champion hurdle 2017

Yeah i kinda did too, apologies to the punter who had tenner off me at 17 1 min before suspension

VVM taking on Limini in the Mares Hurdle

^^ is this definite

they're both still in the Mares at the 48hr decs

yes, both declared at final decs stage

VVM still in the Stayers though

Oh right taut it was 24hr decs 4 the mares

they could have VVM NR and run her later in the week I suppose - never say never but unlikely now surely

Don't have any interest in either but a mate has VVM in mares FB MSG him.But must be golfing and no it's not wonky

Jacob riding Sceau Royal, predictably no jockeys against Footpad and Wicklow Brave

I think Ruby will ride Footpad now surely

5/1 Apples Jade in the Mares Hurdle?  I'll take a piece of that thank you Mr Power.

Mullins must've thought she wouldn't win the CH or maybe more significantly that Footpad or Wicklow Brave will. I'm thinking Wicklow, improved on the flat last year and could well be hurdling well at home.

I'm not sure Footpad is a Cheltenham horse? His 7l 3rd behind Ivanovich Gorbatov in the Triumph last year was hardly spectacular.

well vroum vroum out and moon racer in... adding some nice spice to the race, it really is brutal and 10/1 moon racer is tight even though i think he has a chance, he should be nearer to 14/1

i have to say... you can't tell me mullins didn't know vroum vroum was going to go to the other race it really is quite sickening for punters and it comes all the way down to declaration day...it's just poor sport from all these trainers with multiple entries you have to find out by looking at a betting market on here to find out, when they know damn well where they are going...

anyway this is the reason i refuse to tie money up through the season just to get a price, it just doesn't add up...i will say i tip my hat to david pipe who has said all along moon racer may run in the champion and it is then up to the punter if he still feels the need to bet

Ruby rides Footpad and Limini

Townend on Wicklow Brave and VVM

So Mullins/Ricci loads up for the mares race with two, taking the safe option yet again. He must be concerned that Limini isn't good enough otherwise what is the point sending VVM for a minor race.

to me the form book tells you the Mares Hurdle is the right race for both of them.

Quite like MR for churdle ... I guess it's worth asking whether Vautour would've won churdle in his supreme year (jezki won churdle)

agree reaseheath it is the right race for both horses

I don't fancy Footpad here at Cheltenham but you have to say that VVM's and Limini's (the other week) defection to the Mares is big pointer that that the stable thinks either Footpad or Wicklow is good enough.

The fact that Ruby picks Footpad is a big pointer and wouldn't put anyone off backing him now.

Moon racer is not far ahead of Ballyandy or Movewiththe times and they are only rated 147 and 146 after a big rise since Newbury! Moon Racer surely nowhere near 165 that is needed to win a CH.

Shrews, I wouldn't see it that way. Limini running in the Mares is not because Footpad and WB are better, its because they are not 100% happy with VVM and Limini is now their best chance of winning the Mares.

For all that, both Footpad and WB have decent chances and wouldn't be a bit surprised if either won.

Yep, I think you're right there.

1st Limini then VVM probable runners here, but now these two horses taking on each other in the Mares Hurdle, the most inconsequential race of the entire Cheltenham Festival. Only Mullins can engineer these scenarios...what a monumental climbdown by connections!

The most inconsequential race of the festival???   How have you come to this conclusion?   It is one of  just 7 championship races at the festival. Its a mares hurdle. They are mares. Whats your problem this time?

does anyone think the other jockeys will slow down the pace to get yanworth beat... they must know a fast pace will play into his hands. or is he not that scary a proposition that they'll think that deeply about the tactics?

Most of the field lack that change of gear, not just Yanworth, BD definitely wants further IMO, If PM could get away with setting slow fractions he could nick the race...hard to think that he'd be allowed it though, but something to look at I/R.

Well I am yet to see Yanworth outpaced enough to affect his chance of winning a race over 2m hurdling,and as this race is at a track that will suit him,unlike some others hes won at,i see no reason to worry on that score.
Given likely decent ground I am a tad worried about Brain Power however,but at least I have him on my side now as a cover bet.
I hope Yanworth is the best horse in the race,but it is a tricky race with a few that may well be still improving.

the New One will also need a fast pace so I can't see it getting tactical. Yanworth looks the clearest winner of the meeting to me.

I would love to see The New One or MTOY win this - mainly The New One because I've backed him every other time so why stop now .  Plus I think it is great when one of the old guard win one of the big races.

I have Tent on here so would not mind if he won Chief,not TNO though!!May have to put a bit on him now

Yes,it would be nice I agree.

Managed to get on MTOY and TNO @ huge prices must admit im a bit of a sentimentalist and like to see the old guard perform well. But like the rest of the field i can quite easily see them getting a place .
Trouble is i cant see a winner in the field. im sure there will be and it will be quite obviuos after

Yeah Geoff, after months of debate on here I'm still no clearer on who the winner will be, but I'm really looking forward to it.  I backed TNO and Moon Racer at big prices a while ago, and whilst I really want to back Petit Mouchoir too, I think two against the field at small stakes will be enough for me.

I think it would be one of those races where if you ran the same race 5 times, you could easily get 5 different winners, so it just depends on how things pan out on the day.  Will the jockey make the move at the right time?  Will the gap open up?  Will any be hampered by fallers?

Whilst there's no standout one (imo of course), luck in running and a clear passage through will be more important than ever.  I think it will be a really tight race, with only a few lengths possibly covering the first three or four home.

GL all.

I think it would be one of those races where if you ran the same race 5 times, you could easily get 5 different winners, so it just depends on how things pan out on the day.  Will the jockey make the move at the right time?  Will the gap open up?  Will any be hampered by fallers?

nah yanworth wins. You've got to go with these horses at cheltenham who find at the end of their races

so many people will lose their hard earned on bridle jobs this week, I prefer to end up with the winners

I agree you very rarely get a Champion Hurdle winner winning on the bridle, the way you sometimes do with a novice hurdle winner or Arkle/QMCC winner; but I don't really think any of them in this race are bridle merchants - all have proven they can find off the bridle.

Yanworth can keep finding, but if his jockey takes a really wide path again, then it is irrelevant because he'll be out of the race.  If they all run to form, they'll be very close jumping the last because whilst some may think Yanworth has the best form, if he does, it is not by much.

You could argue that Yanworth's best run was when he demolished them in the Neptune trial when it was a bog, and the good ground could be an inconvenience.

I don't normally like to sit on the fence, as I'll give an opinion either way, but in this race, it's too close to call to say one is way ahead and will win it.

He doesnt (Yanworth) jump well enough for me. 1 or 2 likened him to Hardy Eustace @ preview evenings. only thing they have in common is they ran in a Neptune/Ballmore?Sun Alliance... Hardy was a very slick hurdler that ran from the front on the inside everything Yanworth doesnt do. Oh and he won a Sun Alliiance....

not worried about yanworths jumping at all.

been telling you guys for a while that yanworth will win but you don't listen. Oh well.

Haha, Lewisham you've also said Henderson's runners are 'flat track bullies who won't get up the hill' - pretty sure MTOY has finished 2nd in 2 Champion Hurdles & never been out of the frame at Cheltenham... not sure how that means he doesn't get up the hill but each to their own! GL for tomorrow!

MTOY the ultimate nearly horse mate.

gl for tomorrow.

Couldnt solve it so took the 50s WB , on the basis that with a rest (at last ) and assuming a start he was overpriced , and he owes me nothing .

I'm on MTOY at a big price but it is also more in hope than expectation although I think he has a chance of running into a place. I think Faugheen would have smashed this field in what is a poor renewal.

Yanworth had the worst ride of the whole week last year and although Mark Walsh hasn't ridden him before he can't get a worse ride surely?

I think Yanworth will be taken wide as I think he needs plenty of daylight to see the hurdle coming, he just lands in a bit of a heap too many times and all those times where the jockey just has to ride him away from the hurdle will add up in the end IMO.

I like it when I come round to a horse in a race that I had previously discounted out of hand because of simply towing the party line so to speak. To that end I am coming around to PM, crucially he has gears and "if" he can get the right fractions set and have something saved he might just be able to catch out those slow boats behind!

Like many others though, it's not a strong opinion but I do think it is a plausible one.

Heart ruling head I would love MTOY to win because the natural talent this horse had in his prime deserved him a CH win, if only he relaxed more through his races back then.

I don't think Yanworth is anything like Hardy Eustace but is very similar to Brave Inca in my opinion

I can't have Brain Power at all, slammed in the Greatwood (but lets blame the ground or he was still immature - all the old classics) and 6/1 off the back of a couple of handicap wins. Not for me in a Championship race. Why would The New One suddenly reverse form with Yanworth, just can't see it from the Xmas hurdle unless Yanworth runs lame or something. Don't really see Petit Moucher reversing form with Buvier Dair from the Supreme or Aintree. Moon Racer didn't look like a Champion Hurdle horse when it won at Cheltenham when it was in the right place off a joke pace and he hasn't run for 6 months. I just don't think Wicklow Brave is good enough unless several horses run below par and the only way I could see Ch'Tibello reversing form with Yanworth is if the latter runs lame or if they go a slow pace , neither of which is likely in my opinion.

If there is a shock in store then I see if coming from either Footpad (quietly brought along, ran better than finishing position suggests in last years Triumph and Mullins not running VVM in this race maybe they quietly fancy Footpad to run a big race) and Sceau Royal who travelled really well in the Kingwell and King was visably disappointed with this finishing effort - maybe they have tidied up any loose ends.

I expect Yanworth to win well but Footpad and Sceau Royal look the jokers in the pack at big prices and whilst he has to improve, Buvier Dair is unexposed and open to any amount of improvement. I can't have anything myself - just my opinion.

* anything else

So you expect Yanworth will win easily, but you can't have anything in the race?

I just don't think My Tent of Yours wants to win races that much, not a great trait up the Cheltenham hill. Yanworth badly needed the run at Ascot first time up this season so his performance actually impressed me on the run in the way he dug in to see it out. I would prefer a horse to get slightly outpaced and stay on well than travel like a dream only to bottle it up the hill - refer to Harchibald, My Tent Or Yours etc

lewisham ranger - I amended my post immediately. I posted an opinion which we are all entitled to yet you focuses on the typo! Comical - this place hasn't changed...

* focused

sorry swagger, been a long day!

I think Footpad prefers soft/softish ground to show his best, the opposite of Brain Power.

just seen the betting in the post from nov 1st.
faugheen 3/1
annie power 3/1
apple's jade 8/1
altior 12/1
vroum vroum mag 16/1
yanworth 16/1
yorkhill 16/1
ivanovich gorbatov 25/1

only yanworth made the field, the perils of ante-post betting.

unbelievable innit?

That is an unusually high number but I always expect at least 50% of the November lists to be non runners.

Going a bit wide until the water jump is OK but there are only 3 hurdles in the last mile so you need to be no more than one off the rail from there. That is why Ruby managed to inflict his only defeat in the Neptune. Ruby went at least 6 lengths less distance in the last mile.

ashleigh 14 Mar 17 11:33 Joined: 23 Aug 02 | Topic/replies: 8,424 | Blogger: ashleigh's blog
just seen the betting in the post from nov 1st.
faugheen 3/1
annie power 3/1
apple's jade 8/1
altior 12/1
vroum vroum mag 16/1
yanworth 16/1
yorkhill 16/1
ivanovich gorbatov 25/1

only yanworth made the field, the perils of ante-post betting.

bookies must have made a small fortune already on those who haven't turned up, and meeting hasn't even started yet

to think many were suggesting that Yanworth should go to the stayers as a potentially easier race to win, and now he's clear favourite! :D

Making myself slightly nervous by comparing supreme winner to petit mouchoir

lewisham ranger - there you go my son!

W.D backers an unsolvable puzzle 4 me apart from the false fav.

well done buevair backers !

tomdeane and others well done enjoy

Looked slow motion champion hurdle

I've had a very small bet on buveur d'air who i backed when at aintree last spring and who finished third in what looks one of the best supremes of recent times, however i'm going to look closely again on tuesday morning when the ground is confirmed (although everybody knows that claisse will be pulling out all stops for good to soft) and then backing one of the outsiders, leaning towards sceau royal today but that may change

increased my stake at 11/2 this morning and also sceau royal - yanworth lay win and place also, happy days

Last years Supreme must have been some race. How good is Min if he comes back sound next year. Altior and Buveur D'air probably the best 2 over hurdles or novice chases Not out of the question that those 2 and Min could have been 123 in the CH or the Arkle had they all run together.

Well done all backers of the winner, he was unexposed and open to any amount of improvement and showed it. Interesting if it was just the ground or if there was actually something wrong with Yanworth who obviously ran a horrible race. Yes last years Supreme looked a quality renewal beforehand and looks even better now. Bar that it pretty much went as expected.

Makes me cry that the only bet I had on Beveur was at 14/1 in the JLT

That Aintree run with Petit Mouchoir bodes well for Limini next, although I am still in the Apples Jade camp.

charbel didn't do it any harm earlier either....Tombstone is going to get backed off the boards later in the week.

Well done lads... MTOY ran an absolute cracker again! Henderson having a good first day as usual!

Not sure if Brain Power is or isnt in this class but pulling like a monster early doors

Wicklow brave ran an interesting/bizarre race! Was left at the start missed it by at least 15 lengths and came there on the outside tanking two out, found zilch after! Just doesn't like hurdles getting in his way!

Well done to all BD backers.
Yanworth and Brain Power awful races,but winner was good and bless him so was Tent.

yanworth frigging terrible.

horrible horse and can't believe I backed this donkey.

soon to be appearing in a donkey race on blackpool pleasure beach.

Interesting race to pick through -- it may well have been a weakish renewal but I'm thrilled for Buveur D'Air. I think he is a really classy horse and am glad he got his day in the sun.

Supasundae endorsed the form again yesterday.

Yanworth - Aintree big bet if he runs there

yanworth?

only place he should go now is the blackpool donkey derby.

if he went to aintree he'd be lapped in his silly cheek pieces. slowest horse i've ever seen.

^^^ hows he won 7 races then surely horses he beat were slower?

yanworth was a decent horse but has gone backwards.

hence the application of headgear. the same thing happened with detroit city, when a horse gets lazy it only keeps getting lazier and lazier.

he hasn't got the natural speed anyway to win a champion hurdle. tuesday showed that. maybe he should be aimed at the stayers next season, but I think he could just go completely now.

Reckon he will go chasing next season.

I reckon he'll be aimed at the stayers, he's just cheesed off having to race at a pace he's not comfortable with, there were two horses in the stayers today with proper 2 mile class and one of them stayed the trip well and won it. If Yanworth got the chance to race in that type of slower paced race we might see him look like the yanworth that hacked up on trials day last year, racing within his comfort zone.

Anyone with half a brain would see that was not Yanworths true running.

I too think he will go chasing next season.

He has to go chasing and 2.5m is his distance. I put this on the Yanworth World Hurdle thread 7 months ago, and still feel it.

With the beauty of hindsight, I did put that I think he is essentially triples over hurdles; not quick enough for 2 and no guarantees he'll stay 3.

So many more options for him over fences over 2.5m, and what hasn't been mentioned is I think he definitely needs cut in the ground. He looks to have loads of scope to jump a fence.

I'd be amazed if we ever saw him over 2m again, unless it was a small novice chase where he has stones in hand.

I agree STS about Aintree. 2.5m there would be perfect for him; like Thousands Stars, Oscar Whisky, The New One, Zarkandar - beaten in a Champion over too short a trip, but this intermediate trip was what they need.

I'd be very sweet on Yanworth reversing the form with a lot of them from the Champion if he turns up.

yanworth is overrated. look at the two races he won this year- he looked dreadfully slow at times and struggled to put away poor opposition.

lacks pace, getting lazier and they are putting the headgear on him. I see an early retirement or a career in selling hurdles.

buddeliea 17 Mar 17 05:25 Joined: 19 Mar 04 | Topic/replies: 13,123 | Blogger: buddeliea's blog
Anyone with half a brain would see that was not Yanworths true running.

I too think he will go chasing next season.
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actually anyone with half a brain could see that WAS his true running, (but thanks for that little dig ) he just lacks the pace to stay with proper 2 mile hurdlers on good ground... didn't have the pace to go with yorkhill when he initially quickened and plodded on in the bumper as well behind moon racer. Even at kempton at xmas got outpaced briefly and had to be shuffled along to keep up, and that was against the new one and MTOY, hardly dominant hurdlers

I'm just annoyed I knew all this and still got mugged into backing him

lewisham ranger - your forum joining date suggests that you're at least 15 yo but your swift change of tack on yanworth is worthy of any pre-pubescent teen

why? am I supposed to stay rooted to one thought? having a flexible mind is a good thing many would argue.

perhaps you're just to stuck to your opinions, like most sheep, sorry people

Lighten up and have a pint of stout it's ST PATRICK'S  day

Mar 17, 2017 -- 12:41PM, lewisham ranger wrote:

why? am I supposed to stay rooted to one thought? having a flexible mind is a good thing many would argue.perhaps you're just to stuck to your opinions, like most sheep, sorry people

good post, he had an opinion, saw the race, examined the evidence and changed his mind instead of trying to find excuses to validate his original opinion (which a lot of us do).

It's a good trait for a gambler - he also had the balls to come back on the thread having called the race wrong - unlike most (myself included sometimes).

Well done, Lewisham

cheers mate. nice to know there are still some forumites who won't bite your head off if you offer up an opinion

It is clear now that Yanworth is not the class horse he looked in every other race he has run in! I will reserve judgement until he runs again.

What a run by Arctic Fire off top weight in the County. He was my Champion Hurdle selection all year and can't help but think he would have gone close.

I'm hoping we see him at Aintree to make up for his fall when he had the race at his mercy a few years ago.

I must admit I did not realise Arctic Fire was running at the Festival, and to win his race carrying top weight is a mega achievement. Incidentally, Buveur D'air despite what some might think of his victory was only one of two (the other was Sizing John) won faster than the standard time.

I think Yanworth needs to be stepped-up in distance regardless of discipline.

BD was the only race I felt confident with pre the festival. He was one of only a few winners I backed too

A dream of a horse and difficult to see beyond him again for next years renewal.

As for Lewisham Ranger; your pathetic posts are toe curlingly childish. I really don't think horse racing and punting in general is for you!

thanks for that trollwell, i'll bear that in mind mate

Min is one of only a couple that I can think of who may worry Beveur D'Air, but a lot can change in 12 months.

My gut feeling is that they'll drop Djakdam back for the Ryanair next year, so Douvan will be kept at 2m (either way I think one of them will be in the Ryanair)

Can't see them wanting to take Douvan on with Min, and Min has shown he can get the better of Beveur in the past.

I personally think Min would have won the Arkle, but that's a different story.

However, a lot of things all need to fall into line for that to happen, so 12/1 is no price to take, especially as we don't know how bad his injury is.

We were told last year Arctic Fire only had a niggle and he wasn't seen for 14 months.

Well chief agree with you 100%

I posted in the horse racing forum about him being back and dropped a stone because of his time off, Arctic Fire vs Yanworth in the aintree hurdle?
I know which way I'll be going and fingers crossed he can be back at 100% he'd have a shot next year for sure

I think that race confirms what Yanworth is.