The Road to the 2017 Champion Hurdle

Here you go Tanlic

Politician-turned-broadcaster Ivan Yates embraced a somewhat aggressive line of questioning that, arguably, racing hacks too often shy away from in deference to a legendary interviewee. Annie Power, Yates claimed, had been the subject of rumours.[h=4]Pleasing[/h]Mullins: "How do you mean?"
Yates: "Well you know, maybe she's not as pleasing as she should be?"

"Well," the Closutton handler replied, "I didn't hear that anyway. . . I heard rumours she was gone to stud, that she would never race again. Well she hasn't gone to stud anyway and she is in great form."
Yates then asked - "they won't take each other on at the Cotswolds, will they?" - and the response was seemingly what nobody expected.

Mullins said: "I don't know, if you had two Champion Hurdle horses what would you do? If you finished second in the Champion Hurdle, would we be thinking to ourselves, we might run the two of them?
"If you're lucky enough to have one Champion Hurdle horse, but then you have two. . . I don't know. They are both probably getting on in age. If she comes back to herself, lots of people say Faugheen should run in the (Stayers' Hurdle).

"I wonder coming out of Cheltenham if you finished second in the Champion Hurdle and won one of the other races with the other one, would you say, should we have. . . which would you rather?"
Getting to the business at hand, Mullins could not guarantee that the horse which everyone, except his rivals' connections, wants to witness on Sunday at Leopardstown would take part - but the vibes are strong.

"So far so good with Faugheen, we are looking forward to Sunday. He'll gallop tomorrow or Wednesday and I expect him to gallop well," he said.
"We have to see will he turn up. Coming back from injury, not having a run, it's very hard for a horse to run (to his mark if 176). I am hoping he will improve for the run but Petit Mouchoir might improve as well. When they improve, you don't know when they are going to stop improving.

"Nichols Canyon should be able to run. He disappointed at Christmas. We've changed a few things with him since. He is better than that, but I was very impressed with Petit Mouchoir. He looked to do it very easy."
Mullins also had interesting words to say about last Sunday's novice chase winner Yorkhill. Min, rather than Yorkhill, will tackle Sunday's Frank Ward Solicitors Irish Arkle, but Yorkhill may take a surprisingly different route next season.

He said: "When I asked Ruby (Walsh), he said he was happy (with Yorkhill). Looking at him yesterday, should he go back (in trip)? To me he's a Champion Hurdler in time.
"I didn't make up my mind until the last minute (to go chasing). If his jumping doesn't improve up in grade, I could go back hurdling in a flash. I'm surprised I even went novice chasing with him this year."

Options open - and so were many mouths at the Dublin venue of the launch as the champion trainer had everyone wondering. He added that Weatherbys Champion Bumper favourite Getabird would likely run on Thursday at Gowran.
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If they all come back ok there's no way AP & Faugheen clash in a champion hurdle. If Faugheen runs well Sunday, he doesn't necessarily have to win, he will go Champion Hurdle route. Annie Power will go to the mares hurdle, she could go straight there without a prep & still **** in if she's half right & VVM will go to the stayers hurdle.


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Annie Power would only run in the Mares if her wheels fell off. Rich Ricci made that clear that no Mares she is a Championship horse. So unless she is not in decent form and they can't get her there spot on then she will go Champion Hurdle.

Don't forget he's had her spot on in March for the last 4 years and only lost 1. How many times did he get Quevaga there spot on.

59K the Mares 96K for finishing 2nd in the CH Ruby might want her to run elsewhere because he can only ride one.........All Ricci has spoken about for the 2 is CH and WH the mares was not on his mind in the interview with MC
 
Little bits of blue have been popping up across various bookies all week. Faugheen tightening for the Champion, and Annie for the Mares....even betbright (Ricci) clipped her from 5/2 to 2's yesterday. Money talks but it can't sing and dance, and she ain't taking a walk.
 
Tanlic said:
59K the Mares 96K for finishing 2nd in the CH Ruby might want her to run elsewhere because he can only ride one.........All Ricci has spoken about for the 2 is CH and WH the mares was not on his mind in the interview with MC
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All he spoke about with Vautour last year was Gold Cup or nothing so forgive me, but I wouldn't trust a thing out of that fellas mouth.


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Your being naive and slagging the wrong man.

There is not a chance in hell she will go for the Mares if she is 100% like last year and all the gems in the world won't pull the wool over his eyes this time
 
Maxbet said:
Little bits of blue have been popping up across various bookies all week. Faugheen tightening for the Champion, and Annie for the Mares....even betbright (Ricci) clipped her from 5/2 to 2's yesterday. Money talks but it can't sing and dance, and she ain't taking a walk.
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:lol: sorry I shouldn't laugh

So you think these BET 365 or Betbright prices have any reflection on a real market

They are NRNB which is the biggest con ever to hit the industry

They have absolutely no bearing on what will run
Annie Power 7/4
Apples Jade 9/4
Vroum Vroum Mag 2/1

Do you think for one minute Apple Jade would be 9/4 if Annie Power turns up? Pity anyone who takes that price and she does.

Add to that if Apples Jade and Vroum Mag don't run then Annie power would be 4/11 so why are some bookies offering 2/1......it's because they know she is highly unlikely to run not the other way round
and they can stick your dosh in the bank and get interest on it.........Costly if they are wrong of course but indications are they are not
 
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Tanlic, you now make me feel sorry for you, you're probably a war veteran into his 90s or probably past his 100 years of life and from the Great War so maybe I shouldn't have been so disrespectful but can I make a suggestion ? for your own health, this is the million`th time when you spend time arguing with yourself.. really is there no one that can take care of you so you enjoy whats remaining of this beautiful life instead of writing on internet forums?
 
Tanlic said:
Your being naive and slagging the wrong man.

There is not a chance in hell she will go for the Mares if she is 100% like last year and all the gems in the world won't pull the wool over his eyes this time
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I don't think I'm being naive. It did actually happen last year with Vautour & Ricci mouthing off from after the KG right up to a day or two before the GC. In a number of previews he stated It was the Gold Cup or nothing! He let a lot of punters down and publicly had to apologise for his comments. If anyone's being naive it's you, taking Rich Ricci's word as gospel! Once bitten and all that.


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Kauto Abu said:
I don't think I'm being naive. It did actually happen last year with Vautour & Ricci mouthing off from after the KG right up to a day or two before the GC. In a number of previews he stated It was the Gold Cup or nothing! He let a lot of punters down and publicly had to apologise for his comments. If anyone's being naive it's you, taking Rich Ricci's word as gospel! Once bitten and all that.


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You are spot on. I would not be at all surprised for Annie to run in the Mares. Especially if Faugheen is fit and ready for the CH. It will also more than likely be her last race, and they will want to ensure its a winning one.
 
A pity. She is very hard to keep sound. She was to work again yesterday & has obviously not stood up to increasing the workload with a view to that Punchestown race. She didn't pull out sound this morning. So now it looks like Faugheen champion, Limini mares and VVM stayers.


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Id say they'll wait & see what Faugheen does first Sunday before a decision is made re Yorkhill. He has taken everything they've thrown at him since Christmas & is really moving well.


Will Jezki be considered for it now?


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Willie "leg injury and misses Cheltenham" ?? more likely leg injury and misses at least 1 year depending on severity. Like before there's no one from the yard that will confirm or deny anything, like a false injury being reported so they can save her for Aintree.
 
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