The Champion Hurdle 2010

granger said:
The CH may very well have a new favourite Saturday afternoon
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Certainly if either Punjabi or Celestial Halo were to win that would very likely be the case, the others look a bit short of their standard. It would be a bit of a surprise if one or other of them couldn't win.
 
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Boylesports: 11-10 Celestial Halo, 13-8 Punjabi, 6 Medermit, 8 Khyber Kim, 14 Ashkazar, 33 Ebadiyan, 40 Songe, Cape Tribulation, 66 Secret Dancer, 100 Oslot.
 
The good thing about races like this is that it gives us the chance to see how the top handicap form ties in with the conditions-race form. I think KK's Greatwood win is very hot form. He might be the one for the forecast.
 
Interesting comments today
Paul Nicholls is confident Celestial Halo can build on last month's impressive Wincanton success in the Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Last year's Champion Hurdle runner-up had no problem defying top-weight in the Elite Hurdle and his trainer believes his charge is in even better form now as he prepares to lock horns with his Cheltenham conqueror Punjabi again.

"Celestial Halo is in good order. He came out of his race at Wincanton very well. He surprised me there with his performance and he looks like he has improved a lot for the run," said the Ditcheat handler.

"He was at a similar stage at Wincanton as Twist Magic was in the Haldon Gold Cup on his seasonal return. We saw how much Twist Magic had improved on Saturday and hopefully Celestial Halo has gone the same way.

"He was a good stayer on the Flat and he needs a good gallop. I will have to chat to Clive Smith to see if he will let us have Kauto Star as a pacemaker!

"Last year, he was four going on five and is much stronger and more mature this season. He likes Cheltenham and I am very happy with him. He needs to improve as he is taking on Punjabi, but we are hoping for a good run.

"We have also entered Oslot and, if it looks like there is likely to be no pace, we might run him to ensure a good gallop."

Alan King is set to be represented by Medermit, who was third on his first outing of the campaign in the Greatwood Hurdle.

"We did think about novice chasing, but we want to make up our minds after Saturday," said the trainer. "We think he has improved since the Greatwood and it is a question of whether we aim him at the Champion Hurdle or the Arkle Trophy.

"Deep down, I have a feeling he is not a Champion Hurdle horse, but we will see on Saturday. He was unlucky not to win the Supreme Novices' last season and he ran very well in the Greatwood. I am looking forward to seeing him out again."
 
Celestial Halo seems very well fancied for this (seemingly justifiably so, with Punjabi reportedly a bit behind at this stage). Evens with Ladbrokes.

I added a little more 7/1 in addition to some 12s already taken on him yesterday in anticipation of a win at the weekend (backing up my bet on Binocular). I think I'll leave the race alone at the weekend unless Punjabi comes out too far.
 
What the heck is Alan Jones doing with Secret Dancer?

The horse is more than capable of picking up a nice Graded novice hurdle yet he's running him in this?
 
CH I feel is almost a shoe in for this race, seems to love Cheltenham and will be cherry ripe after Wincanton. Cant see Punjabi being fit enough. Of the others think KK is the one to bussle up CH. The other line I am starting to consider is how good the supreme form may be from last year. At first thought it looked a little weak but after Go Native, Somersby and one or two others have franked the form it looks alot stronger now. That puts Medermit as a potential improver.
 
granger said:
Khyber Kim. Another contender. This CH market is impossible to manage
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There are more angles in this race than a feckin Hexagon. I'm taking the view that last year's race was sub-standard and it'll pay to ignore all the contenders from it.

Kauto said:
The other line I am starting to consider is how good the supreme form may be from last year.
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Yes. Medermit ran really well there and will be better on a faster surface for me. Funnily enough Hurrican Fly has drifted a bit since the Boylesports. You'd think with his line of form with Go Native that his position would have been strengthened - especially with the huge flaws apparent in Celestial Halo at the top level. I'm laying back my bet on him.
 
Well done, Kauto. KHYBER KIM bustled them all up and a lovely finish it was, too. He also appears to have stolen the heart of his lass in no uncertain way!
 
I thought Punjabi was pretty eye catching today and travelled like a class horse before fitness told. Of the "big three" from last year he would be my selection. Celestial Halo looks so one paced (admittidly at a high gear) and will find it even harder back on the Champion Hurdle course. Winner looks very speedy indeed.
 
I think it was a very good edition
Celestial halo posted and career best performance in my figures (169) and DO was right about the Greatwood.

Zaynar didnt impressed me today as much as he did at Ascot , some doubts about his jumping.


the division looks incredibly hot for the moment with more than 6 horses with a real chance in the Champion hdl.
 
I think the case for running Dunguib gets stronger everytime the horses at the top of the betting run. I predict he will be sub 8-1 after his next demolition job.
 
trackside528 said:
Ebadiyan is absolutely screaming to go up in trip.
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I like Oliver Brady, but he's making an absolute hash of this horse's campaign in my book.

If there's one thing that the Irish calendar caters for in the run-up to Christmas, it's two and a half mile hurdlers. I understand he reckons the horse wants better ground, but that's hardly going to matter when the horse can't go the gallop in top two miles with the added risk that it's going to sour him.

This horse should be running in the likes of the Hatton's Grace and the Tara, not the Bula.
 
Is it not fair to say the horse is anything but Grade 1 class. I think he is trip less. Hes on a long list of horses who always have an excuse when they are beaten.
 
Possibly but he's been crying out to step up in trip for ages now. The fact that the horse isn't genuine isn't relevant to how he's campaigned.

One thing for sure is that races in which he can't go the pace after the first mile aren't going to do him any good.
 
Im not so sure. I just think there will be a twist with Dungkib after his next run. Let be serious, no one could have predicted the Champion Hurdle would look this wide open at this stage. That does not suggest strength in depth to me. Dunguib could be a monster and he should not be ruled out because he is a novicce
 
I have Dunguib at 153P, the horse is a 6yo, I like him but the division is very hot for the moment for a novice


Punjabi(6) 166
Celestial Halo(5) 169
Binocular (5) 169
Solwhit (5) 166p
Khyber Kim(7) 168+
Hurricane Fly(5) 157p
Zaynar(4) 168p
Go Native (6) 160+?
Medermit(5) 162p


Crack away Jack(5) 164p



plenty of them young horses and very good jumpers.
 
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