The Road To The 2021 Champion Hurdle

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I'm not too worried about today's run and won't be until Hendo says he's disappointed in the horse. He looked as good as ever until the last and the last thing I wanted was for him to leave his Champion Hurdles hopes behind here.
 
Yes. However it was a 149 rated horse that started 7/1 for a Mussleburgh handicap, giving 3lbs and a beating. #

He is alive and 25/1 would seem about right for the champion now.
 
I feel Navajo Pass won that race as opposed to Nico losing it. Fine performance. He's clearly now in the form of his life.
 
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Double J said:
Why Hendo hasn’t sacked Nico is beyond me.

Soon as i saw Nico will be riding Buveur the Champion Hurdle, docket should have gone in the bin

An absolute fraud of a jockey. Very fortunate to be in the position he’s in. Isn’t pocket talk either as i didn’t have a dime on
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No idea what blame could be layed at Nico De Boinville there? Was done for fitness and beaten by a 5 year old on a steep upward curve.
 
Marb said:
He's not entered in the Champion Hurdle. Unless they supplement him. The handicapper won't raise him to more than 160 for that.
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... ergo he'd need to be a 170+ horse to beat the plots in the County.

I won't go so far as to say "no chance" but right now it's what I'm thinking :)
 
My first thoughts were, he's beaten a fit and healthy Buveir giving him 3 pound while rated 149. Hes a 160 + horse but the handicapper might not have the balls to raise him that high. Why not go for the County off top weight.
 
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Beef or Salmon said:
No idea what blame could be layed at Nico De Boinville there? Was done for fitness and beaten by a 5 year old on a steep upward curve.
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He’s just a bad jockey, who doesn’t like to EVER give his mounts a hard race, unless he has too. Always saved for another day.

Nothing will change my mind on this, he’s a poor poor jockey.
 
Hendo has just said BDA blew up at the last and will improve "hugely" for the run.

I think he anticipated an easier run and a win but NdB looked after BDA up the run-in. I'm happy enough with the run. For me the most important thing was not to leave the Champion Hurdle here. I suspect it will be the same for connections.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Hendo has just said BDA blew up at the last and will improve "hugely" for the run.

I think he anticipated an easier run and a win but NdB looked after BDA up the run-in. I'm happy enough with the run. For me the most important thing was not to leave the Champion Hurdle here. I suspect it will be the same for connections.
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I wouldn’t be giving up hope either. Hopefully JP has a word and gets someone else to ride him.
 
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Desert Orchid said:
Hendo has just said BDA blew up at the last and will improve "hugely" for the run.

I think he anticipated an easier run and a win but NdB looked after BDA up the run-in. I'm happy enough with the run. For me the most important thing was not to leave the Champion Hurdle here. I suspect it will be the same for connections.
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Correct.
 
JP needs to make sure Nico rides none of his horses.
 
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Double J said:
He’s just a bad jockey, who doesn’t like to EVER give his mounts a hard race, unless he has too. Always saved for another day.

Nothing will change my mind on this, he’s a poor poor jockey.
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He rides to orders, JJ, that’s why he rarely gives them a hard time.
 
Double J said:
Least someone else agrees he’s an absolutely abysmal jockey. Seems an unpopular opinion on here.
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I think this is cobblers.

Anyone who thought that BdA would get the kitchen-sink treatment today, needs to think a bit more about how long the fave had been off the track, and the ground he was running on. There was never any chance they were going to tear the arse/heart out of Boov today.

As for NdB’s jockeyship, the Biter’s RSA and KG runs shows his quality at both ends of the spectrum: tenacious in a finish, and kidding a horse on that it isn’t in a race.

Is he better than most other jockeys? Probably not, but the suggestion that he is “abysmal” is way off the mark. As Barjon says; he rides to instruction, and if he’s told to give something a quiet one, that’s what he will do. It’s something you will see from all jockeys from time to time - his tame efforts just stand-out more, because Henderson’s horses are backed regardless every weekend - even if they’re often “not today” jobs.
 
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Sorry? So because you backed Might Bite twice and he happened to be on it you absolve him of being a 7lb claimer without the claim.
 
What about his ride on Coneygree in the Gold Cup nearly six years ago now.

The bloke knows how to win races.

Buveir today was simply not good enough.

The best horse on the day clearly won.

What was he beat today? 2/3 lengths?

Not even McCoy out of retirement would have won on him.
 
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Yes, and Henderson’s default position is not to have his horses bashed about if it can be avoided.
 
I merely used those as a couple of examples of two totally different types of ride he gave the same horse.

If he’s sh*it on any particular horse, chances are he’s been told to be. Otherwise, like 95% of jockeys, he’s competent without being a superstar.
 
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