Road to the 2025 Champion Hurdle

I think the race was all about the well-being of Constitution Hill rather than the strength of the form. He looked pretty much in his pomp to me and seemed to travel from the get go fully in command of what he was doing. Jumping was super slick, excepting one slight error and he responded nicely when the accelerator was pressed.
 
barjon said:
I think the race was all about the well-being of Constitution Hill rather than the strength of the form. He looked pretty much in his pomp to me and seemed to travel from the get go fully in command of what he was doing. Jumping was super slick, excepting one slight error and he responded nicely when the accelerator was pressed.
Click to expand...

Yes, but I still want to quantify the achievement and I tend to be disappointed if the figures don't add up to much.
 
granger said:
Come on

You have liked lossie when it suited you

It was pretty clear from the start she wasn't travelling and reported to be very flat today.

In a 4 horse race of two horses, she done well to be second based on that showing.
Click to expand...
Never once have I said I liked Lossiemouth. From day one I have questioned her ability by firmly stating all she has beaten is trees. She has never faced anything of today standard and always been allowed to travel well within herself
. She is maybe better than what we saw today but what about Constitution Hill that certainly was not him at his very best but was Sprinter when he came back..I can see him improve 7lbs come March and none of the others finish that close to him again Ruby is far from being a great judge compared to what he was as a jockey...he has to say something and try and make it interesting it's his job
So much of what he says should be taken with a pinch of salt..The man you should listen to is Nico he knows better than anyone how he felt.
 
Much depends on when a jockey going easily decides to push the button. Nico never made his move until very late in the day on Constitution Hill.

He jumped the 2nd last just in front but still put 10 lengths between himself and BD and Lossiemouth strating to pick up still couldnt get near him..

If he was 110% fit and had moved sooner he would have won by 10 lengts imo.

People are quick to point out negatives which in reality are positives.
 
Theres a few negatives about Sir Gino that swung me towards Ballyburn.

The Fighting Fifth turned out to be more of a walkover than a race when Mystical Power never turned up.

He has never jumped a fence at racing speed which in this class is a worry no matter how good he is at home.

The Newbury gallop was turned on its head a couple of weeks later when Constititution Hill easily kicked him into touch in a gallop at Seven Barrows. Something Nico or Nicky never mentioned until now.

Ballyburn has held his postion as clear favourite for the Arkle despite Sir Gino being backed today for this.

No doubt this is a 2 horse race the other 2 are here for the beer and will be tailed off by the 2nd or 3rd last.

Ribaud has 13lbs to find and the other entry probably 13 stone would be nearer the mark.

A good mtch but Ballyburn holds the aces imo
 
Kudos and respect to all those whose faith in NH and CH never waivered. I thought he ran well after a year off and is perfectly capable of being in the first three in the Champion Hurdle next time out.
 
I'm pleasantly surprised that, amid the general euphoria, RPR has taken the conservative view that Constitution Hill was nowhere near his best yesterday. As DO has implied, rating a small field is difficult because you have to have a peg somewhere but the most logical reading for me is that Burdett Road improved by maybe 10lb and Lossiemouth ran about the same as the last time with a flat performance negating coming on for the first run.

RPR
162 Constitution Hill
152 Lossiemouth
156 Burdett Road

This has no bearing on how it will go in March other than to show that Henderson can keep him sound long enough for him to be competitive. He himself has said that he'd like another run before the Festival but he doesn't know if there's time to fit one in and still be ready for the big one which speaks of how difficult it has been to get him even this far.
 
BR also lost a fair bit of momentum when all but doing an impression of Douglas Bader at the last.

I wonder if connections might regret going for the race now. If the new OR is anywhere near that RPR it might well have had the winning of the Schweppes off 142, then the County off 147-ish.
 
archie said:
I'm pleasantly surprised that, amid the general euphoria, RPR has taken the conservative view that Constitution Hill was nowhere near his best yesterday. As DO has implied, rating a small field is difficult because you have to have a peg somewhere but the most logical reading for me is that Burdett Road improved by maybe 10lb and Lossiemouth ran about the same as the last time with a flat performance negating coming on for the first run.

RPR
162 Constitution Hill
152 Lossiemouth
156 Burdett Road

This has no bearing on how it will go in March other than to show that Henderson can keep him sound long enough for him to be competitive. He himself has said that he'd like another run before the Festival but he doesn't know if there's time to fit one in and still be ready for the big one which speaks of how difficult it has been to get him even this far.
Click to expand...
Frankly, I was perturbed to see Nico use his whip,though he did say CH took a good blow before the 2nd last.
If he's fit for the festival, then maybe his rating will rise to reflect his true ability.
 
Back
Top