with OC

Chris Pea Green...142 horse makes OC a 172 horse

I really hope this horse fulfills his potential Grass..we can then look back at a mini golden era of hurdlers with HF carrying the mantle for teh last few years and OC carrying it on.
 
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Grasshopper said:
My kind of upbeat, my-hangover-suddenly-aint-so-bad, festive bulletin from WPM.

I sincerely hope The Fly humiliates the upstart Our Conor later in the week.
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That he may well do.

It will be some compensation for getting beaten by Jezki. :D
 
Grassy's dedication to the Fly is similar to mine to Champagne Fever. Understanding this means that I reluctantly state that I agree with Hamm. Imo Jezki's performance at Cheltenham does not reflect the horse's true ability, a belief that is also held by the stable.
As impressive as the Fly has been each year brings new challengers and I strongly believe that Jezki will prove to be the main challenger this year. Again imo HF will have to improve to retain his Cheltenham crown, which indeed he may well do. I'm pretty certain that the result at Leopardstown will not provide conclusive evidence but am betting to cover and increase my CH stake.
 
Grasshopper said:
Can't agree - the CH winner will come out of Leopardstown later in the week.
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The two that ran today represent a pretty smart standard and Cheltenham will suit both of them more than the race today. They'll be difficult to split.

Anything to emerge from Ireland would have to be impressive. Perhaps one or two of the younger ones in Ireland will prove decent though.
 
Will Our Conor be as effective on the Old Course as on the New Course I wonder. He ground them into the mud last year off a fast pace in spectacular style .

Will he be as effective in the easier Old Course race on good ground say ?
 
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