OSCARS WELL

agreed

yep first thought after watching the replay. champion hurdle horse if ive ever seen one. whether hes good enough to beat the fly is another matter but looks top notch.

He stays on his feet he'd have won impressivly and been 10/1 tops for next years Champion. I love Oscar and have had me some 20's.

Don't know if anything since Istabraq can beat Fly but if there is one to beat him it's Binocular, Oscar or Zarkander.

Oscar looks the pick of the three to me.

I also really like the horse.  I napped him for Cheltenham and he was tied into so many of my multiples, and was devestated when he slipped at the last.

Based on your rating of him, I assume you think he would have won this year's Supreme if he'd lined up?  I'm not so sure personally.

I know the 5 year old record, but Zarkandar looks a hell of a horse for next year.  Nicholls has had Celestial Halo but now he has a real Champion Hurdle contender imo, and if I was having a bet now it would be him.  As much as I love the Fly, 4/1 is a bit skinny for me 12 months in advance.

Oscars Well would have relished the pace of the Supreme imo. The only problem I have with him is he's NH bred, ie ran in Bumper, ie is too slow for the Champion Hurdle these days since the drainage was improved at Chelts.

Last 5 winners have all come from the flat.

20/1 is good value in my view. Don't think he'd have won the Neptune was just tiring before the last but travelled well and can quicken. 2m should suit better. Think HF and binocular may be tough to beat but who knows whether they will both make it. HF has only stayed sound 1 season out of the last 3 and binocular can be in and out of form, so the price represents very good value.

he aint too slow,understand your point CV but personally dont go on breeding too much,just visual really.
looks to me like 2m would suit him ok,and looks a different type to say Peddlers Cross eg

Was keeping quiet about this one
oh well!!

He's going for the 2m G1 novice hurdle at Punchestown mate, he wins that he'll be cut. I'd take the 20's if you like him.

Has to go chasing next season and aim for for the Arkle - he's the next Best Mate I tell you[;)]

Nah too competitive in the 2m chase division next year, be best sticking to hurdling like peddlers did and have a tilt at the champion hurdle. I'd he wins the grade 1 novice hurdle he'll give the champion a shot i'd say.

yep, he looks a monster, the breeding question would have been a valid one but agree with budd after you see that performance where he was tanking into the straight you have to put that to one side, at 20/1 at this point he has to be the one of interest for me....he is different to the hardy eustaces and peddlers cross's as he looks far more of a speedier horse....and if they can run a champion with their greater stamina as well as they did maybe with his obvious speed with an ability to stay further perhaps he could do it.

He looks value and would be a better pick than the 4yo Zarkander. I'd he's good enough to beat Binocular and Fly I don't know.

I dont get the breeding concern tbh .. doesn;t he have the same sire as Peddlers Cross and Oscar Whiskey ?!?!?

Personal thing, last five winners have ben flat converts, ground is always quick since the drainage was improved. I just feel that while impressive and talented they may be they just lack that bit of tactical speed in the champion hurdle. Small speedy  types are beginning to dominate.

I'm not saying another brave inca or hardy wading come along but there are better and better quality flat   breds  going over hurdles.

there may be but do they jump like the wing like OW does?!

wind....d'oh!

Well yes, hurricane fly and binocular are excellent hurdlers.

i actually gave his owner a lift back from chelters. Champion hurdle is almost certainly the target next year.

cheers cricket!! v ul, wouldve went close!

cricketer, which of his owners did you carry

Cricketer,

Your a Blackpool lad aint you? The owner most cetainly isnt from the FY area as far as i know.

It's an Irish syndicate and one of them could be getting a lift anywhere after the races.

We all know he's going for the Champion hurdle, he's going for the 2m Grade1 Novice Hurdle at Punchestown next, the race Hurricane Fly won 2 years ago.

''Well yes, hurricane fly and binocular are excellent hurdlers''

Apologies..i had misunderstood your previous comment about Flat breds....yep, those 2 Champion hurdlers do indeed jump like the wind!

Beast .. who will be the likely opposition ?

I'd say Day of a Lifetime, Rathlin, Hidden Universe, Shot from the Hip. That's about it, possibly So Young.

The more the better the price on Oscar.

Is the plan still to hurdling with this one?

Tough race for his seasonal debut today, and will hopefully prove informative about his CH chances imo. Have backed him at 20's and just topped up at 16's.

One of the most exciting horses of the season for me, really think he is one to follow. Still cant bring myself to watch the re-run of last year, stood to win me a small fortune

Stand out 2/1 with SJ today... could be an unbelievable bet. But The Real Article is clearly very useful and guaranteed to be fit. And Oscars needed his run first time up last year. Small interest for me. Just be glad to see him back!

Decent enough run imo. Looked like he really needed it and seemed to completely blow up. Love the way he hurdles, slick at most of them.

Travelled well, jumped superbly and got beaten by 2 race fit rivals giving them weight. Pleased with that, 25/1 with Tote seems an over-reaction!

Should go for the Hattons Grace over 2m4f next time out - he'll win that.

Can't see today's race having much bearing on the Champion Hurdle. Oscar's Well looks short enough to me. As for the winner, he's been on the go throughout the summer, and seems well short of the required standard, even on his best form. Happily laid mid 20's prices on him and will continue to.

B0llocks Dan. Tooped up at 16/1 pre race so feel obliged to have a bit of that 25's now!

Agree entirely Rog.

Hurricane lighting up a fat one afteer that - no chance any of them

Sorry to come in and ruin everyone's tea party but Oscars Well isn't gna be good enough for a champ hurdle anytime soon. He was running against decent horses today but not champion hurdle horses. He should be winning races like that fit or not if he's thinking of taking on Hurricane Fly.

He is entitled to improve for the run and is probably fair to say he vlew up near the finish. But the fact Kalann beat him who's best runs have come on a quicker surface holds the form down for me. A little disappointed overrall.

*blew up

Spririt Son 12/1 is the eachway value against HF now imo, with Korrlas/Lads.

MM. I find it quite strange when people say things like that based on one run.

He has never won first time up, and last year improved at a rate of knots as the season went on. I am guessing he was only 50-60% fit. I cant understand why anyone can say that he cant win a CH, simply because he didnt win that today?

You wouldnt have thought he could win the Ballymore after his debut run last season, but he very nearly did but for getting the last all wrong.

Harrington's horses are all a bit behind imo. This was nothing more than a blow the cobwebs away exercise. And he still bustled up a vastly improving race fit horse giving him weight.

HF is clearly the marker for everyone to aim at, and if he turns up in the same form again, will be almost impossible to beat. If he doesnt, then its crazy to say 'OW wont be winning a CH anytime soon'.

What run entitles him to being Champion Hurdle class? It is all based on improvement and I don't think he will get close to the Fly in the Morgiana let alone at Cheltenham. I like the horse don't get me wrong he will win some good races but he's not even on for example Menorah's level for me.

Agree, CCM, but for me, he's got plenty to do enter the picture. Yet to prove he's a 2 miler or that he's up to Champion class, but one of several who could press claims as the season progresses.

But very few novices will ever have the form that to put them into Champion Hurdle class will they MM?

He could do no more than trounce the field in the Deloitte. Had he won the Ballymore, he still wouldnt have the form in the book, but couldnt do any more.

Dont get me wrong, I dont think he is anywhere near as good as HF. I'm looking for potential improvers at a decent price. And I still think this horse will prove himself to be top class and a real e/w chnace in the CH. I also think the CH trip will prove to be ideal. Obviously just my opinion. But he travelled so powerfully at the Festival last year, that I thought he would probably have been better off in the Supreme.

He travelled really well today and seemed to settle much better, so you'd have to say 2 miles is his trip.

I thought he looked the winner to out, and Robbie Power was really easy on him after the last.  Will come on a bundle for that.

This time last year I had Peddlers Cross at 16/1 for the Champion Hurdle, after his impressive run in the Neptune, where he looked all speed.  Oscars Well is very similar in that respect, and maybe it takes him a run before his best, where last year Peddlers blew everyone away beating Binocular first time up.

I think Oscars Well has the potential to be as good as Peddlers over hurdles; but as with Peddlers there was one that was too good.

As I said months ago in this thread, he was my big nap at Cheltenham, and won have won a fortune if he'd have jumped the last properly.  Woould have liked him to win today, but that means there are still a few tasty each way prices to get stuck into!

I thought he travelled well today and did look the winner two out but either he blew up or found little. I think first run you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. If there was a disappointing aspect to todays performance it was that he was behind Kalann, even given the race fitness.
However I don't think that answered any of the questions I have. Such as is he a 2 miler or better at 2m4? Also is he a bridle horse? - the better races he's won have been on the bridle.
Next race will be more informative.

i think im the only person alive who doesn't think he would have won the neptune had he jumped the last.

I thought I was Howdi. First impression on the day was he would have won. However when I watched it back I think he was tiring coming to the last

^^^^ shrewdy imo

It was actually what made me consider him for the Champion Hurdle, thought he might be a speed horse and might not have quite stayed up the hill over 2m4. I'm starting to wonder if he is just a bridle horse though now.

same here.

^ I agree with you two! Also thought he was winning at Cheltenham on the day but having looked back at the tape I'm not so sure. Having said that, I'm far from convinced he is a two-miler. I think he stays just fine and think it could be something of a red herring that he travels so well in his races. My instinct is that the two-and-a-half-mile novices of last season were good but not great, and thus, tanking along against them would not mean he'd do the same in a Champion Hurdle, for example.

All this said, I am a big admirer of the horse and wouldn't be at all surprised to see him win good races this season - just not sure where they will be or over what distance. I thought it was a perfectly satisfactory reappearance under the conditions against good yardsticks. Although ever so slightly disappointing from a pure form stance, I think he will come on a lot for it.

I agree with that Tom. I think he will improve. I also like this horse a great deal, and whilst not knocking him, the Neptune did turn into a bit of a sprint. He made a very striking impression in the race for me, and was last off the bridle, but that impression may be in part attributable to that very slow early pace. Given the way he travels though, the faster pace of 2m could well help.

Can get 25's now,ive had some

Without having seen the race, I was a bit disappointed to read he's finished third. After seeing the race, I was more encouraged by his performance.

Shouldn't get carried away with the first performance of a season by any horse, as hard to tell how fit they might be. This will have just been a stepping stone / fitness enhancing exercise. Remember, Long Run was pretty well beaten first time out last season.

Had them beat 2 out,and blew up.Had he been fit i think he would have won pretty easily.
Tough nut to crack in the CH of course,but think as the season unfolds i think we will see Oscars far shorter than he is now.

Harrington had warned during the week he'd lack a bit of fitness. I wouldn't be disheartened at all and I might even take some of the 25s

The Fly is obviously the one to beat but even if he does go in again something has to be 2nd & 3rd!

unfit schooling sessh, shame on you harrington

Didn't take long for Fred to realise 25s was a daft over-reaction.

Exactly Dan. Even the 20's is only available with Hills now.... as low as 12's in places!!

Just taken a bit more of the 20's. If he wins the Morgiana impressively with no HF in the race now, he'll be nearer 10's imo.

Never mind AP for the big day, how about for Sunday. 5/2 looks a great bet to me. Cant believe Pittoni is shorter.

He doesn't deserve to be 12 in places though. Not yet, anyway. 16/1 is about the right price given Hurricane Fly has had a setback and also apparently Spirit Son ..

IF OW wins on Sunday i'd guess he'd be about 10's.

How isn't he fav for Sunday???

Irrespective of Sundays outcome In still maintain they should have gone chasing

Any mention from Jessie about this one recently?

Hurricane Fly wins again if turning up,Oscars Well however will prove the
biggest danger if running.Much the best horse in the race at Cheltenham
where he was always travelling and the 2m of the C Hdle will suit,imo.
25s looks good E/W value and if the Fly don't run it could look massive
on the day.
   GL ALL.

loved this horse last year and backed him heavy in the BP Race at Chelters. His two impressive wins in Ireland, in fast time on the bridle were both over 19+ furlongs on soft going and I fear he is going to be going dependent

will certainly be following his progress but could not contemplate risking any money til he shows some level of form good enough to compete at the top level and on good going

Oscars being backed today, any idea why? Has a tipping line put him up?

see the thread toms champion hurdle pick ..........it may tell you something !

Not tipping line see Foyles post re pricewise.

Not tipping line see Foyles post re pricewise.

tx, I'm aware of the thread, was just wondering if someone like Paul Jones has put him up as an anti-post bet.

still 25s or was 20 mins ago at lads nrnb. worse  each way bets than this one !

Think that he's got a lot to find with the principles in the market though.

He was my nap of last years festival but you'd have to say he's been disappointing this season.  Fair enough, he could improve in spring like last year, but you're taking a big leap of faith because his form this year is not Chanmpion Hurdle form.

He may have been running in slow run races, but he doesn't seem to have the kick of a Champion Hurdle horse - Unnaccompanied breezed past him.

If Pricewise picks him it will be on the similar lines of Captain Chris.  Been disappointing, but improves in spring and has good potential.  Only thing is the Gold Cup lacks the strength in depth of the Champion Hurdle.