CALLING GRAHAM WYLIE

Sure he'd rather win the Gold Cup with the horse to be perfectly honest.

I'd agree. Yorkhill is Mullins' best chance of retaining the Champion Hurdle given the uncertainties and disrupted preps of Faugheen and Annie Power. Also, Yorkhill's debut over fences was inferior to that of Min - the former jumped to his left on several occasions.

hes mapped for the jlt

never known a novice chaser to abandon and revert back to champion hurdle just doesnt happen

Q) What's the difference between Min and Yorkhill apart from the way one supposedly jumps a fence better than the other?

A) Min won't be winning at this years festival over fences, whereas Yorkhill will.

Annie is the boss of the mullins yard,all the other horses will not eat until Annie is finished,they will not drink until Annie is finished drinking,and when Annie goes out on front in the gallops not one horse will pass her,must be a mare thing that the girl is the boss,but the real thing is that Annie has the blistering pace to burn them all off.
Annie is the number 1 star of the stable and they all keep talking her down because all the staff know that Annie can do her own talking on the race course.

Min has to do battle with Altior in the Arkle, his nemesis in the Supreme whereas Yorkhill despite being head-and-shoulder superior to the others in the JLT on hurdle form yet he is still available at 3/1 for it, why? However, if Min is in the JLT he would be shorter than 3/1.

Yorkhill would/should be at a similar price as Altior in the JLT if his new discipline was as impressive as Altior's.

why should Yorkhill be a similar price to Altior in the JLT? The JLT looks miles deeper than the Arkle will ever be. In fact at this stage the Arkle looking like a 6 runner affair if 3 absolute no hopers turn up and the JLT could be 10-12 runners with 6 in with a shout

I am still aghast as to how anyone thinks yorkhill is best suited to the champion hurdle!!!! Graham wylie has already said at the start of the year he is better over further then 2 miles which is obvious to anyone to see. He has already won over fences thus ruining his novice status for the year meaning there is only one race for him and that's the JLT and he has buveur dair to beat!

When Yorkhill won at Cheltenham Ruby came in beaming and told Willie he'll win the Arkle next year, Willie said he wasn't sure but thought he was a Champion hurdle horse. At that time Willie said he didn't go for the supreme with him because he believed Altior was a very good horse and he didn't want to take him on with Yorkhill. A lot of these statements are a bit contradictory. Looks like Yorkhill will be avoiding Altior once again.

When Mullins asked Wiley to buy the horse he suggested to him he'd be a future Gold Cup horse so the JLT might not be a bad plan in his novice year.

Going to run Nichols Canyon in this race.

The Champion Hurdle is the correct race for Nichols Canyon and not the Stayers. By the way what possessed Mullins to run him in the 2015 Neptune? Wholly absurd in my opinion.

What was absurd about it? Didn't he win over the same trip at Aintree and Punchestown straight after Cheltenham. He's a top class horse over any trip

Impossible. The only thing that is absurd is your post. Douvan ran in that race and I'm pretty sure they knew they couldn't beat him. They also had Shaneshill for Wylie who finished second in the race anyway. Made perfect sense to split the Wylie runners up, as they always do. And as firsttime visor points out, he won over 2m4f at the next two festivals.

It's absurd that you think you know better than Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh and make continual digs about the best in the business.

CCM

Douvan is owned by Ricci, and Shaneshill and Nichols Canyon are owned by Wylie; Shaneshill was near fav for the Neptune (20f) and was a late switch with Nichols Canyon (both Wylie); Nichols Canyon managed to beat Faugheen in the Morgiana, a 2m race.

I think Nichols Canyon could have given Douvan a race in that Supreme especially if he could beat Faugheen in the Morgiana, and Shaneshill will never beat Douvan over 2m over hurdles or fences.

I understand Shaneshill did win two races over 20f.....at prices of 2/11 and 4/9 both extremely "competitive"!

Fashion Fever, ever heard of a horse called Beech Road ?
Won a Champion Hurdle reverting from fences

Even though I backed Beech Road at 66/1 who was ridden by R Guest in the Champion Hurdle I had little recollection of the race itself as it was just for fun then; I also backed Morley Street post this, and they were with the same trainer, I believe.

Now that's what you call a gratuitous aftertime!

Impossible. Thanks for clarifying Douvan is owned by Ricci You're missing the point. Regardless of who owns what, WPM wants winners first and foremost. And he will do whatever he can to give him the best chance.

Clearly they thought Douvan was unbeatable. Everything we have seen sinve suggests they were right. So of the two Wylie runners they chose to run the best one in the more winnable Neptune. And I think most would agree NC has turned out to just about be the better of the two. It's also clear he stays two and a half perfectly well. For you to start saying that it was 'criminal' to do what they did is nonsense.

The fact you still seem to think you know better than them is even worse.

CCM
I think it is you who are missing the point.

Shaneshill was a better juvenile over 20f than Nichols Canyon and would have gone very close or won the Neptune if taken part - he beat Outlander over 20f easily who beat Windsor Park, the eventual winner of the Neptune where Nichols Canyon finished 3rd.

Last year it was Bellshill (Wylie) who ran (sacrificed) in the Supreme against Altior and Min and finished 2nd last despite Bellshill was fancied for the Albert Bartlett (AB) and Neptune after winning the Navan Novice (No More Heroes) and Lawlor's Hotel (Death Duty) both 20f in 2015/16. For your interest, Mullins ran seven in the AB namely Long Dog, Gangster, Up For review, Open Eagle, Balko Des Flos, Bleu Et Rouge and Bachasson. Post this race, Bellshil ran over 3m, winning one and finishing 2nd.

Bellshill is not a 2m horse, and this season Bellshill has been campaigned over 20f and is the present fav for the RSA and not in the Arkle or Champion Hurdle.

Last season Shaneshill was messed with by Mullins, I'm 100% certain of that.

It is generally accepted Mullins does not always run his best horse in the most appropriate race in the past, and this season is no different eg Yorkhill in the JLT (20f) and not Arkle (16f) yet Yorkhill is entered for the Champion Hurdle (16f). Is that not a contradiction or is there an ulterior motive not doing so?

Impossible. Nichols Canyon stuffed Windsor Park in the Deloitte... the eventual winner of the Neptune. ffs.

Not only do you know better than Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, you also know Shaneshill would probably have won the Neptune. Have a word with yourself will you, you're really starting to ruin this forum.

Yorkhill won the Neptune and you are now arguing about him being the JLT. It's just utter drivel.

Aren't we used to it by now though Can't catch me

LOL

There is one poster every year that tends to know more than the trainers owners and horses

And they no longer post on here but more tragically a number of really decent genuine forumites have also gone and stopped posting. Not to name any names like

CCM

The Deloitte is over 18f and not a natural progression towards the Neptune or the AB - it is more of a prep for a 2m race like the Supreme or the Champion Hurdle; Shaneshill ran in the Navan Novice (No More Heroes and Death Duty) and neither ran/will run in a 2m race at Cheltenham, but Shaneshill did - plz refer to races for accuracy.

I am no Mullins and neither would I like to be him nevertheless, I am a professional in my field (not horse racing) for many years and I do know if/when a counterpart has made a horlicks in his profession - if in doubt, please check whether Shaneshill and/or Bellshill has run in another 2m race post their Cheltenham Supreme experiences.

It is fact and accepted by all Yorkhill won the Neptune beating Yanworth but was "announced" by Ruby immediately after the race to be in the Arkle next year (2017); Faugheen also won the Neptune yet he ran in the Champion Hurdle and remained over 16f except one. Can you provide a plausible explanation why Yorkhill is entered for the JLT (20f) and Champion Hurdle (16) and not the Arkle (16f)?

A forum is for exchanging differing opinions/ideas, old and new differing, but not stifling them.

The most plausible explanation for Yorkhill not being entered in The Arkle, is that the entries aren't out yet.

I certainly can't give a plausible explanation though for his entry in The JLT, as I didn't think the entries were out for that either, but you live and learn.

^

Impossible. It's pretty bloody obvious isn't it? Is there a 2m4f option for Yorkhill at the Festival if he'd stayed over hurdles?

Lump on for the Aintree hurdle!!!

There are no entries yet for either the Arkle or the JLT but trainers would be crazy not to give multiply entries to some horses and most of them do.

The only reason Yorkhill will run in the JLT is Min is Mullin's Arkle horse. He has always been well regarded and his second place to Altior in last years Supreme was an amazing run when during the race he took off 4 strides early and landed on one of the hurdles, other horses would have called it a day. The rematch will be interesting.

It nearly killed Yorkhill to take in Aintree last year and it didn't appear to suit him so I be surprised if he went back. If Faugheen is well I assume Annie Power will be kept for Aintree as it would be an insult to drop a champion hurdle winner back into a mares race.

it might be an insult to run Annie in the mares, doesn't mean it won't happen. It must be more likely now than it was at the start of the season. I have made the mistake of backing Yorkhill in the Arkle, my impression was that he would beat Min over either 2m or 2m 4f (whether he would beat Altior is a different matter), however I should have factored that GW doesnt seem to have any strong view on where the horses should run. I won't make the mistake again, i got the shaneshill one wrong as well, had a voucher at 10s for any race (assuming he was Neptune bound) and he rocks up in the Supreme. I think i saw an interview where he admitted he got that one wrong and he should have run him in the Neptune, thats the risk of AP betting i suppose.

With Mullins' propensity for multiple entries for his charges it is prudent to 2nd guess otherwise...

I do like Yorkhill in the JLT on hurdling form despite his not too convincing fencing debut however, his entry for the Champion Hurdle gives me concern - he could be rerouted there if Faugheen and Annie Power are absent (VVM and Nichols Canyon just not good enough); if so, could Min be given the JLT option, why not without Altior? I believe so, and will back Min with more confidence than Yorkhill even if Min is 5/2 or less.

Both the aforementioned horses are about 3/1 in the betting, and at that price I'd expect a "nrnb" assurance prior.

impossible123 16 Jan 17 14:09
CCM

The Deloitte is over 18f and not a natural progression towards the Neptune or the AB - it is more of a prep for a 2m race like the Supreme or the Champion Hurdle; Shaneshill ran in the Navan Novice (No More Heroes and Death Duty) and neither ran/will run in a 2m race at Cheltenham, but Shaneshill did - plz refer to races for accuracy.

I am no Mullins and neither would I like to be him nevertheless, I am a professional in my field (not horse racing) for many years and I do know if/when a counterpart has made a horlicks in his profession - if in doubt, please check whether Shaneshill and/or Bellshill has run in another 2m race post their Cheltenham Supreme experiences.

It is fact and accepted by all Yorkhill won the Neptune beating Yanworth but was "announced" by Ruby immediately after the race to be in the Arkle next year (2017); Faugheen also won the Neptune yet he ran in the Champion Hurdle and remained over 16f except one. Can you provide a plausible explanation why Yorkhill is entered for the JLT (20f) and Champion Hurdle (16) and not the Arkle (16f)?

A forum is for exchanging differing opinions/ideas, old and new differing, but not stifling them.


Fabulous 16 Jan 17 14:23
The most plausible explanation for Yorkhill not being entered in The Arkle, is that the entries aren't out yet.

I certainly can't give a plausible explanation though for his entry in The JLT, as I didn't think the entries were out for that either, but you live and learn.

Very early contenders for post and reply of the year. Let's wallow for a moment in the irony berating CCM over a lack of accuracy and the 'horlicks' that his fellow professional WPM has made - only to then be exposed for posting pure guesses regarding non-existent entries. Genuine LOL inducing, thanks Fabulous.
Yet, still he comes back with more....... The gift that keeps on giving.

Altior is far from across the line in the Arkle, Min is a serious opponent.

Min looked a good hurdler, but looks a better chaser, so whilst Altior won the Supreme, I think fences will narrow the gap personally.

Altior rightly fav, don't get me wrong, but this matchup is the one I'm most looking forward too, along with Yorkhill vs Beveur Dair.

PS I would love to see Yorkhill in the Champion before he had his race over fences, but now they've made that decision, they have to keep him over fences.

Makes no sense mucking him about, switching codes, trip etc. He's now a chaser and should be campaigned accordingly

Desmond, I'd appreciate you not quoting that simpleton, I've him blocked which I'd advise everyone else on this to do.