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Road to the 2022 Champion Hurdle

Lovely! Shame Epatante fluffed the last x might have benn just a little closer to the wonder horse.
 
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Great ride, great mare

Even better that Racheal doesn't care for the insufferable Alice and itv's play the gender angle card

And yes, all ratings and arguments aside, it is just a lovely moment
 
It looked a very muddling race to me and an uneven pace but it doesn't seem to make a bit of difference to her

Rachael was very cool and she knows when exactly to use her kick and did it to perfection.

Fair play to Nicky Henderson who said he had Epatante back to her best she's run a cracker.
 
I have to say I have never heard cheers like Honey got up the run in...and then the reception she got coming back in to the winners enclosure was special.
 
I think todays champion hurdle just adds to my view that the Champion Hurdle is the best race of them all, I have always had it as my favourite from Istabraq to The Fly, to Faugheen to this absolute wonder mare. Love this race and it just keeps delivering.
 
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Absolutely agree 100% from the day Pat McCarron won on Magic Court until today it has been my favourite race each year bar the odd one like when Kauto won his 2nd Gold Cup and Sprinter Sacre won his 2nd QMCC
 
Double J said:
You can get 20/1 cause people will be ploughing money into the top 2 with absolutely no collateral form of any worth to tie in with any of the 2m novices in Ireland.

Constitution Hill has beat some 120/130 horses round Sandown and your shitting yourself with your Honeysuckle bets? Not sure if your on the wind up.
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Now you know why I was shitting myself:lol:
 
Just paid avisit to the RP website and saw the headline The truth is out now - Honeysuckle is one of the best we have ever seen on the racing post website

Not for the fist time on the 9th of January I commented on her saying she the best we have seen since Istabraq and got the 7lb allowance shoved in my face.

15/15 including 11 Grade 1 and the best the doubters can come up with is she's getting 7lbs she beating dross.........when you are as good as her everything looks like dross

Anyway with Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle winning and a run of 9 star winning bets before Cheltenham
I had no hestation in dutching them for the 2023 Champion Hurdle at evens which is still available with Betfair Sportsbook and 888 sport

I hope Michael Buckley listens to Nicky and waits till next season to take on Honeysuckle and Jonbon goes chasing yet another Arkle for Seven Barrows.

Who will win the 2023 Champion Hurdle?......Honeysuckle :)
 
Tanlic said:
Just paid avisit to the RP website and saw the headline The truth is out now - Honeysuckle is one of the best we have ever seen on the racing post website

Not for the fist time on the 9th of January I commented on her saying she the best we have seen since Istabraq and got the 7lb allowance shoved in my face.

15/15 including 11 Grade 1 and the best the doubters can come up with is she's getting 7lbs she beating dross.........when you are as good as her everything looks like dross
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i was having a fair think about this yesterday after i saw the RP headline and for me it depends on how you define greatness

in terms of sheer consistency, durability and flexibility (won at multiple distances and would probably win big races at 3 miles if asked) she's absolutely one of the greats. 15 in a row, with 11 of them grade 1s is outstanding.

in terms of the actual ability, i still believe i've seen horses that, at their peak, i'd class as better than her. sprinter sacre, douvan, faugheen & vautour spring to mind. they just didn't have the same consistency or durability as the mare. i'd also have annie power around the same level ability wise if we're comparing champion hurdle winning mares. honeysuckle has just stayed sound and turned up every single day. which is remarkable in itself.
 
Very constructive Frankel....don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

Honeysuckle would be a tough opponent for any previous Champion Hurdler make no mistake about that.

She has that terrific knack of going for home at exactly the right time and injects such a sudden increase of pace only the greats can do.

Istabraq, Bula, Night Nurse, See You Then and a few more won Champion Hurdles in the same manner..was she as good as them? Probably not but she a damn sight better than a couple of dozen or more I could mention
 
Tanlic said:
Very constructive Frankel....don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

Honeysuckle would be a tough opponent for any previous Champion Hurdler make no mistake about that.

She has that terrific knack of going for home at exactly the right time and injects such a sudden increase of pace only the greats can do.

Istabraq, Bula, Night Nurse, See You Then and a few more won Champion Hurdles in the same manner..was she as good as them? Probably not but she a damn sight better than a couple of dozen or more I could mention
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Yes, she is not as good as them. The whole point.
 
It’s always difficult to make any meaningful comparison. You can’t know what she’s really got since her style of racing is to pick her time to accelerate from the pack (whatever their merits) and win cosily. She’s not one for a Constitution Hill type romp. All we do know is that she has never been found wanting yet against the best that can be offered and to have done that fifteen times is pretty spectacular in itself.
 
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Yep and we have no idea how good she really is. I doubt it would matter to her if Persian War was upsides her 2 out she'd kick find and que sera

To me she is tailor made for the Champion Hurdle and would take some beating in any year

I wonder how we will judge her were she to beat Constitution Hill who someone mentioned got a 177p yesterday:blink:
 
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Well I have had maybe a bit too much on Constitution Hill and Jonbon dutched at evens but I reckon it's a solid investment.

If by any chance for any reason one of them doesn't run the other will definitely be odds on:lol:
 

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