The Road To The 2018 Champion Hurdle

Who will win the 2018 CH

  • Buveur D'Air

    Votes: 17 54.8%

  • Faugheen

    Votes: 10 32.3%

  • Other

    Votes: 4 12.9%
  • Total voters
    31
  • Poll closed .
Also trainer Evan Williams has been on the "cold list" for a while. But had a winner last Saturday, so hopefully stable are about to turn their form around
 
I'm not that much of a fan tbh even though I've backed him he was only a bit of a saver really for CML and Ch'tibello one of who'm will be a NR and the other I've lost any faith in since they ran him at Wincanton. Melon replaces CML as my number 1 hope for the race as boring a selection as that is I do think he's as solid a bet as one could wish for.

I think with JC its more spring ground than the actual time of year DO. Better the ground better his chance, stronger the pace, ditto.
 
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Desert Orchid said:
It's just occurred to me that this cold snap might be bad news for JC's fans.

When he finally hit form last season it was in the spring and summer and the trainer was quoted as saying he was a spring and summer horse who had thrived with the sun on his back.

To balance that out, his form so far since the autumn hasn't been that far off his peak (at MR) despite clearly only being there for the fresh air.
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I'm not a "fan", DO - I just thought he was good value in the market, no more than that.

Think you're right though. His chance is probably diminished, in the absence of quicker ground.
 
You have changed your tune I thought you said they would be watering the course before tuesday week. I knew i should have listened to Digger.
 
No....I said they'd be watering the New Course on Tuesday, to ensure good ground for the Gold Cup.

Pay attention.

:lol:
 
John Constable V Charli Parcs is on..........Nicky convinced JP and FB he should run here and not in the Imperial so I reckon your in trouble Grassy
 
CP will get pulled at 48-hr stage, or is left in to make the pace for BDA.....in which case, he finishes well behind a close like John Constable.
 
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Without wanting to mention the weather again because I've heard quite enough about it but do you not think the rain has killed his chances a bit Grass ? I've left my bets to run rather than cashing them out but I hold little hope for him and he's gone way out on the Exchanges in the last few days.

TBF there has been a massive move on Wicklow Brave since Tanlic picked him he must be working the house down over there as the rest of Mullins lot have been fairly weak. Personally I can't touch the animal after doing my spuds on him in the Imperial Cup I said I'd never back him again and that included when he rocked up at the festival a few days later.
 
Apples Jade has been left in this. Anybody think there's any chance she could line up ?

Connections have been quoted as saying she's too slow for the Champion Hurdle but as there seems to be a possibility the word Heavy could appear in Tuesday's going - despite your own ideas of that - they'd be mad not to at least think about it if it did.

Would run Faugheen close for second favouritism if she did surely.
 
Think that's fair to say Lee.

I just have to say I love the way Betfred settle there NRNB's as winners.

1/11/2018 2:16:14 PM
325/
375
W:20.00 S:20.00
Single
Champion Hurdle 15:30/Outright Nrnb
Call Me Lord

40/1
Won

Haha if only :)
 
Danny said:
Without wanting to mention the weather again because I've heard quite enough about it but do you not think the rain has killed his chances a bit Grass ? I've left my bets to run rather than cashing them out but I hold little hope for him and he's gone way out on the Exchanges in the last few days.

TBF there has been a massive move on Wicklow Brave since Tanlic picked him he must be working the house down over there as the rest of Mullins lot have been fairly weak. Personally I can't touch the animal after doing my spuds on him in the Imperial Cup I said I'd never back him again and that included when he rocked up at the festival a few days later.
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No surprise Wicklow Brave has been back Danny......beat the runner up of the CH 1 1/2 lengths has won 5 races on soft or heavy ground, lost lengths at the start last year and according to Patrick Mullins he's in great form. It's all down to to which Faugheen turns up because if he bombs ????
 
wilsonl said:
Apples Jade has been left in this. Anybody think there's any chance she could line up ?

Connections have been quoted as saying she's too slow for the Champion Hurdle but as there seems to be a possibility the word Heavy could appear in Tuesday's going - despite your own ideas of that - they'd be mad not to at least think about it if it did.

Would run Faugheen close for second favouritism if she did surely.
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Can't see it. WPM had the same question asked of Quevega a hundred times but never did it because he knew the difference between the mares and the Champion Hurdle.

Unlike Annie Power Apples simply isn't good enough at the trip to contest the race..she's been beaten by some very ordinary horses at 2m
 
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Tanlic said:
No surprise Wicklow Brave has been back Danny......beat the runner up of the CH 1 1/2 lengths has won 5 races on soft or heavy ground, lost lengths at the start last year and according to Patrick Mullins he's in great form. It's all down to to which Faugheen turns up because if he bombs ????
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I'm mildly surprised he's as short as he is though Tanlic. His win at Punchestown was as strange race tried to hold him up in his first time blinkers pulled his way to the front took ten lengths out of them and held on from the closing pack. He did fluff the start last year but that wouldn't be the first time he's done that. In 3 attempts off the back of breaks longer than 100 days he's not won. He's no spring chicken at the age of 9. You can't really rely on blinkers to have the same effect second time around. Question being as well if he pulls himself to the front in the Champion as he did at Punchestowns will he and Faugheen impede each other ?

Personally I'd have thought Melon would be better option but will concede that where the yard is concerned, Money Talks.

Not that you'd give two hoots of course as you won't be looking that far back as Buveur D'air crosses the line.
 
Ardross said:
Wicklow Brave ran rather tamely in the CH last year though.
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Not sure about that, Ardross. He missed the start, gave them all a head start but came there swinging after 3 out and just didn't get home. I certainly felt that the only reason he didn't get home was due to the ground lost at the start and energy/stamina wasted to get back into it.

Then he won the punch champ hurdle a month later. Despite what people may make of that race, he still won, beating the Cheltenham champion hurdle 2nd MTOY & the county hurdle winner off top weight, Arctic Fire in the process.

Apart form Buvair D'air, I think he has as good a chance as any of them to finish 2nd.
 
Ardross said:
Wicklow Brave ran rather tamely in the CH last year though.
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As DH pointed out he lost ground at the start.
BUT he did exactly the same at Punchestown by design

He was very flat from after 2 out there's no getting away from that but was his head in the right place that day.

What he did in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle would suggest he was not quite right physically or wasn't right in the head at the festival

What can not be ignored is he had 2 CH runner ups in 2nd and 3rd in the PCH and that form gives him a genuine chance of winning a CH let alone being placed.
 
Grasshopper said:
CP will get pulled at 48-hr stage, or is left in to make the pace for BDA.....in which case, he finishes well behind a close like John Constable.
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I just watched the contenders hurdle for the hell of it and I have ridden horses and seen the sheep on Norton gallops move faster.

No matter how you look at it that was an exercise canter for buvi not a race and JC finished 6/7 behind The New One and Old Guard who both have decided they aren't fast enough to run in the race

The ground could be against him and Evan Williams is now thinking this might mess up his plans for the summer........you have backed a NR wait and see and even Charli can beat one of them:)
 
Clearly OG and TNO not running was factored into the selection in the first place, you nugget.

I do concede, though, that I’d have been happier with quicker ground for JC.

Fu*ck it. I’ve not exactly gone Punto Banco on him, and I really won’t care after Footpad has gone in! :lol:
 
Gotta love the interview with Aiden Coleman in today's RP where he's bigging up the chances of MTOY

"His festival record is second to none"

erm... :confused:

Should have just omitted the "to none"
 
Grasshopper said:
Clearly OG and TNO not running was factored into the selection in the first place, you nugget.

I do concede, though, that I’d have been happier with quicker ground for JC.

Fu*ck it. I’ve not exactly gone Punto Banco on him, and I really won’t care after Footpad has gone in! :lol:
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Cop out blame the ground:lol:...If they ran it downhill on the electric brae in the height of summer he still couldn't get placed
 
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