The Road to the 2017 Champion Hurdle

I did beat the drum for Yanworth being kept over 2 miles after his last run but I'm not sure what he's just done there is a CH winning performance. The big thing is that he doesn't jump well enough.

Depends what turns up in March but I'm reluctant to back him right now.


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Grasshopper said:
Tanlic, this is a tremendously game and late-breaking tilt at the Bullshi*t Post of the Year prize. :lol:

Rooster Booster needed an end-to-end gallop, and it is no coincidence that his best performances came in strongly-run races like Champion Hurdles and high-end handicaps like the Tote Gold Trophy. They were the only races ever run to suit him, and he eventually became ungenuine (there were always mild traces of this throughout most of his career) when he found himself facing a handful of rivals, in tactically-run Graded races.

Top-end handicaps allow for a much more accurate assessment of superiority, than any of the sh*itbox so-called 'trial' events like the Fighting Fifth, Xmas Hurdle do, and RB was miles ahead of his peer-group. Your argument seems to be that running in handicaps made him no better than a handicapper, which is complete bollocks. Over the last 20 years, I reckon only Faugheen and Istrabraq would comfortably have dispatched Rooster Booster at his best. Jezki and Hurricane Fly might have done so - but I wouldn't be rushing to back either to do so.

As for the remainder, old Foghorn Leghorn would have wiped his arse with every other Champion Hurdler, and if you seriously think the likes of Hors La Loi III, Sublimity, Katchit, Punjabi etc are in remotely the same league as him, then you should really give the game up.

PS. He would have humped the ponce Binocular too. Just so you know.

Merry Xmas, you slavering old twat. :<3:

:cool:
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Merry Xmas Pal....What do you make of Yanworth?. I couldn't believe he won after the pressure he was under, he looked absolutely goosed.

NTD might just have enough time to get one novice chase into TNO and still have a crack at the Arkle or he can sit and hope Faugheen and Annie don't turn up and he can get a CH place......Horse owes them nothing though with 850k in the kitty
 
Tanlic said:
Merry Xmas Pal....What do you make of Yanworth?. I couldn't believe he won after the pressure he was under, he looked absolutely goosed.

NTD might just have enough time to get one novice chase into TNO and still have a crack at the Arkle or he can sit and hope Faugheen and Annie don't turn up and he can get a CH place......Horse owes them nothing though with 850k in the kitty
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All TNO needs is a jockey - Once again STD proves clueless at judgement of pace.
 
reet hard said:
All TNO needs is a jockey - Once again STD proves clueless at judgement of pace.
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I have to agree these were my exact thoughts while watching live. I'm not a clock watcher or a sectionals man, but I felt Sam didn't set a strong enough pace. He needed to run the finish out of Yanworth, yet instead all the way round I felt he was setting it up for him.
Not so sure TNO can fare any better than previous placed efforts in a CH, but firmly believe he would be seen to better effect than today with Dickie Johnson on board.
 
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Yanworth and NTO are basically the same animals, imo. Neither have tactical speed required, but would be players in a year when the best in the division are posted missing. Neither would finish in the same parish as a fully-fit Faugheen, though.
 
It was a top race though with Noel Fehily sacrificing MTOY to give Yanworth a chance.
Fehily is tactically one of the most astute jockeys riding and showed that again.
A go to man for as long as he has left riding and he will be missed.
Race of the day for me though i would have preferred had TNO prevailed as his consistency has to be applauded given the yo yo form of his stable through the years.
 
Yanworth is something else. Only the 4th horse in 5 seasons to beat TNO outside Cheltenham and the 2nd to beat him by more than a length. Expect Yanworth to be suited even more by Cheltenham.
 
6's in pretty fair about Yanworths chances in March. There's doubts about the two ahead of him and I'm sceptical that Ricci will allow them both to run in the same race. If that plays out he looks nailed on for a place with a chance neither will show up.
 
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Grasshopper said:
Yanworth and NTO are basically the same animals, imo. Neither have tactical speed required, but would be players in a year when the best in the division are posted missing. Neither would finish in the same parish as a fully-fit Faugheen, though.
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Given the ground, the track and the lack of pace, Yanworth showed a pretty smart change of gear to come away from them at the end, and I wouldn't be decrying his chances over what's more likely a much more suitable test.
 
Cheekpieces on in the champion....Yanworth is a major player once he jumps a small bit better. Reminds me a bit of Hardy Eustace at a similar stage in his career.
 
reet hard said:
Given the ground, the track and the lack of pace, Yanworth showed a pretty smart change of gear to come away from them at the end, and I wouldn't be decrying his chances over what's more likely a much more suitable test.
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I didn't see any change of gear myself, reet.

On my reading of the race, he outstayed TNO (who has even less speed), and MTOY basically threw the towel in - again - under conditions which should have been more-or-less ideal for him. And the ground made-up by Ch'tibello in the last quarter mile, also suggests that all Yanworth was doing was staying-on - that's my interpretation, at least.

As per previous, I only decry his Champion Hurdle chances in the event that Faugheen or Annie Power or both, run in the race. In their absence, I've already conceded he would likely be a player in a poor renewal.
 
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She'd scoot away after two-out, and have the race won before Yanworth was able to do anything about it, I reckon. The 7lbs is not to be under-estimated.
 
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She beat MTOY and NC less than 5 lengths last March. Her CH the most overrated this side of Binocular's

If they're keeping Faugheen back till Aintree because her soppy owners want another Champion Hurdle for her before she calls it a day I can't think of anything better than Yanworth doing her.
 
The Mullins Man has a plan but what it actually is who knows. Both Faugheen and Annie Power are getting the Quevega treatment and you are unlikely to see either until late Jan/Feb

Ricci doesn't need to risk running them.... Just back them before he tell us mig punters where they are running :0)

They won't be losing any sleep with possible the 3 best hurdlers around in their care
 
Grasshopper said:
I didn't see any change of gear myself, reet.

On my reading of the race, he outstayed TNO (who has even less speed), and MTOY basically threw the towel in - again - under conditions which should have been more-or-less ideal for him. And the ground made-up by Ch'tibello in the last quarter mile, also suggests that all Yanworth was doing was staying-on - that's my interpretation, at least.

No, you're just seeing what you want to see and ignoring what was a fairly pedestrian pace anyway - Philistine!
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I said it after his Ascot race that Yanworth showed a good turn of foot to put 10 lengths between him and GLV after the last. He showed improvement here when getting the better of TNO. who some people fail to acknowledge the top class horse he is over 2 miles. Its only his second time getting beat by more than a length outside Chelt for 5 years!! Hurricane Fly got beat a lot more times outside Chelt and not by better opposition, he was beaten by Muirhead & Grivete.

Its clear to me that Yanworth could be anything over 2 miles. AP with the allowance could potentially give him a race but her best trip is over 2 and half so in the CH I expect Y to come on top especially if he continues the progress that he shown from his first run to yesterday's. With Faugheen either retired or in the WH, Yanworth looks the one to be on at this stage.
 
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