I've nothing against the horse, Duffy and was as wowwed as anyone by that Neptune run.
However, since then Yanworth has shown a propensity to get done for toe at that stage in his races and then stay on again, so with the benefit of hindsight I'm less wowwed, tbh.
Even if I wasn't, there's nothing happened in the last 12 months that suggests he would be competitive in any race at the festival (although I respect Festival form as being hugely important).
If you're right about odds against BD (not an earthly, unfortunately, it's more likely that Faugheen won't show if Yorkhill does) then my whole week would revolve around the race and I hate backing shorties, but that would be some gift.

I admit I'm letting my head rule my heart somewhat, but I'm a sucker for following horses off a cliff if I have at sometime in the past fallen in love with them, besides, he's only got that slow old boat to beat

I beg to differ,...I'm not letting my heart rule my head.

Yorkhill is class, and as such will give BD - 3rd in a good Supreme - a proper race, if compos mentis. He ought to have run in last year's CH; the remaining protagonists in this year's renewal are non-entities and only playing for places, including Faugheen, I believe.

Yorkhill may possibly have been class,but nobody with any sense would describe him as that this season.

You will now within the next week or two if Yorkie is flying at home,due to the money behind him. Imo I don't even think Faugheen will go.

I don't think you can be too dogmatic in writing him off, we're not talking about a horse that has been proven to be fully exposed at his optimum trip and proven to be not good enough.

The horse has been messed around and not really been given the chance to show his best, I personally thought his first run this season was a good one that only went south when his stamina gave out, he was on a going day that day and took a good hold jumping and travelling well, if he raced over 2 miles at that time we'd have seen a better horse, his next run was a complete write off, even his detractors would have to admit as much.

The fact is that there is no book of form to either criticize or support him over 2 miles in a championship race, if you're against him you're trying to marry up what he's done at different trips and conditions to rule him out for a race that would see him in a better light.

If you're a supporter you're hoping that what they've done to him hasn't ruined him so he can't perform properly when fully given his best conditions and the promise he once showed in the not too distant past is still there.

I've been longing for him to run in the CH. His connections chickened out last season but put up a sterling performance to win the JLT. And now the CH (finally) after two disappointing and non-descript runs; 1st, over wrong trip and atrocious ground; 2nd, lifeless and probably too soon after the 1st.

If anywhere near his best hurdling form he's the beating of all the non-entities in the CH, and very possibly the fav BD too. He also loves Cheltenham; if he's reunited with Ruby an additional bonus for horse and backer, I believe.

Imp
What is his

budd, des, as an interest, let's assume for one minute that the Neptune style of performance will be replicated on the day, now the form itself might not be up to the job, but let's say he runs in that way with whatever improvement that allows him to show, how close do you see him to BD and let's say the market assumes he runs to that run, whatever that might be, what price does he go off at?

I think he's win because I thought that he produced a turn of foot that day that BD hasn't got and over 2 miles would have seen him in an even better light, he wasted a deal of energy pulling for 3/4 of the race.

No they didn't chicken out, every horse they have pretty much that has shown any sort of high class form and hints that it might stay has to have the GC route attempted, the stable need that win.

i think it will be a miracle if this horse won, in fact i would say he is a long shot to even start in the race, just normal media ramping, anyway good luck with this project

I personally thought his first run this season was a good one that only went south when his stamina gave out

This is where we differ Duffy. I always thought he'd have no problem staying an extra 3 furlongs based on breeding and previous form. To me he always seemed to finish off his races strong. To me he was never travelling really well in the Lexus so i can't write that run off due to stamina doubts. Something else is amiss. imo

BTW Imp, the ground was Yielding at Leop at Xmas, hardly ‘atrocious’. But that doesn’t fit your narrative.......

If we forget all this has happened and judge him purely on his Neptune run from two years ago, then he would be a worthy second fav at about 4/1 - I still don’t think that run gives him the beating of BD though.

Thats pretty much what i was gonna say Des.

This turn of foot you keep going on about Duffy.
Not that i agree with you,i think BD has shown us he has,but horses can win the Churdle without a real turn of foot,and by your admission BD already has!!
At this moment BD is the best 2m hurdler around(as far as we know).
Could Yorkhill be better?........of course he could,but we simply have nothing but a Novice Hurdle over 2 and a halfm 2 years ago compared to a 2m Champion Hurdle last year.

Yeah, but Bud, just for a second use your imagination.
Imagine if Yorkhill had gone hurdling last year, now imagine BD had stayed over fences. Then imagine Yanworth had won the Grand National and Altair run a close second in the Ayr Gold Cup. What price now Yorkhill for the Champion Hurdle, eh, eh?

*Altior ffs.
Altair would have no chance in the Ayr Gold Cup, everyone knows that.....

Yorkhill has a proper engine but he is ridiculously quirky so we don't get to see him at his best very often. His run in the Lexus was dire. I just cannot buy the argument that he ran well for 2 miles! He won a JLT ffs and wasn't running out of petrol. Whatever about the Lexus, his run this month was far worse again. That's 2 runs and 2 flops at 2 miles and 3 miles. We know he has mental issues and its perhaps possible that there's something physically bothering him too.

It wouldn't have mattered a damn if his 2 runs this season were over hurdles or fences, 2m or 3m, he just wasn't right for some reason.I don't doubt for a second that he could bounce right back and I'm certain he will do this some day,perhaps even at Cheltenham, but if so then it won't have been just because he has gone back to 2 mile hurdling!! It will be because he has simply come back to form.

Remember he has just as many quirks over hurdles. His last 2 hurdle runs were Aintree, where he ran way too free, Townend couldn't hold him, he jumped appallingly and scrambled home in front, and then Punchestown where he again jumped left and ran a dismal race finishing a well beaten fourth.The horse is just a talented nut job but he's capable of either winning or pulling up in either the Champion Hurdle or the Ryanair.

I did indeed say that Duffy.
It was meant in the context of how much talking surrounds this horse, rather than meaning to knock the horse.

Anyway,i have 36 on here for the Churdle(well they all have their price)so hope he does run,plus whatever one thinks about him he does add some intrigue.

My main reasoning is his form this season and his prep for a Champion Hurdle,they just simply don't give him an earthly.
If we take that away from the equation however,as some seem to be doing,as is their right,then its all about potential,and that's a different thing.

Talented nut job as ftv puts it is imo a fair judgement,and those types can always run a big race now and then,maybe this will be Yorkhills time to do that.

^
Agree with that, total mess.