The Champion Hurdle 2010

Indeed so. He seems to be coming back to himself though, unlike others who are steadily getting worse.
 
I see in the RP today that Celestial Halo is one of three sharing top rating on RPRs for the Champion Hurdle....

They've obviously decided against adjusting the Wincanton form downwards. 16/1 could make him big value.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I see in the RP today that Celestial Halo is one of three sharing top rating on RPRs for the Champion Hurdle....

They've obviously decided against adjusting the Wincanton form downwards. 16/1 could make him big value.
Click to expand...

I'd like to believe that. But for whatever reason his chance looks to be sliding away to me.
 
A remark that could just as easily apply to any of the animals involved in last year's race. I expect none of them will fair much better than Katchit and Osana did last year on their return.
 
Euronymous said:
A remark that could just as easily apply to any of the animals involved in last year's race. I expect none of them will fair much better than Katchit and Osana did last year on their return.
Click to expand...

I'd be more optimistic for Binocular and Punjabi than for Celestial, although I'd have to agree the likes of Zaynar and Solwhit look to justify pole positions at the moment.
 
Time is healing my disappointment over CH's last two runs.

When I see the others come out and fail to hit anything better than the Wincanton figure I have for CH, I look forward all the more to the better ground and milder weather allowing him to return to form with a vengeance.

And then some...
 
DO - Dont you think CH is a little too 1 dimensional and will need everything to fall right for him to win the race. It certainly needs a great ride, possibly easy lead, dictate the fraction and hope he has the finish still to outlast the others.

I really couldnt have him for the last year's race and he ran a cracker. He just seem too slow to me, if Big Bucks wasnt around, Im certain, connections would have gone down the stayers route.
 
He didn't look one dimensional at Wincanton.

I repeat what I said much earlier. They thought they might have had a champion hudler in Azertyuiop. As soon as they realised they didn't they sent him chasing, as they do with all their best hurdlers. They reckoned this one could be champion hurdler for a couple of years so decided to stick with him. If the last two races were his true form he'd have been sent novice chasing with the Arkle as the target.
 
I don't think Nicholls would know a Champion Hurdler if he fell over one to be honest. He's strictly a trainer of Chasers for me. Big Bucks doesn't go chasing because of Denman and Kauto Star. I think you could make the same argument for CH with Master Minded and Twist Magic.
 
Jesus Christ DO, I admire your consistency in terms of your opinion but if you are basing your opinion on an early season handicap at Wincanton then you're well on your way to the poor house
 
Euronymous said:
I don't think Nicholls would know a Champion Hurdler if he fell over one to be honest. He's strictly a trainer of Chasers for me. Big Bucks doesn't go chasing because of Denman and Kauto Star. I think you could make the same argument for CH with Master Minded and Twist Magic.
Click to expand...

Big Buck's went chasing and didn't take to it. He might even have beaten Denman in his first Hennessy if he hadn't fallen.
 
Bobbyjo said:
Jesus Christ DO, I admire your consistency in terms of your opinion but if you are basing your opinion on an early season handicap at Wincanton then you're well on your way to the poor house
Click to expand...

The money went on weeks ago. I'm camped outside the door of the poorhouse :ninja:

The guy camped next to me reckons Kauto Star ran to form in the 2008 Gold Cup. Must be a junkie of some sort. Keeps on about his dosage.
 
Last edited:
Desert Orchid said:
He didn't look one dimensional at Wincanton.

I repeat what I said much earlier. They thought they might have had a champion hudler in Azertyuiop. As soon as they realised they didn't they sent him chasing, as they do with all their best hurdlers. They reckoned this one could be champion hurdler for a couple of years so decided to stick with him. If the last two races were his true form he'd have been sent novice chasing with the Arkle as the target.
Click to expand...

DO, 2 things you don't seem to be picking up on (imho)

1. They don't think they have a Champion Hurdle winner, and he's 95% certain to go chasing next season - Stewart couldn't be more pessimistic about his CH chances, and has confirmed the chasing scenario.

2, The Wincanton form is typical of early season handicap form - the differences in fitness will bring about seemingly high/low figures and are often not to be trusted. The figure you (& to be fair, many) arrived at for CH is indicative of this.

Your optimism is impressive though - I tried a similar stance with Blythe Knight a couple of years back in the hope of early retirement!
 
Cheers, dj. Wrong Hennessy.

It was MDB's Hennessy he might have won. He was off 153 that day and, given what it takes to win a Hennessy, he'd have been a 165+ horse on that performance. Not bad for a horse that wasn't a natural jumper of fences.

That was the last defeat of BB's career so far.
 
Last edited:
I can see Celestial putting his best foot forward at the festival but in my opinion the Wincanton form is a complete red herring.He was given the softest of leads and Mamlook -in my opinion that wasn't meant to be his day.
 
SL reports that Binocular is having a " full MOT" and Henderson has reported that some " interesting things have cropped up " . Perhaps he does have some back problem or such like which is why his hurdling technique has changed and he is much less slick ?
 
Ardross said:
SL reports that Binocular is having a " full MOT" and Henderson has reported that some " interesting things have cropped up " . Perhaps he does have some back problem or such like which is why his hurdling technique has changed and he is much less slick ?
Click to expand...

Is he signing the vets' sheets himself?

Serously, though, in a way, I'd quite like them to discover that Binocular has had a problem. It's always disappointing when a possible champion gets disappointing. Regardless of where my money lies, I just want to witness great performers and performances.

I'd really like them to discover that Celestial Halo has had an undiagnosed problem since Wincanton...:)
 
Desert Orchid said:
Is he signing the vets' sheets himself?

Serously, though, in a way, I'd quite like them to discover that Binocular has had a problem. It's always disappointing when a possible champion gets disappointing. Regardless of where my money lies, I just want to witness great performers and performances.

I'd really like them to discover that Celestial Halo has had an undiagnosed problem since Wincanton...:)
Click to expand...

Agreed - and moreover to be honest about their problems. For example, it was plain that Black Jack Ketchum went from looking top top class as a novice and in the Relkeel to a serious flop in the Cleeve and never came anywhere near his previous form again but only when he was retired was it really admitted that he had had serious problems since the Cleeve.

It is not as if , as one sometimes suspects with stallion prospects , that hiding problems has some major benefit to the owners.
 
I would imagine there is something bothering Binocular just by the way he tends to sweat up so freely beforehand. Before I get shot down in that he may well have done it earlier in his career if it may be aproblem that is getting worse, and it is affecting his performance. I too am disappointed he hasn't fulfilled his potential. Its easy to slag a horse off and say "its gone at the game" or it was flattered but I love to see good horses come through, ignite our passion and continue and win championship races, rather than promise so much and fizzle out. It was blatently obvious Black Jack was suffering from something and I'm sorry they were unable to sort it out in time. I felt very sorry for the horse - one minute he is on great terms with himself and then he's struggling and getting beaten. And it does affect horses mentally.
 
Ardross said:
Agreed For example, it was plain that Black Jack Ketchum went from looking top top class as a novice and in the Relkeel to a serious flop in the Cleeve and never came anywhere near his previous form again but only when he was retired was it really admitted that he had had serious problems since the Cleeve.
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware of that.

Did they disclose what the problems were?
 
not quite sure what the problems are but it has been obvious throughout this season that something hasn't been right. he has been nowhere near the form he has shown over the last couple of years.
 
Back
Top