Champion Hurdle

autocue gather youve backed hf dead give away

Any conundrum * (UDS/AP/BH/Faugheen)

graeme so why didnt mr mullins say uds wasnt gud enough from outset class horse which has been enterd in the churdle for months at every dec stage all of a sudden aint good enough its a joke

NJH only says something when he is forced to because the markets have already said if for him.

As usual HF haters getting their excuses in nice and early! Christ the knockers are going to be insufferable when TNO wins

mr mullins dont even say it when hes forced to like i said earlier hes ruined what could have been the race of the festival

it could still be the race of the festival,but he has stopped it from being even better for sure.

"graeme so why didnt mr mullins say uds wasnt gud enough from outset class horse which has been enterd in the churdle for months at every dec stage all of a sudden aint good enough its a joke "


How do i know ? ...it didn't have a prep you'd associate with the CH. Maybe the horse had something of, if i could coin a phrase, a 'stand by' prep. WM has lots of horses though, and he's suprisingly been the most forward trainer this season, and Ricci has been the most forward owner. Other trainers have been that bit quiter. Some trainers genuinely don't know where some horses will go until after the final pieces of work. If you have strength and depth though, you can nominate earlier, because you don't care who else is there.

exactly so all mr mullins had to say was if hf stays sound uds wont be running its that simple

Yeah, you're right. They even implied it was heading to the CH at one point. I don't like seeing small stake punters losing money. Genuine question, do you blame thhe trainer ? to me HF can go any gallop, whereas maybe some rivals need it strong. Maybe they were thinking that UDS could potentially have teed it up for someone else. I dunno.

yep atho,its become more and more obvious as the seasons progressed.

All the years I have followed this sport I have never seen a campaign for a hurdler out of his novice season like hes had.........but of course it all makes sense if his trainer don't really want him in the race against his favourite.
The form with his own Midnight Game told him that UDS could well beat HF.
Told me as well.

i blame the trainer for not being honest yeah i dunno and this is purely a guess but at some point i think ruby has told mr mullins were going to have our work cut out to beat thi horse but that like i said is just a guess and thats without a power in the frame who i think is going for the world hurdle purely to give walsh a great chance of winning it an one less for hf to worry about

"The form with his own Midnight Game told him that UDS could well beat HF."



Maybe Sailors Warn should go, and be long odds on.   

I knew someone would say that.

So which performance was the true running of Midnight Game?? 

Cos you rip into UDS you do even more with HF!!

16l hard held.......7l ridden out.

purely a guess but at some point i think ruby has told mr mullins were going to have our work cut out to beat thi horse

I think that's a very accurate guess atho.

"So which performance was the true running of Midnight Game??

Cos you rip into UDS you do even more with HF!!"



Now you're stating that HF form is with Marito, which it clearly isn't. He wasn't within a ton of his best that day. You're following insufficient form lines. UDS hasn't done anything to prove his worth at this point. Some collateral form comparisons are useless.

Think there is no pace in the race this year which will play into HF's hands. I am a big fan of TNO but worried he might be forced to hit the front too soon, if not lead, which would not be in his favour.
Ruby knows that which is why he stated "they won't need a pacemaker if UDS runs" a day or two after Nigel Twiston Davies said they might put a pacemaker in.
Be the tactics that make the difference as TNO has a devastating turn of foot but as there is no obvious front runner (unless they make it with Jezki) I can see the class act HF on the bridle at 2 out with Ruby looking confident.

Some folk would have you believe that Annie and UDS would be better for the race. They're pretty much saying Mullins has 3 Hurricane Flys on the go at the same time. You're sensible observer would say you don't get many Hurricane Flys, let alone 3 at the one time.

graeme do you recall ruby saying the dram is alive and the faster you ask the faster he goes ruby knows he is a serious threat or would have been

dream not dram lol

Yes,absolutely Graeme, totally agree,but what that form told me was that UDS deserved a go at proving himself in a race against proper decent opposition. Its the only form we have thanks to his trainers campaign for him.
Hes not been given the chance mate, simple as that..

Lads I have not looked at this thread for a while - unbelievable bullsh.

Some folk would have you believe that Annie and UDS would be better for the race


you not believe that Graeme??

Ain't ready Budd. He's a front running 6y/o, who has been running in soft ground against nothing of note, in 3 and 4 runner races. I don't see how you could lead a CH from the front. We will see in teh future how good he is. I'm not so sure he is the super next big hurdler that some are leading us to believe.

Let's look at it this way. The Fly is found lame tomorrow. What does Mullins do because he's painted himself into a corner? Do any of the things he's said suddenly become invalid and doesn't that tell you all you need to know about why the likes of UDS and AP aren't in the champion as it stands?

Hes been running in the races his trainer entered him in,thats my point!!! That's why his trainer can say he aint ready!!!
Hes the same age as the favourite !!

Why on earth cant he front run in the CHurdle?? That's what he does!!! Makes no difference what horses are behind him,if they catch him so be it.

"you not believe that Graeme?? "




Nope. UDS has so much to prove to even deserve to take his place, and Annie Power in my opinion needs 3 miles, where she will need to try and steale a march, so that she gives herself enough room for error. She's hit the last hurdle a couple of times.Not slick and mobile enough to win this years CH.

of corse he can front run but instead the job mght be given to the pushover front runner thousand stars maybe

ok Graeme,
no point in this then.

if you cannot see that an unexposed front runner and a mare that thrashes everything she comes up against are not gonna make a race better,just no point in discussing.

You can lead a horse to water but not to the Champion Hurdle if your protecting The Fly.

I said not better than Hurricane Fly. I never said/meant not better for the race. Either way it would be pointless sending three for the same race, when there is an order, and other races/future to think of.

lads let it lie now !nothing can be done by arguing about the pros and cons of uds running or not running ,lets move on !

foyleswar i agree so come on lads lets discuss what the best betting options are i.e good place bets or lays or whatever

Graeme I don't see how you could lead a CH from the front. Not seen many champion hurdles then?
Night Nurse x2
Monksfield x2
Hardy Eustace x2
Make A Stand

yeh,fair enough.

I have a sneaky feeling that Melodic will run a big race,could well place imo.

Which season you talking about Budd?

Just to point out Hurricane Fly had same problem as MTOY, he had it Wednesday before running on Sunday in Irish Champ Hurdle. MTOY has 3 more days to recover. I'd imagine he'd run and it won't really effect him. But you never know, Fly is exceptionally tough so he may brave any possible pain better than Tent will.

Not ideal getting a setback like this so close.

shockster   Im not going to mention that I think Ptit Zig has claims

Shock,
I think hes one that could surprise with all the others looking at each other.


Take it you don't fancy him at all mate??

I just have this feeling that a Churdle will bring the best out of him and suit him better than races weve seen him in thus far.

giddy

"Graeme I don't see how you could lead a CH from the front. Not seen many champion hurdles then?
Night Nurse x2
Monksfield x2
Hardy Eustace x2
Make A Stand "



The comment was made in context of everything i said in that post. I don't see how he can win this sort of CH after running in 3 and 4 runner races, on not great ground, against the sort of horses he has raced against.

"lads let it lie now !nothing can be done by arguing about the pros and cons of uds running or not running ,lets move on ! "



I wasn't arguing FW. Not even remotely close to it. Just exchanging opinions. It will be fun seeing how the horse turns out in the future.

I can't disagree with you Budd. I reckon this is going to turn into a messy affair as I dont know whos going to make the running

Not dismissing MR or PZ

Thing is I don't think hes far away from the other novices from last year,and reckon he would have gone close in the Supreme.
Puffin Billy was running a good race till he threw the race away at the 2nd last in the Supreme.Melodic beat him easily enough.
Hes been a bit hit and miss this season I know,and he does look to need to find some,but I aint so sure its as much as people think.

Jezki is going to make the running and will be a strong pace.  I actually like MR Budd but think we have some real top notchers this year and would agree that in a run of the mill Champion he would have an EW chance.  Didn't like his Kingwell win as looked laboured.

Hope you right re Jezki mate,be great if he did,and will make it very interesting to have a horse out front that's a threat to all of them.

Ptit Zig never travelled a yard at Haddock and jumped poorly. Jacobs stated he felt flat from the off. If he's right next Tuesday, I would expect him to reverse that form
with Melodic.  Maybe not good enough as a 5 year old to mix with the others,but reckon he may surprise a few people

If Ptit Zig gets placed in this I will never ever bet again.

It'd be some anti-climax if one of the big 4 fail to win ! The only possibility for a shock and I would say it's remote is Jezki.

My Tent Or Yours wins
Hurricane Fly second
Jezki Third

"Owned by JP McManus, Jezki may yet have the additional plus of being ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy if My Tent Or Yours fails to recover from a minor foot injury picked up on Monday."
Are Racing Post taking the piss? McCoy has ridden it like an idiot the last two outings. The horse goes much better under Geraghty imo.

Use of the first time hood on Jezki is interesting and confirms for me they'll try the Hardy Eustace trick. Worth an each way shout as it might pay off and hopefully set us up for a great race.

Captain Cee Bee has been added to this race and jezki might wear a hood for the first time

Thats good news hope he acts like a proper pacemaker and we get a true run race.

Annie Power and Un De Sceaux left in the race.

UDS we have been told is inexperienced, won't like the course and not ready for it.  Why pay the entry fee?

AP is a stayer apparently and going World Hurdle.  Why pay the entry fee?

Amazing

Owners with money to burn is always nice for any trainer ability to wait as long as possible for any developments

.... so Willie must be now saying UDS is fit to run?

I think the supplementing of CCB has to be a postitive for this race as a spectacle before we even consider who we think will win it. Should make for a really interesting race. I have backed HF in a couple of doubles, trebles and tbh I think he would have a better chance if the race were ran at a slow pace with a burst for the line, but I just can't wait to be there on Tuesday to see this race. Hands down the race I am most looking forward to. Also backed OC straight after his triumph win last year so the faster pace should suit him as well I think.

they'll need to do a better job of the pace setting than they managed in the Irish Champion Hurdle where CCB actually finished in front of Jezki.

The problem arises when the other jockey chooses not to go with the pace being set. Time and again we see a so called pacemaker going off on its own. That isn't a pacemaker.

ccb was too close to hf and oc for them not to be worried about him,wont win but ive seen worse pacemakers,wont want to let it get too far clear !

What a big mistake from Willie. Had he not said Un De Sceaux wasn't going to run it seems very Doubtful Captain Cee Bee would have been supplemented and Hurricane Fly would have got the dawdle the trainer wants.

I dont believe it matters to HF how the race is run. He beat Solwhit over 2 1/2 miles when Solwhit was at his peak.

I am very much in agreement there differentdrum.

I don't think I will be having a bet on the race as the prices are too tight at the moment. My choice is Our Connor and I'm a trends man so dont usually go for 5year olds in the race. If I was laying one then it would be The New One and he would have been my choice if heart was ruling head.

I shall enjoy the race and hope we have a great champion. (until Tuesday that is when I wont be able to help having something on because it's Champion Hurdle)

While the claims of dual winner Hurricane Fly are clear, Un De Sceaux would be facing a steep jump in class after winning a couple of moderate events before landing the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran last month.

The six-year-old is unbeaten in five runs for Mullins after transferring to his care last February.

The Closutton handler, who has also left in Thousand Stars, told www.wpmullins.com: "I have only given him one entry next week and that is in the Champion Hurdle.

"That would be a huge step up in class from his other races and we have to weigh up whether now is the time to go for the Champion. I don't have any other thoughts regarding his plans after that, ie Aintree or Punchestown.

"We will decide on the Champion first then take it from there. Whether he goes or not he is clearly a very exciting prospect for us."

Might as well run UDS now as there is bound to be a fast pace whether WM/HF want it or not. Nothing to lose in my eyes and if they are worried CCB will set a pace HF cant live with then he would have a very valid 2nd string to his bow who it wouldn't inconvenience. Would also make for a fascinating race although I very much doubt if that is high on WM's list of priorities !

unclepuncle

16 Feb 03

MTOY is just like Binocular - best horse but outstayed / outbattled in the Supreme, will be the same story in his first Champion Hurdle imo, and will then win it the following season.


Lump on for next year guys.

As a backer of The New One all year I'm gutted right now. Was really unlucky when it was hampered and looked to be finishing best of all.

Watched the race a couple of times already though and is it just me or was it maybe losing it's position a bit just before the incident occurred? Maybe just not quite quick enough to lay up over 2m at proper championship pace?

Our Connor RIP

Horrible news poor Conor

Gutting i loved that horse

me 2 jasey  feel sick.
Lydia was quite upset on RUK

Race was a massive anticlimax imo.  Fair play to Jezki, the change of tactics worked, but the race didn't live up to my expectations.

Our Conor RIP, TNO badly hampered, the Fly struggling, Melodic being ridden after the first furlong.  I was hoping the main five hopefuls would be swinging round the final bend all with a good chance (Like Kauto, Long Run and Denman in the GC a few years ago), but it didn't materialise.

To be fair three of them did and The New One was close enough at the top of the hill if good enough. On the day the best horse won. Very sad news about Conor who had his whole career ahead of him.

Agree with well chief. anti-climax

It is testament to The New One that he was still able to get involved after being badly hampered. Would not agree that he was close enough if good enough. He was good enough to get close enough but that's it. By the way had no interest and would have been making a case against him because of his jumping whereas it ended up being the horse I backed who's jumping went to pieces - My Tent or Yours.

To be fair to The New One he was shuffled back by the fall but he was already far enough back as it was and was clearly being ridden that way. The point is that at the top of the hill he was about a length off MTOY who was about a length off Jezki. From that point he lost ground running downhill. Is it possible to build a case to say that wouldn't have been the case irrespective of what happened to Our Conor? I don't think it is. He lacked tactical speed on that run downhill and that is where he was beaten.

I rewatched it and he was roughly 3L off the leader going into the hurdle and about 7 or 8L when he got away from it. Always hard to say what would have happened though but it sure didn't help

Not strictly the lengths that The New One lost that cost him, what about the momentum, etc? He's having to chase a serious pace when he should be just off it. 5L is a lot to make up at that stage of the race because they are going so fast.

I backed it mate and think it obviously cost it momentum as well as distance. Just think it happened a long way out to say it definitely would have won

It isn't just the distance its the energy expended getting back in

The incident without doubt has cost him any chance.  Whether he would have won or not is regardless.
No horse could/would have won after that.

absolutely no doubt that The New One would have won given a clear run....

I agree pedro

The ride given to the fly was crap.up there all the way...this after the jockey said he would never do that again in a champion hurdle

I don't think that has been commented on. To be fair I don't think today would have been The Fly's day but it was something of a surprise to see Ruby have him on the pace so early.

so if he had been travelling 3 or 4 lengths further back, you think Fly would have won?

Ruby knew he was never going to get past the likes of mtoy on good ground, the only way was trying to out stay from the front. Just not good enough unfortunately.

had to let the new one come back in his own time , and too much lost to get back at the others  ,very unfortunate but that's racing game  ..finishe really well better than expected for sure ...

Where is everyone at saying jezki was a place lay....bbbbooooooommmm

TNO got back into the race relatively easily IMO, he then got outpaced and ran on again at the death, the incident was unfortunate but it skewing the probability that he's a 2 and a half miler....he's done a zarkandar from a couple of years back.

If you want to talk about unlucky, then we should be thinking about how the tent can pull his head off even with a strong pace and still run right to the line.....if they ever teach him to settle they won't get near him IMO.

the new one will beat jezki if they meet again find it hard discussing the race after the fatality would rather lose my money than have anything like that happen to a horse

The New One would have won of that I am in no doubt at all.  I bet Willie wishes he'd run UDS now.  Really sad though for Our Connor. It def takes the edge off it.

agree 100% duffy, one day tent will settle and then we will witness one of the best 2 mile performances you'll ever see. How does a horse pull so hard off a lightning quick pace then still gain on the winner right to the line.

buickisgod
07 Jan 14 11:13
Joined:
12 May 10
| Topic/replies: 97 | Blogger: buickisgod's blog
so another jezki knocker!!

still cant see why so many people dont seem to rate him as a creditable challanger. ran a blinder in the supereme last year and i thought he enhanced his chances at christmas. obvious that getting hampered didnt help but i think there are still other reasons to believe he could reverse form with the fly. people seem to forget how good the fly is in ireland compared to cheltenham. cheltenham is almost certain to suit jezki, especially if the ground is good and they go a good pace. has anyone taken into account his trainers form over the last few weeks to? maybe we didnt see the best of him in the ryanair hurdle, just a thought.


some judge me ...

well mr mullins bit of ironic justice you tried to make it easier for the fly it never woked an probably cost you both the champion hurdle maybe in future you will run  your horses in the race they deserve to be in and not cotton wool past champions