Voler La Vedette

I've read she's more likely than not to stay at home. If she does show she could go for the World Hurdle. 5/1 wouldn't be for me at this stage.

cheers will try and find out more

I've heard she goes, wouldn't back her until Colm Murphy makes his plans clearer though!

Don't know why connections are being so soft with this horse.  She's clearly improved, the trainer says she's so much easier to train, maybe that date with Presenting sorted her out a bit, I don't know, but they should enter her in the World AND Champion Hurdles and definitely run her in one of them, stuff the Mares' Hurdle quite frankly..  Driving me nuts - what's their problem???

~Not entered in CH

NB: There is a Supplementary Stage on the 7th March.

Ridiculous they haven't entered her.  Trainers don't half mug themselves off sometimes.  As far as I'm aware she's on course for the Irish Champion Hurdle and will hold strong claims there imo.  She wins that, then what?  Oh, um, we didn't enter her for Cheltenham actually.........

If she were mine, I'd go for the Mares Hurdle. A Cheltenham win is a Cheltenham win after all.

Cant see her troubling the principals in the CH or Big Bucks. Agree they perhaps should have made those entries to cover all options though.

Maybe it's me....so I'll say this quietly.....but I am not in the Hurricane Fly 'he turns up he wins' camp.....I actually think the horse has plenty to prove and this year's Champion could take a whole lot more winning than last year's did (and beating Solwhit for the ~teenth time did too), but it won't if horses like Voler aren't even entered.

Out to 10/1 on here for the Mares hurdle after today's race.  She didn't run a bad race, and Zaidpour is looking like he could turn into the horse we once thought he might be last year.

Owners don't seem to keen to send her over, so would be surprised if she made the trip now.  Haven't seen any quotes or interviews after today's race though, so just gut feeling.

Only Unnacompanied can throw down any kind of realistic challenge to Quevega now imo.  Took some of the 13/8 PP had a few weeks ago, but only in a small stakes treble - wish I'd gone in bigger now!

Surely unaccompanied will go for the Champion? Her owners won't want to mess around with something like the Mares if there's a possible Champion place available to boost her breeding value?

I agree mate, I think she'll go for the Champion; I just mean if she turns up (which is unlikely as well)

With the question marks over the possible non participation of VLV and Unaccompanied, surely there's some top e/w value in Our Girl Sally at 20s. Was out paced in a sprint at the weekend but sound claims if the other two stay away

With the question marks over the possible non participation of VLV and Unaccompanied, surely there's some top e/w value in Our Girl Sally at 20s. Was out paced in a sprint at the weekend but sound claims if the other two stay away

Jobs - seems fair. There may not be many runners. OGS was best at the weights on Sat, and was eased slightly according to the BHA handicapper (I didn't notice but I only saw the race once). I suspect one is throwing away the win part of the bet though.

i think 2 1/2 at chelt would be right up vlv street....surely they must run her !!!i think kentford grey lady at 20s not a bad ew shout esp id vlv doesnt go

VLV finished 3rd in the Mares race 2 years ago, she's met Quevega twice and can't get close and I think connections know that - I heard some time ago that she'll probably bypass Cheltenham, I got 6/4 Quevaga a couple of weeks ago and there's still 5/4 available, Quevega is 100% certain to go for the Mares and if/when the 2nd and 3rd in the betting pull out what price does she become ?
My guess is 1/2 on the day.....

Banker of the week for me horse - I wish she'd go for the World Hrd though, just to knwo how good she is.

Yep, I rarely play ante post but 6/4 I couldn't resist (and doubled with Big Bucks too), the 5/4 still interests me Strong - this years field will be weaker than last year and she won 10 lengths on the bridle then, what will she do to this field ?

From trainers stable tour this week:

What an amazing mare she has been for us and she's still only eight! So far she has run 22 times, winning 13 and has failed to make the frame on just two occasions. This season she has improved again to land a Grade 1 (Hatton's Grace Hurdle) and a pair of Grade 2s. I thought I had her in top nick last week at Gowran but Zaidepour just had her measure. That was still a very good run as he is a very serious horse. Much of her improvement this season is due to the amount of work we have done at home to teach her to settle better. She has also grown up a lot mentally and when you add those together you have a horse ready to do her best. I would hope we could get a lot closer to Quevega when we meet next, possibly at Cheltenham next month. She takes her racing very well which is particularly fortunate for a mare.

VLV goes to The World Hurdle without another run.

Has Murphy came out and said she'll be going for the world hurdle?

Yes - Voler La Vedette is to head for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham without another racecourse appearance.

Connections of the eight-year-old mare have decided against giving her a prep run in the Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, which she won 12 months ago.

Trainer Colm Murphy said: "I've had a chat with the owners and we've decided she won't run at the weekend. She'll go straight to Cheltenham for the World Hurdle. We'll just keep her ticking over now. She seems in great form and I'm very happy with her."

He added: "It's more than likely she'll go for the World Hurdle, not the (David Nicholson) Mares' Hurdle."

Voler La Vedette has enjoyed a successful campaign so far, winning her first three races of the winter, including the Grade One Hatton's Grace Hurdle, before suffering defeat against Zaidpour in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park last month.

Quevega still 8/11 on here. FILL YOUR BOOTS!!!

Crazy decision imo. Has two maybe three to beat if Thousand Stars goes World Hurdle route.
Was only one in Mares.

Very good decision....after the way she won at christmas there could only be one route....fair play to them...

must make quevega a 1-2 shot do you think??

Happy Harry just my opinion, on Quevega 6/4,lets hope gets to start.

Thinks it's a shocker of a decision myself. Partly through my pocket but surely it's not going to beat Big Bucks. It's playing for 2nd at best. In the Mares race it's playing for 2nd at worst ! Its over 20-1 on here for the World Hurdle whereas it would be a 3-1 shot in the Mares.

My only hope is that he has already said that it's unlikely to come over and then just 12 days ago that it's likely to take on Quevaga in the Mares race. Why should he be any more accurate this time?!

Why can't Paul Nicholls train every single festival runner, then we'd all know where we stand :)

Delighted Steve....

But you can see why after her dramatic improvement this season over 3 miles plus the prize money and potential grade 1 placing is worth plenty for a broodmare....

World Hurdle
£148,226.00, £55,614.00, £27,846.00, £13,884.00, £6,968.00, £3,484.00
Mares
£50,697.00, £19,098.00, £9,558.00, £4,779.00, £2,394.00, £1,197.00, £594.00, £306.00

Pipey can understand your grievance...nothing worse, but I hadn't seen a sheckle for her all year in the mares race... you can see why connections have considered the stayers when she will be ridden for a place and could pick up more for second than the winner of the mares race...

On the subject of nicholls he made it perfectly clear on betfair podcast I think that silviano conti would miss cheltenham (was asked by 4 people I think) for aintree then is put up by pricewise...disgusting stuff imo...was obviously going to be a runner and bet he helped himself to all the 33 that was available...he is no better than all the other filthy trainers imo...

Good to see connections running a grade 1 horse in a grade 1 race. I think the whole point of the mares race was to give decent mares a good incentive to stay in training. Maybe they need to change the race conditions but trouncing the opposition with a grade 1 horse kind of misses the point for me - still each to their own

eally don't think he's in the game of putting people away so he can get £100 on at 33/1 :) He's been an absolute star in my book for keeping us informed of his plans in general. Sure he may change tack occasionally but he will explain why and I'm never left feeling that he's been disingeuous.

As for VLV I'm not sure what to make of the constant about turns. I don't think there's anything sinister in them but just wish connections could have been a little more decisive or at least kept quiet until they were. It's a tricky one though as they are under no obligation to keep punters fully informed.

Good point on the prize money, it's just that if you can afford a horse then you can look at the bigger picture surely? What would most people have, a gallant place in the World Hurdle or the kudos of a festival winner and downing the mighty Quevega into the bargain. Got to be about more than the cash IMO.

i agree to a point. but as long as quevega hosses up then its happy days.

Not a big fan of him pipey myself...arrogant...was asked 4 times about conti and made it very clear that the horse would not be going...he was working for betfair at the time...a joke like most of the other top trainers...

Fair points to be fair to you but I have to ask where did you read she was going for the mares race as he said on atr they weren't sure and would be entered for both races?? with the first one mentioned the world hurdle...

Just because Pricewise put it up doesn't mean it's going to run does it? He said that if Grands Crus turns up (it will) then he's going to swerve the race. He's said nothing different since then has he? I'm keeping the faith and laying him at around 12-13 on here and am not unduly concerned. I'm treating the Pricewise tip as a golden opportunity to lay at such a short price on a likely non runner. What makes you think he has changed his mind? Think you're being very harsh m8, I can't think of many trainers who have been so open and reliable in what they tell us.

On to VLV I was relying on a comment that Colm made in the Weekender (it's on one of these threads somewhere) when he said that the horse had improved and he would like to think it would give Quevega a real race when they next met....possibly in March. Ok nowhere near conctere but it was enough for me to get stuck in as I thought that it would run in the Mares race all along. With hindsight I should have sat tight til we got something more concrete as it's price was never going to collapse anyway. A lesson learnt, though I'm not at all convinced they won't do a U turn and run it in the Mares race anyway :)

U are correct, he did say he'd like to take on Quevega again in March.

Things change quickly nowdays

Fair play pipey you have made a very good stance for nicholls but I would of thought pricewise would of done his home work (poor if he hasn't)...but if he does u-turn i think it would be naughty...still have to say this is my reason for not getting involved in these double entered horses...have been burnt before and won't be letting it happen again to much pain...although on this occasion you maybe right if that is what he said I didn't read it...

fed up of trying to second guess these trainers although like you say nicholls is quite open, he was, after saying join together would go for the 4 miler then had a u - turn and of course the shananigans with al ferof but that was the owners doing i suppose...but he is one of the better ones for sure...