The Road to the 2017 Champion Hurdle

Highly competitive race to be sure as are most Championship races.
Just wondering with all the withdrawals and injuries how many of you that intended going to The Festival will now be staying at home ?
Very few if any I imagine.
 
I might stay at home if you intend to maintain your beans consumption.

I think Arctic Fire was a very good horse. He had a lovely floating stride that would have been ideally suited to fast ground but unfortunately he never got to show it in a big race.
 
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Given WM's comments after Limini's race today, I think she's sure to be supplemented now. He was clearly expecting her to come on for the run and said she'd run a stone better than he expected.

The Mare's race is clearly more suited to VVM and they won't be running against each other.

Its not unfathomable to think that she has improved significantly over the year and if she comes on for that run as WPM suggested, with more suitable conditions at Cheltenham, and in a wide open year, I think 12/1 is still a good ew bet.
 
i think WPM will have his eye on that big bonus for winning the Stayers and the race in America in May, so if that means Vroum Vroum Mag runs in the Stayers then so be it especially with the American connection and Ricci.
 
Do you not have to win that race in States first DG to qualify for the bonus if you win the stayers. I know that was the plan with ex Irish horse Rawnaq who won it last May & was targeting the stayers before injury ruled him out.

Do they allow winning stayers first & then American race?


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Guessing game of course, but still interesting on the Sporting Life...

Supplementing Limini for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival "has to be thought about", said trainer Willie Mullins.The Rich Ricci-owned six-year-old produced a spectacular performance in the Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown on Wednesday when she defeated a race-fit Apple's Jade on her first start since April.
Limini was roundly chopped in the betting for the OLBG Mares' Hurdle at the Festival next month, but her trainer has kept alive the intriguing prospect of adding her name to the Champion Hurdle list.
Mullins told the Irish Independent: "I haven't really discussed it with the owner but it (the Champion Hurdle) is certainly something that has to be thought about.
"She has lots of pace in the way that she works.
"Two miles or two and a half miles really makes no difference.
"I was delighted with how Wednesday worked out."

Injured stablemate Annie Power was supplemented for, and won, the Champion Hurdle after winning the same Punchestown contest 12 months ago.
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She wouldn't win the Champion Hurdle if she set of now. Apple Jade is not a reliable benchmark imo.

I already said she should be laid for the mares before yesterday's race for that very reason.

Look at AJ's form it's not worth tuppence if we are talking Champion Hurdle

You can forgive her her 1st run but then she loses to Irvine on that run she'd be tailed off in a Champion Hurdle

Then beats Vroum Vroum Mag which was just a bad day at the office for the Mullins mare.

Ricci would be better drinking his money that supplement Limini. I reckon VV mag would pick her up and carry her and she would be lucky to place in the CH.
 
Tanlic said:
You can forgive her her 1st run but then she loses to Irvine on that run she'd be tailed off in a Champion Hurdle

Then beats Vroum Vroum Mag which was just a bad day at the office for the Mullins mare.
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In fairness, AJ she was hampered by the fall of PM and otherwise she'd not have lost out to Irvine.

Also, Limini beat AJ with a degree of ease and was apparently not fully wound up.

Overall though, I take you're point about her not having CH winning form. For me, it rests more about the way WM spoke after the race and how shocked he looked after the performance.
 
With Geraghty out who rides Yanworth now? Hutchinson? Geraghty has ridden him in every hurdle race & McCoy was on board for his bumpers. Fehily will definitely be on Buveur now anyway.


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Kauto Abu said:
With Geraghty out who rides Yanworth now? Hutchinson? Fehily will definitely be on Buveur now anyway.


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Hutchinson or possibly Aidan Coleman who's had his fair share of rides for JP this season
 
Kauto Abu said:
With Geraghty out who rides Yanworth now? Hutchinson? Geraghty has ridden him in every hurdle race & McCoy was on board for his bumpers. Fehily will definitely be on Buveur now anyway.


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Mark Walsh surely.

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Doubt it somehow. He'll be on the Irish horses like Jezki, Coney Island etc as well as the handicappers but unlikely he'll get many of the English ones.


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I'm liking Mullins apparent bullishness about Footpad in the Champion Hurdle:

[FONT=&quot]"He will run in the Champion Hurdle. We are hoping that Cheltenham will suit him better than Petit Mouchoir, so wherever he finishes, we are hopeful we’ll be ahead of him".[/FONT]
 
He is a definite for the Stan James Champion Hurdle. Petit Mouchoir was not going away from him at Leopardstown so wherever he finishes we are hoping the track in Cheltenham will suit Footpad better.


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I can see where he's coming from but hopeful is the most significant word in that statement.


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