The Champion Hurdle 2010

Sheikh said:
Willie Mullins admits he is unsure when his star hurdler Hurricane Fly will return to racecourse action after suffering a sprained suspensory ligament.​
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I had a good horse go the same way. They tend to be a pale reflection of themselves if and when they do return. It's a real pisser.
 
Sounds of straws being clutched to try and say CH is a speed horse all of a sudden..

Punjabi may not end up retaining his title, but 13 on BF is huge, as the main dangers are now his 2 stablemates, one of who is unproven against top class older horses and the other (whom i like) has it to prove after the Fighting Fifith.
 
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Gearoid said:
If you had to price up a draw no bet match bet market on who will line up for the Champion Hurdle in March would Binocular not be at the very least a shade odds on over Hurricane Fly. I cant remember the last Champion Hurdle winner not to run at the festival the previous year.
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They never come back do they?
 
Galileo said:
Taking on Go Native, Binocular and Starluck on decent ground around Kempton is going to be a hell of a lot different than taking on that Wincanton bunch.
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I wouldn't be so categorical about that. I'm not sure they'd have been able to concede all that weight so effortlessly.
 
Hamm said:
Punjabi may not end up retaining his title, but 13 on BF is huge, as the main dangers are now his 2 stablemates, one of who is unproven against top class older horses and the other (whom i like) has it to prove after the Fighting Fifith.
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This is the view I'm taking... I've filled up on 12s - his last run was no different from his Wincanton run last season. I also recommend taking the 5s on Binocular (Ladbrokes) ahead of his Christmas Hurdle run.
 
Celestial Halo won't go to Kempton:

Nicholls relies on the unbeaten novice Pepe Simo.
"I had a chat with Andy and if the ground had been very testing we might have thought about it, but Kempton probably doesn't play to his strengths and I've been a bit easy on him since he ran at Cheltenham the other day so we'll let Pepe Simo take his chance and he might run a decent race," said Nicholls.

Source: PA
 
SteveM said:
Celestial Halo won't go to Kempton:

Nicholls relies on the unbeaten novice Pepe Simo.
"I had a chat with Andy and if the ground had been very testing we might have thought about it, but Kempton probably doesn't play to his strengths and I've been a bit easy on him since he ran at Cheltenham the other day so we'll let Pepe Simo take his chance and he might run a decent race," said Nicholls.

Source: PA
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For that, I'd read, "We know how much better CH is than PS so we'll get an idea of how far ahead of Binocular our fella is."
 
Using that as a barometer of how good CH is would be a worrying way for Nicholls to rate his horse.
 
Yes, I'm beginning to develop the same irrational love for Go Native that I had for Harchibald.....I can't see how he can be out of the frame at Cheltenham
 
Binocular is just not good enough.

I was impressed with the winner - should make for some viewing at Cheltenham.
 
I do not think stamina is an issue for Go Native and I do not think the track will make a difference. He finished his race today on a flat track as he did at Cheltenham up the hill - he clearly does very little once he hits the front and is pulling up rather than lack of stamina. It will all be about the ride he gets on the day.

I cannot help but thinking of Hurricane Fly...
 
Binocular looks tripless..maybe outclassed?...he gives the impression he needs a stamina test to me..but I just think he isn't good enough for the top flight at any trip
 
I was on GN today but wouldnt go near him for Cheltenham running like that. Its just too difficult for bridle horses there.
 
Euronymous said:
:D

Over a trip too short Cape Tribulation ran a cracker there. Zaynar the one to beat now for me.
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If I was on any of today's principals for Cheltenham I'd be worried about the proximity of Cape Tribulation. Today's race only served to advertise Zaynar's credentials and to confirm that Go Native will beat any of today's field any time anywhere.

Everything remains as it was. The big one is between Celestial Halo and Zaynar.
 
The Irish Christmas Hurdle is not going to make much difference with Hurricane Fly out unless Solwhit bolts up
 
I was disappointed with Binocular today but he didn't enjoy the ground. If you watch the re-run, you will see him nodding as he hits slow patches of ground - a good sign they aren't enjoying it.
 
Starluck's effort franks Zaynar's form yet again, and with zero stamina concerns, he is starting to look like a worthy favourite to me.

Hopefully Solwhit can pitch himself back into the picture in a couple of days time, but Zaynar becomes more appealing after every trial.
 
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