Champion Hurdle 2015

No one in the betting world seemed terribly impressed by that.

Twas great to see the Fly win again but I got the impression that if he was the same horse as he was 2 years back he'd have won a minute.

I seriously don't know what to think about Arctic Fire finishing so close but the time (4.6 slow) was miles faster than the Maiden Hurdle (16.40 slow) so it wasn't exactly your typical sprint to the line.

Replace the straight with the Cheltenham hill and Arctic Fire who stayed on strongly might have mowed them both down.

The more I see of Jezki the less I fancy his chances at Cheltenham. He never looked like he lacked anything in fitness and I reckon we were sold a dummy when he beat Hurricane Fly the last time they met and the old horse simply wasn't himself.

He certainly never moved as well as he has done in the past yet he still has the beating of Jezki..........I still say Faugheen will eat him alive at Cheltenham.

How certain am I? Put it this way.....I won't be laying Grassy 12/1:p
 
Good pace early, but they were all in a bunch turning in.
Great win by The Fly, but also a sparkling trial by Jezki, who shaped much better than these races last year.
 
Good man, Willie.

Driving the father-in-law back to the islands today, so missed HF run for the first time since his wins in France as a juvenile. I'm looking forward to watching the replay.
 
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"I think he's the best anyone has ever trained over jumps" Willie Mullins

I don't think Willie is saying what some might interpret that to mean :blink:

Surely he's talking about the horses attitude to training and not saying he's a better horse than the likes of Arkle or Istabraq were?

There's a lot of things been said in the last few days that are coming across as rubbish....must be the cold weather
 
Mullins is likely adding the sum of the parts, which include class, jumping fluency, versatility (track and also trip), consistency, longevity, gameness, and the fact that he missed one Supreme Novice win and one other Champion Hurdle win through injury.

The horse is an absolute hero - has been for 6 seasons now - and it's verging on disgusting how he remains disparaged in some quarters.*

* I admit that I'm hyper-sensitive about this one, but still....
 
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The Fly is a true Champion Grassy. Despite the doubters (and the fishwives), who will say his rating holds him back, his sheer class, determination and will to win over such a prolonged period (I remember the season where he was finished because Montjeu's don't train on!!!) mark him out as a great. Istabraq was just before I got into racing but I've watched all his races and he was clearly a champion but people tend to forget his defeats. If the Champion was run at Leopardstown the Fly would be a five time champion imho.

Anyone who can't give the horse his due and put him in the category of hurdling greats need to have a long, hard, objective look at the facts (And not trot out rose tinted reminiscing about the great days of racing). I truly believe we are living through a golden period on the Flat and Jumps in recent years.
 
I should add that i've not always been a believer but in recent years he's proved me wrong time and again and i've watched his last two wins with a huge smile on my face. No horse currently racing brings me as much enjoyment as he does.
 
Grasshopper said:
Mullins is likely adding the sum of the parts, which include class, jumping fluency, versatility (track and also trip), consistency, longevity, gameness, and the fact that he missed one Supreme Novice win and one other Champion Hurdle win through injury.

The horse is an absolute hero - has been for 6 seasons now - and it's verging on disgusting how he remains disparaged in some quarters.*

* I admit that I'm hyper-sensitive about this one, but still....
Click to expand...

All true but doesn't seem to happen with his chasers often enough.

i cheered him home though.
 
Can someone pretty-please with sugar on top, post a link to the Istabraq Hurdle.

Grassy-ass (did you see what I did there?).
 
A belting race and a great performance by Hurricane Fly - he looked beaten to me off the turn , coming to the last and after they jumped it .

This and the Irish Champion at the end of Jan are his Champion Hurdles now though and Jezki indeed was miles closer to the Fly that he was throughout last winter's programme . A shame Jezki did not come over for the Christmas Hurdle the Kempton ground surely would have suited him better and a clash with Faugheen would have been more informative for March .
 
Certainly did warm the old cockles.
Cracking race and one that predictably had a tight finish. The Fly notches another Grade 1.
Jezki ran a solid a race as he would round there.

Superb stuff.
 
All his Leopardstown wins are Grade 1s to boot don't forget.
He also looks rather small in real life but had no problem elbowing Jezki out of the way until Ruby pulled him out.
Comparable to Monksfield in a lot of ways but classier; even had gorse stuck to his girth from jumping the "shadow" before the first hurdle but unlike Devon Loch stayed standing and unlike Dayjur he won.
Ruby would have had a pretty miserable Leopardstown only for him.
Leopardtown will have to up a statue to him as well as Beef Or Salmon sometime.
 
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