Road to the Champion Hurdle 19/20

From ATR:-

Thomas Darby will only take his chance in the Unibet Champion Hurdle if testing conditions prevail on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, trainer Olly Murphy has confirmed.

Runner-up to Klassical Dream in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park last March, the seven-year-old pursued a career over fences at the start of this season, but November defeats at Warwick and Kempton prompted a rethink.

The change of plan looked a wise call after Thomas Darby gave weight and a beating to his rivals in the Matchbook Holloway’s Hurdle at Ascot last month – form that received a significant boost after the sixth, Pic D’Orhy, claimed the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

Thomas Darby is as short as 12-1 for the Champion Hurdle on March 10, but Murphy is currently favouring an appearance at Fontwell on Sunday before a tilt at the Aintree Hurdle in April.

He said: “We’ve left him in (the Champion Hurdle), but we’d only think about if it looked like the ground was going to be very soft.

“The first preference at the moment is to run in the National Spirit at Fontwell and then go on to Aintree.

“It makes sense to leave the Cheltenham option open, but it would have to be very soft for him to run.”
 
Why will he only run at Cheltenham if it's very soft but will run at Aintree when it's more likely to be G/S?
 
moehat said:
Why will he only run at Cheltenham if it's very soft but will run at Aintree when it's more likely to be G/S?
Click to expand...
Suspect Olly believes 2 and a half miles is his distance. To drop back he'd need it very slow. And if he's to prime him for one, then the one with the distance that suits best will be his choice.

I think he'd get tapped for toe in a CH on decent ground myself. Remember the supreme is a staying race and it was on v slow ground last year and he really only stayed on into a place after everything else faded. He just doesn't have the speed imo.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I wouldn't be surprised if the aim is to get some of that recent rise back off ahead of the Coral Cup.
Click to expand...

That's not going to happen. If he pulled up, the handicapper would just assume it's an after effect of his Betfair exertion... Paul Nicholl's for the most part, treats Cheltenham like any other meeting...His prime objective is to win races and win Champion trainer. The man is a competative freak. If Pic D'Orhy runs, he'll be in it to win it!
 
Maxbet said:
That's not going to happen. If he pulled up, the handicapper would just assume it's an after effect of his Betfair exertion... Paul Nicholl's for the most part, treats Cheltenham like any other meeting...His prime objective is to win races and win Champion trainer. The man is a competative freak. If Pic D'Orhy runs, he'll be in it to win it!
Click to expand...

Agree with this. He is clearly thinking Champion Hurdle.
 
Maxbet said:
That's not going to happen. If he pulled up, the handicapper would just assume it's an after effect of his Betfair exertion... Paul Nicholl's for the most part, treats Cheltenham like any other meeting...His prime objective is to win races and win Champion trainer. The man is a competative freak. If Pic D'Orhy runs, he'll be in it to win it!
Click to expand...

He clearly wasn't in the Triumph last year.
 
Desert Orchid said:
He clearly wasn't in the Triumph last year.
Click to expand...

Very different circumstances for the Triumph. PFN had only had him a few weeks.
They thought hoped he'd be good and took teh chance to throw him straight into the Triumph to see what he could do.
Truth is, nobody really knew what to fully expect then.
Nicholls said recently, that in Hindsight he'd had a very busy time in France with 7 runs in 6 months before the move.
 
Yes, not the same but I'm selective about what Nicholls (and Hendo etc) say.

EG, re PDH, last year he made it clear the regard in which he held the horse but on the morning of the Betfair he said in his blog - in bold type - not to read anything into jockey bookings for the race and a mini-gamble subsequently developed on Ecco (B Frost) while Cobden hinted after the race that he was never going to get off PDO.

Nicholls also won the Coral Cup a few years back with Aux Petits Soins on his stable debut, landing a gamble in the process.

I wouldn't be surprised if he has already identified his main hope for next year's Betfair and that we won't see too much of it in the meantime.
 
wilsonl said:
From ATR:-

Thomas Darby is as short as 12-1 for the Champion Hurdle on March 10, but Murphy is currently favouring an appearance at Fontwell on Sunday before a tilt at the Aintree Hurdle in April.”
Click to expand...

Shame - hope it comes up soft and he gets a run. Not much chance in a strong year, but can see him placing this time as in the Supreme, if ground indeed on soft side. A point was made that came past tired horses in that race - but another way to look at it was that timed his run late and stayed on well - as had done in his run at the track earlier that season (the reason I backed him e/w). Recent hurdles return was emphatic and always good to be on one proven to act at Cheltenham.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Desert Orchid said:
Nicholls also won the Coral Cup a few years back with Aux Petits Soins on his stable debut, landing a gamble in the process.
Click to expand...

Connections (Hales and Nicholls) already have the Favourite for the Coral Cup in Protektorat .

Already a course and distance winner too
 
Last edited:
Fast Eddie said:
A point was made that came past tired horses in that race - but another way to look at it was that timed his run late and stayed on well - as had done in his run at the track earlier that season (the reason I backed him e/w). Recent hurdles return was emphatic and always good to be on one proven to act at Cheltenham.
Click to expand...

Another way to look at it...Race wasn't run strongly enough!
 
Maxbet said:
Connections (Hales and Nicholls) already have the Favourite for the Coral Cup in Protektorat .

Already a course and distance winner too
Click to expand...

Protektorat is trained by Dan Skelton - also slightly different ownership being in the syndicate of Sir A Ferguson, G Mason, J Hales & L Hales.

Regarding the Coral Cup, I've no doubt Skelton will be priming him to the minute for this race.
He's already shown serious talent for festival H'Cap target training, with multiple County hurdle winners.

Just feel Protektorat was harshly done by for his performance LTO, getting put up 5lbs for a 5L 3rd to Harry Senior.
Not saying he can't win off OR 144, but it seems as though he's still priced as if he's rated 139 !
Unibet must think they know something - they have him lowest at 8/1 FAV, without NRNB concession!! :blink:
 
That win for Song For Someone has to be a fillip of sorts for Thomas Darby backers. Certainly can't be a negative.

Apologies to anyone who backed Diego Du Charmil today but I cheered SFS home despite not having a bet in the race. Diego has been an absolute bandit of a horse for me over the years, losing when I've backed it and winning when I haven't.

Had I owned a cat it would have been in grave danger of a serious kicking.
 
Re it being a trial race, in the last 20 years, 30 horses have ran in the Kingwell and gone on to run in the Champion Hurdle that year and 3 have won and 7 have placed.
 
Last edited:
pawras said:
Re it being a trial race, in the last 20 years, 30 horses have ran in the Kingwell and gone on to run in the Champion Hurdle that year and 3 have won and 7 have placed.
Click to expand...

I would have thought being a week closer to the festival this year because of the cancelled fixture could have an adverse affect on that record.
 
Benie Des Dieux

Some shady movement in and around her for the Champion, I think there may be an announcement soon.
 
You are probably right. It's probably more to do with the Epatante scare....reading it wrong.
 
the racing post article about her being favourite the other day was bizarre

f*cking rag is a joke these days
 
Back
Top