The Road To The Champion Hurdle 2021

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I’ve taken some more of the 8s available for Saint Roi today.

With Epatante and Buveur to come back, I genuinely think JP could have the first 3 home. I really like Aba, but he’s literally going to have to be delivered on the line I reckon. He seems a bridle merchant to me.
 
barjon said:
Much as I like Saint Roi I also think Abacadabras is under-rated and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the placings repeated.
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Agreed, especially in the Champion. He needs to be held on to as late as possible.
 
I've got no grudge with Saint Roi, or Abracadras, but I was wasn't impressed with either.

I'll withhold most of my judgement or criticism until they run again, but don't feel there was any superstar material there yesterday.

Saint Roi got tapped for toe two out and stayed on as if he wants further than two miles.

The form isn't great with the proximity of the third horse.

The two of most interest at this juncture are Epatante and Goshen.
 
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He was scintillating in the triumph before the mishap, which is generally a more established trial for the champion hurdle than the County Hurdle.

I think we need to put a line through his two flat runs.

If he's in his best form he'll run anything close, if he's trained on from last season he's bang in the mix for the champion hurdle.

The fighting fifth might be interesting if he takes his chance against Epatante.
 
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The Supreme Novices is a vastly better pointer to the Champion Hurdle than the Triumph.
 
And the Ballymore is a better pointer to the Champion than the Supreme.

Id have to take a wait and see approach to Goshen, but i could see how fans could use Aspire Tower to give themselves hope.
 
Marb said:
I've got no grudge with Saint Roi, or Abracadras, but I was wasn't impressed with either.

I'll withhold most of my judgement or criticism until they run again, but don't feel there was any superstar material there yesterday.

Saint Roi got tapped for toe two out and stayed on as if he wants further than two miles.

The form isn't great with the proximity of the third horse.

The two of most interest at this juncture are Epatante and Goshen.
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Yesterdays 'race' was so far removed from a Champion Hurdle type race that it has absolutely no relevance whatsoever to March. All we learned yesterday was that they both have four legs and a tail!! And possibly that there are slight question marks over Mark Walsh, but even on that score I think it was just a bad day in the office, in general I think he is a fine jockey.
 
Yes, HW, that's a valid point that I hadn't mentioned.

The eventual triumph hurdle second horse (after Goshen fell), beat Abracadabra four lengths on October 30th.

As you say, wait and see with Goshen, but couldn't discount him yet.

He's still in the mix.
 
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Beef or Salmon said:
Yesterdays 'race' was so far removed from a Champion Hurdle type race that it has absolutely no relevance whatsoever to March. All we learned yesterday was that they both have four legs and a tail!! And possibly that there are slight question marks over Mark Walsh, but even on that score I think it was just a bad day in the office, in general I think he is a fine jockey.
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Yeah i do actually think he rode the race that he had in front of him.

I still maintain the horse hit a flat spot just as they were approaching the business end of the race, maybe Mark Walsh was a bit slow to respond, but he did at some point and the horse stayed on well at the end.
 
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Henry de Bromhead and Kenny Alexander will be desperate to give her a chance in the Champion Hurdle I think. They certainly won't want to look back and think what if. The problem with running her in the Hattons Grace though is that they still won't find out if she's good enough to mix it with the best two milers by running her over two and half. Presumably they'll have her back out over Christmas over two miles though.

For what it's worth I don't think she has the speed to win a Champion Hurdle, nor do I think her jumping is slick enough. I think she'd win the Stayers though. My best guess is they'll wake up and realise what I said and she won't run in either, and she'll run in the Mares Hurdle again.
 
Not entirely convinced they are motivated that way, Paul.

She won the Irish Champion Hurdle last season, and it would have been an obvious route to have had a crack at the Cheltenham version in March, yet still they chose the Mares.

Hard to see her being turned-out for the G1 2m hurdle at the Lep if she runs in the Hattons Grace, though not impossible I suppose, but I’d expect her spring target to largely be dictated by how Abacadabras and Saint Roi perform over Xmas, and how she fares against them at the DRF - assuming she is asked to take them on.
 
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Grasshopper said:
She won the Irish Champion Hurdle last season, and it would have been an obvious route to have had a crack at the Cheltenham version in March, yet still they chose the Mares.


I agree Nick but what if they knew another mare was going to rock up in the big one would they have made the same decision. So maybe a different approach this season.


Ps there's no feckin chance she runs in the stayers Paul.
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Less usual than usual, but juveniles are treated OK by race conditions, and do use this route.

Defi ran in it in his first outing in open company (and we all know how that ended).
 
Double J said:
Is this a usual route for a Champion Hurdle horse?

I don’t mind Goshen, but without sounding rude, I’m not a massive fan of the trainer.
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This is usually the route of indecision, or rather, where we going; up in distance or down!
 
Geez, surely if he was a stayers hurdle horse he wouldn't have ran in the Triumph, but would have ran in the 2M5F novice hurdle? :)

He might just be one of those class horses that can win over the minimum distance or over further than 2 miles, (that's what I'm hoping at least).

The 2M4F Aintree hurdle at the Aintree grand national meeting often attracts several two milers or Champion Hurdle horses.
 
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Marb said:
Geez, surely if he was a stayers hurdle horse he wouldn't have ran in the Triumph, but would have ran in the 2M5F novice hurdle?
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He was a juvenile last year....Triumph horses generally have stamina in abundance!


The race has been won by as many stayers as of 2 milers...The race seems to be leaning towards the stayers though
 
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I think you are pulling my leg mate. :)

Are you suggesting Goshen will be upped to 3 miles this season, or just willing that on to be case for whatever reason? :)
 
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