The Road to the 2017 Champion Hurdle

its a funny old thing really how attitudes towards a race can be so polar..particularly when you would expect dinosaurs like DO and me to be all nostalgic and so let that cloud our judgement about this race

lets put it in perspective..in the 70's..this was a very important race..the "big guns" came to play for the first proper meeting of the season..nowadays the "big guns" don't turn up..what you get is 2nd and 3rd strings turning up to try and "measure" the oppo. It got that sh1te that in the 90's it was a handicap...that told you about the decline

simply put ..nowadays its a Grade 2 race in name and quality

i'd only expect a few dinosaurs..who have totally lost their memory ...to think its a significant race or a pointer to the CH...anyone younger that thinks that needs to have a word with themselves if they think its in the top 5 hurdle races of the season..wake up..it ain't
 
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Henceforth "DO" shall be an abbreviation for "Diplodocus Obsoletus".

(And why is the word "abbreviation" so long??)
 
whats wrong with Newcastle Euro?

it would have been same in 70's..but provided some great finishes then..when big guns did turn up

my main memory from then was..it must be the longest last furlong in history:)

i have never seen so much happen in such a short distance
 
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I didn't said it was the moments 2nd top hurdle race, I said it was a classic hurdle race the 2nd most important after the CH. Comedy Of Errors, Night Nurse, Sea Pidgeon, Birds Nest in that classic period then Kribensis, Harchibald, My Tent Or Yours kinda kept the race going but I think the problem lies with the Newcastle clerk or management whoever is in charge of attracting quality horses. How is Willie only entering his 3rd strings instead of sending either AP or Faugheen since they can't run against each other? Thats poor.

Speaking of those 2, apparently Paddy and Betfair started selling money, Faugheen for Morgiana 1/2 WITH a run. Its probably their Black Friday offer :-) BUYING MONEY! :D
 
Great to see Le Rocher entered-up in the Ascot Hurdle (and Haydock) this weekend - looked an outstanding juvenile three season's back.
 
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The mare Jer's Girl easily disposed of last term (same owners as HF) won her race pretty easily at Fairyhouse today

The mare that was second to her is pretty useful

Jer's Girl will prob want further than 2m but her form looks pretty good at this point - also good to see Gavin Cromwell doing well for himself with the limited few horses he has
 
Just had a look at the betting for the betfair price rush hurdle at haydock this Saturday. MTOY is an evens fav. Ground is forecast to be soft to heavy so would have thought he is an unlikely runner??

If so there must be value elsewhere. Irving generally well suited to soft ground, but had a couple of moderate runs last year. Old guard might be better suited to a true run handicap rather than a small field conditions event. Court ministeral is another that wants good ground.

Thoughts??

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Breaking on RUK: Annie Power worked badly during week and "needs checked out" and Faugheen appears to have picked-up a stone bruise.

Usual caveats apply.
 
If anything serious happens with Faugheen then Altior goes back hurdling and Yanworth connections drop any WH plans. But even so Mullins will still have NC and AF left and there would be no need for Yorkhill. Besides, Yanworth looks the better horse based on the Neptune performance.
 
Yanworth battled well to get to Lil Rockerfeller. The latter was put up to 160 by official handicapper for his last race so he proved he was right today when coming 10 lengths in front of GLV and Court Ministrel who are 153 and 151 rated hurdlers and were also in receipt of 8lbs and respectively 4lbs. Yanworth also got 4 pounds from LilR so considering it was his first race and finished a length in front, I think they'll both be put up in the ratings and Yanworth will receive a 160+ mark but King repeated 10 times before the race started that whatever he does today he'll come on for the run.
 
Geraghty suggested that Yanworth needs to be upped in trip. Stayers route seems likely, and the Long Walk has been mentioned as a possible for his next outing.
 
just watched the replay now and Barry seems to be holding him up during the middle part of the race, just like he would a non-stayer and after the last he put himself 10 lengths clear of the rest so has the turn of foot required for a 2 mile race, if that includes against the top 2 milers maybe we'll find out in the Christmas Hurdle if Faugheen comes over.
 
His campaign surely must be based around a tilt at the World Hurdle. Looking at the likely competition in that race he'd go there with an outstanding chance.

I know its been muted Faugheen may be stepped up in trip to go that route, but I don't see it myself, and when you look at the market and who you'd think will turn up, Yanworth in a weak look edition could well be favourite on the day.

I got the 12's a couple of weeks ago, but 10's still looks good to me, and looking at the way the market is formed he looks like a rare bit of antepost value.
 
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