Road To The Champion Hurdle

Thirded. Barizan didn't exactly uphold the form in the Elite but he had a hard race so could have been feeling it...
 
granger said:
Fighting Fifth

11-8 Binocular, 3 Hurricane Fly, 9-2 Peddlers Cross, Menorah, 6 Starluck, 8 Clerk's Choice, 10 Sanctuaire, Get Me Out Of Here, Ashkazar, Nearby, Sublimity, 12-1 Donnas Palm, 33-1 Orsippus,
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Peddlers for me lads - HF won't run and Binocular is too hit and miss -
 
Given the profile of the race the last few years the Greatwood probably belongs in this thread. Get Me Out of Here was a fairly unlucky loser in the Supreme after the winner bumped him at a crucial stage and I'm trying to get 9 on Betfair. He was poor first time out but hopefully that was down to needing the run.
 
1988 - Floyd
1989 - Kribensis
1990 - Beech Road
1991 - Royal Derbi
1992 - Halkopous
1994 - Batanaboo
1995 - Padre Mio
1996 - Space Trucker
1997 - Star Rage
1998 - Dato Star
1999 - Dato Star
2000 - Barton
2001 - Landing Light
2002 - Intersky Falcon
2003 - The French Furze
2004 - Harchbald
2005 - Arcalis
2006 - Straw Bear
2007 - Go Native

correction...Kribensis did win CH...but that was one of the worst renewals ever
 
EC1 you admit yourself that most form reading is back fitting and the above is a perfect example. I"m sure if you went through the list of previous winners you could make a case for all sorts of conclusions other than the Champion Hurdle. The fact will remain that the winner of the Fighting Fifth will be more likely to win Champion Hurdle after the victory than before it.
 
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It looked a gift last year too and Henderson is quickly following in Paul Nicholls' footsteps with regard his RP column.
 
Gearoid said:
EC1 you admit yourself that most form reading is back fitting and the above is a perfect example. I"m sure if you went through the list of previous winners you could make a case for all sorts of conclusions other than the Champion Hurdle. The fact will remain that the winner of the Fighting Fifth will be more likely to win Champion Hurdle after the victory than before it.
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i don't really follow what you are saying..after- before?

I remember the Fighting Fifth when Sea Pigeon & co used to run in it..I also remember in those days that hurdlers at the top level competed against each other more often throughout the season..and the FF was a big early race that we all took notice of

nowadays hurdlers at that level are campaigned less..is that because many are flat breds?..more delicate..i don't know. What it does seem is that a CH winner now is brought to the boil between mid December onwards which means the FF is too early in the season in todays climate..imo.

now..thats my theory..and to be fair..its backed up by the that list of FF winners.

i don't think the FF registers anymore on the list of prep races when trainers map out their campaign for the CH

I don't see anything odd about certain races not being much good as pointers to other ones..there are lots of races on the flat that are good..or really bad pointers to future success.

the FF position of importance has been affected by the changing nature of the game..imo
 
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going back to the betting..Binocular must be one of the worst 11/8 shots ever

is he really going to be knocked about on his first run?..some of those horses are ready to roll already and are happy to have a FF on their CV..whereas the race is just a nice steady comeback for B

if that was the betting for the Xmas hurdle with a run under B's belt..then i can see where its coming from..but that is a joke surely?
 
to highlight the changing relevance of the FF

these are the winners in the early days and their success/failure the following March at Cheltenham..and no I don't know if they all ran in the CH after:)

1969 Mugatpura -
1970 Inishman -
1971 Dondieu -
1972 Comedy Of Errors - WON CH 1973
1973 Comedy Of Errors - 2nd CH
1974 Comedy Of Errors - WON CH 1975
1975 Night Nurse - WON CH 1976
1976 Birds Nest - 5th CH
1977 Birds Nest -
1978 Sea Pigeon - 2nd CH
1979 Birds Nest -
1980 Sea Pigeon - WON CH 1981

4 winners of the FF won the CH the following March in the first 12 years of the race..since then just 1 horse has done so in a weak year

that highlights the importance of the FF as a CH key race ..its traded on its early years hasn't it?

4 winners from 12..gone to 1 win from 30..but it isn't relevent eh?
 
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The Xmas Hurdle is another race thats overrated as a guide to the CH winner..these days

since it started in 1969

Lanzarote
Sea Pigeon
Dawn Run
Kribensis

no winner since

in my mind the Xmas hurdle is a stepping stone to the CH..but in reality these days..its no pointer at all..again trades on past glories
 
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