The Road to the 2017 Champion Hurdle

archie said:
Watching last year's Supreme, BDA was in a decent position coming down the hill. maybe 2 lengths behind Min. He was unable to kick on the ground when Altior and Min went several lengths clear and I tend to think that the same will happen in the Champion. The ground at Sandown (and the opposition) meant that he didn't have to accelerate in the way he'll have to at Cheltenham and, even if Faugheen doesn't show up, I can see Petit Mouchoir for one kicking on round the bend and being difficult to peg back.
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I seem to recall Nicky saying he'd have like to get another month into BD a few days beforehand and by memory him drifting out to 14/1 in a place on the day.

Don't forget Sprinter Scare and the brilliant Spirit Son found it all too much for them but like BD neither was given a really hard race

Nicky won it a few years back with Flown and River Ceriog and it virtually was the end of them and it has been said it's not a fav race of his.


The Buveur we have now is along way from the one who ran in the supreme and the least of his problems is speed..If he gets a bit of cut he'll make them all go.

Like you I would expect Petite Mouchair to go for home sometime shortly after the 3rd last and hopefully catch them out but the Buvuer D'air scares me big time because he can quicken on a sixpence.......If Petete can't find that few lengths going to the last I'd fancy Buveur D'air to come up the hill that bit stronger
 
NICKY HENDERSON liked what he saw from Buveur D'Air at Sandown on Saturday but warned not to forget about his other leading Stan James Champion Hurdle candidate Brain Power.
Speaking after Buveur D'Air's victory, Henderson said: "Brain Power is very much in the picture, he didn't come here today because I was frightened of the ground. Until yesterday morning they were both going to run. "It's given Buveur D'Air a nice easy race but I have no hesitation in thinking Brain Power would have done the same thing. According to ratings he's a better horse."Considering pre-festival options for Brain Power, Henderson added: "You've only got Kelso and Wincanton left and I don't want to drag him through a bog. He's in top form, he's been doing it all really well, he worked beautifully with Altior this morning and they were great.
 
Very doubtful Fehily thought that DO. This was his reaction after Aintree.

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That's some statement considering he rode Rock on Ruby the year he beat the fly and Binocular in the champion hurdle. Any horse who wins a Grade 1 around Aintree over 2m doesn't lack pace, that's for sure.




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Desert Orchid said:
I watched the replay imagining how I'd have felt if I'd backed Buveur D'Air:

http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/video/20160315/2581905/15380447

I can see a case for arguing that he might have been closer to Min but maybe Fehily felt he wasn't up to going the early pace, even though the commentator suggested it wasn't too fast. (The time wasn't far behind the CH.)
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I think your complicating the obvious DO If wings were 3 pence a pound Nicky is so fly he'd be a millionaire.

Nicky was 100% on Altior as his number 1 to beat Min as he was well ahead of Buveur at the time in every way.

You can bet Noel was told to drop him out don't give him a hard race win if you can........and that would be said with Aintree in mind.

Don't forget he only was having his 3rd run over hurdles.

Altior showed he was the superior on the day and Nicky could have sent him to Aintree but he knew Buveur D'air would now be spot on so he roughed Altior off and the rest is history.

The big advantage people like Henderson Nicholls and Mullins have over others is they can do that sort of thing even in big races if they think a horse needs a bit more time and it usually pays off.
 
Talk of Supasundae....

Sutton Place gave him 5lbs and a 8l beating on the bridle. Had Champion Hurdle style all over it. JP and clan must be planning something very nice with him.
 
3/1 co favs Yanworth, Buveur D'air, Yorkhill now with Faugheen out. PP.


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Faugheen has been creating juice in the prices of those behind him in the market for months, increasingly so since the confirmed absence of Annie Power.

Now he's definitely out the AP market on this race is dead. Even if only one of those run you'll get 3/1 or more on the day with the added presence of Brain Power, Petit Mouchir et al.
 
Yorkhill shading favouritism at 11/4 in multiple places now. The plot thickens. I snared a bit of 5/1 Buv just before sportsbook adjusted their market. It always amazes me that Sportsbook are not quicker to react considering they own the exchange where it all happens first!
 
Double Handful said:
Yorkhill shading favouritism at 11/4 in multiple places now. The plot thickens. I snared a bit of 5/1 Buv just before sportsbook adjusted their market. It always amazes me that Sportsbook are not quicker to react considering they own the exchange where it all happens first!
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yeah i did the same. yorkhill could be the fly in the ointment.
 
If you're Graham Wylie and you win the Champion Hurdle for the first time with a horse who wouldn't even have been running if both of another owner's horses hadn't been injured I'd say you'd have cause to be pretty p*ssed off, despite winning the race eventually.

If you'd seen Altior and Annie/Faugheen bolt up on the Tuesday you'd probably have been content with winning the JLT.
 
It disappoints me that Graham Wylie doesn't support some of the northern trainers more these days [a]apologies to him if he does and I don't know about it and b]if there are any northern trainers left by the time I write this..].
 
I'm not totally convinced they'll re-route Yorkhill to the Champion Hurdle.

Thinking longer term Douvan wouldn't be an obvious stayer for the Gold Cup trip next season. More likely King George and Ryanair I'd say. Yorkhill should be a shoe in for the JLT and would seem a more obvious stayer for the Gold Cup for the Mullins camp next season.

That said with all the recent injuries they may take the short term view and strike at a weak looking Champion Hurdle while they can. My take is if they do he won't win it and delaying a year may harm his future chasing prospects.
 
Yorkhill wouldn't bother me at all. Since his Neptune win he has developed a kink. He jumped terrible at Aintree going left handed. He got his arse handed to him by Petit Mouchoir & Brain Power at Punchestown. Then this year at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown he jumped left again. He wont get away with that in a champion hurdle.


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edgt said:
Any chance Douvan might attempt the Flyingbolt double of Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase ?
Flyingbolt's prep was Thyestes Chase by the way. (Tied Cottage Chase had not been heard of)
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Completely bats. How much better would Arkle and Flyingbolt have been if Tom Dreaper had known what he was doing?
 
SP Only said:
Faugheen won't run Sunday IMO.

I doubt we will see him on the racecourse again. The more I hear from WM and watch his body language the more I feel there is more going on than we are hearing.

I'll be delighted to be proven wrong.
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As I said at time this whole scenario has been on the cards for weeks. The Yorkhill plunge on betfair the NC strength for ICH. Tbh the yard needs a warning over some of the shenanigans going on with Betfair and their running plans and the insider moves. When Ruby Walsh is in an article earlier today saying he's flying and then he's confirmed with a fracture just makes a mockery of the game?
 
@SP Only here's one from 3 months ago.

Aughex said:
somethings up at Willie's yard, Faugheen always picks up late injures so I'm really worried if we'll ever see him on a racetrack again. He thrives on racing, he needs as many races as possible to get him ready and yet almost halfway through the season and he's still not out. I think Willie keeps him entered just to hide whats going on in his yard. He never liked the horse.
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Faugheen and Min fans must be gutted..I just saw the news moments ago and thought Petite Mouchoir who I backed at 8/1 would be 5/2 ad he's still 9/2 with Faugheen out.. was thinking lay..n such luck lol

What is going on in that yard...4 of his top horses lost to injury all Ricci's can't help but feel sorry for them they must be sick as parrots.

With Faugheen and Annie gone it would appear the class has gone from the race but there will be a new Champion and there's few in there that could be anything.
Namely Petite Mouchoir, Brain Power and Buveur D'air all of who have been on the upgrade since the start of the season.....then again Yorkhill could beat them all...bit Ironic WPM or was it Ruby sad a few weeks ago he could be a Champion Hurdle horse?


Rich Ricci isn't they type of guy to lay down and let a Championship Race go without a fight so I expect he'll be asking WPM to run Vroum Vroum Mag
 
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