The Road To The 2021 Champion Hurdle

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Marb said:
Aspire Tower franks the triumph hurdle form again.

Christ almighty can you please get the old Goshen back Gary Moore.

Either that or I'm waiting to see what the Betfair Hurdle throws up this year.
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Allmankind beaten 7.5 L by the 144 rated Botox Has who was trounced by 31L by Not So Sleepy next time out.
Navajo Pass 2 runs beaten 19L and 14L.
Sir Psycho 2 runs beaten 19L and 12L.
Cerebus 1 run beaten 15L.
A Wave Of The Sea beaten 30L by Aramon in receipt of 7Lb.
Solo 2 runs beaten 27L and 16L.
Goshen 3 runs and flattered to deceive in each....

The Triumph cant be Franked...
 
On today’s showing I’m going Buveur D’air.

This race is a sack of rubbish anyway. Concertista and Bravemansgame meant today isn’t as bad as it could have been. I’ll be licking my wounds of Saint Roi for sometime
 
The only horse that has a better chance in the Champion Hurdle after Christmas is Concertista. Think fast run 2m far better than todays 2m4f test, and should encourage them to go for it.
 
Marb said:
Paul you know more about horses than me.

What is Goshens heart problem and has he got any chance of getting treated for it?

10L up and cantering all over Aspire Tower plus the rest of the Triumph field he was.

I don't think I've seen a hurdling performance of that calibre since then.
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Yes definitely, but I suspect they need to teach him to run off the back of the bridle as well if he’s going to come back into the picture.
 
Maruco said:
I suspect a few of Gordon’s have. The one’s that ran stinkers that were backed are the ones to watch now. Samcro was friendless and ran that way.
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I thought he was running a nice race until he hit one. Was an unbelievably strange race to run him in.
 
Maxbet said:
Allmankind beaten 7.5 L by the 144 rated Botox Has who was trounced by 31L by Not So Sleepy next time out.
Navajo Pass 2 runs beaten 19L and 14L.
Sir Psycho 2 runs beaten 19L and 12L.
Cerebus 1 run beaten 15L.
A Wave Of The Sea beaten 30L by Aramon in receipt of 7Lb.
Solo 2 runs beaten 27L and 16L.
Goshen 3 runs and flattered to deceive in each....

The Triumph cant be Franked...
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Outclassed in the Triumph, being campaigned for handicaps down the line.
 
Maruco said:
I agree. I still believe he wins the Ryanair.
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Any idea why they ran him? If you were going to roll the dice with him something like the Punchestown Gold Cup surely a better idea on good ground.
 
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Slim said:
Any idea why they ran him? If you were going to roll the dice with him something like the Punchestown Gold Cup surely a better idea on good ground.
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He isn't quick enough for either of the 2 mile races (xmas/DRF)

The John Durkan was the obvious race for him but they didnt fancy Min this early

Not a tonne of options for where he is seen next either
 
Slim said:
Any idea why they ran him? If you were going to roll the dice with him something like the Punchestown Gold Cup surely a better idea on good ground.
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Probably to put to bed any notion the brothers grim had of him winning the Gold Cup. He’d have needed a race anyway and I suspect he doesn’t want to go to the DRF. I wouldn’t be unhappy if he got to the Festival fresh now, although I admit you’d prefer it to be off the back of a big run.
 
Maruco said:
Probably to put to bed any notion the brothers grim had of him winning the Gold Cup. He’d have needed a race anyway and I suspect he doesn’t want to go to the DRF. I wouldn’t be unhappy if he got to the Festival fresh now, although I admit you’d prefer it to be off the back of a big run.
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I wouldn't mind seeing him go to Gowran for the Red Mills. He's done nothing this season in truth.
 
I've gone in again on Buveur D'Air at 25/1.

The arse seems to be falling out of everything else but I'm also wondering when was the last time a Champion Hurdler showed form within 7lbs of its best leading up to the festival?
 
It's the only race I'd want to see him at too, but it's a better sign that he doesn't.

He was easy to back for the Marsh last season. He fell in the Drinmore and was beaten at Limerick at Christmas and then kept fresh. Gordon will likewise just be aiming at one day, and I'm happy to keep the faith.

They finished in a heap in last season's Ryanair, so there's nothing to be afraid of and 16/1 is a gift.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I've gone in again on Buveur D'Air at 25/1.

The arse seems to be falling out of everything else but I'm also wondering when was the last time a Champion Hurdler showed form within 7lbs of its best leading up to the festival?
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He’s the bet for me now in this race.

They’ll do a My Tent Or Yours and just have him straight there fit as a fiddle.

Jockey bookings are going to be interesting for Buveur, will it be Nico? Epatante - Aiden Coleman. Saint Roi - Mark Walsh.
 
I'm still firmly in the Epatante camp. She's allowed an off day. Her off day is far less concerning than the inconsistencies we've seen from the pretenders.

Last seasons novices are unexposed and entitled to improve and learn along the way too, but I can't get away from the fact that she's no more experienced than the novices in terms of lifetime runs, but she's clear on ratings, and has her 7lb mares allowance. Whilst she's unbackable now, she's still the most likely winner. Sharjah also upheld the Champion Hurdle form yesterday as being the best on offer.

Saint Roi, Abacadabras (ignore yesterday with Gordon's all flat), and Saldier who looked fat as a pig, are all contenders though, and are big each way prices against Epatante. I wouldn't argue against anyone making a case for them.

I don't see how anything else comes into the picture unless you take the Silver Streak run literally, but even using the rose tinted spectacles view I don't believe he's improved that much at this stage of his career. We have a line on him from the last two Champion Hurdles already.

Goshen would need a switch to JP and the Martinstown juice to get back on track, Aspire Tower is as good as we saw yesterday. He was the one that looked hard fit. Song For Someone is winning Grade 2's all out against the also rans, Concertista won't come, and if Honeysuckle does she'll flop after being beaten for speed. If she's flat to the boards to beat Ronald Pump over two and half, it doesn't read well on the old course at Cheltenham.

I can't have Buveur D'air Maurice. A great Champion, but he's not been sighted for over two years now, lacks an entry, and has to overcome an horrendous injury. Add to that he'll be 10 by the time the Festival comes around, and I'd say he'd be JP's third string for the race if he did turn up. He'd want to be out by the end of January at the very latest to avoid bouncing as well. I also suspect he'd want further than two miles now as well, so the race would need to be a war and he'd have to be fit for his life to have any chance at all.
 
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I don’t think Epatante is a wonder horse by any means - she earned the lowest Timeform winning rating this century - but there’s not a lot out there to take her crown. Champions rarely have bad off days even in their prep races and she should have seen off Silver Streak easily. I think there must be something a bit amiss in the yard that’s affected her, but there’s plenty of time to get her right.

Sharjah did come second, of course, but beaten fair and square. He didn’t blot his copy book yesterday, like others, so he must feature, but you have to think he wouldn’t beat Epatante unless she’s not brought back to her best. It’d be somewhat of a stretch to think Buveur D’air can be brought back to former glory, but he would beat Epatante, in my view, if near his best.

So, the field is ripe for a new kid on the block to come good, but who? I was hoping Goshen would fit the bill, but all seems to have gone awry on that front.
 
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I have some 33’s about Song For Someone, and will probably go to war with that. In terms of showing improvment and holding his form, he’s one of the very few candidates with ticks in both columns.

A wide-open race will hopefully see a big field and plenty of pace i.e. a proper test, which will suit SFS.
 
Grasshopper said:
I have some 33’s about Song For Someone, and will probably go to war with that. In terms of showing improvment and holding his form, he’s one of the very few candidates with ticks in both columns.

A wide-open race will hopefully see a big field and plenty of pace i.e. a proper test, which will suit SFS.
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I think we are guaranteed a big field now. Big field with lots of pace on good ground. I wonder what horses that would suit...
 
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