The longer Mullins keeps a radio silence about Yorkhill's participation in the CH the more likely he'll be supplemented on 8th March. Otherwise, Mullins would have quashed any suggestions by now.

I'll be amazed if he doesn't now run in the race, I was blown away by his Neptune run, I don't buy any excuse about Yanworth who for me is short of top class, Yorkhill's performance was another of those wow moments where he was simply head and shoulders above the rest. He carted Walsh through that race and was pulling for most of it but put it to bed in a blink of an eye and  simply idled on the run in.

The shorter trip and faster pace of the CH will see him in a better light still as all he wanted to do is go quicker in the Neptune.

If it wasn't for the existence of Faugheen and AP I'd have expected him to have been prepared for the CH all season long and would now be a short price to win it. IMO.

Well as we always say its all about opinions Duffy.
You saw a different race to me re the Neptune.

Maybe their is nothing to this and hes on course for the JLT(or Arkle now Min is out) as has been all season,
Anyway the second guessing just continues and probably will until March.

What are the odds a certain poster soon calls upon Nicky Henderson to clear the air and end speculation with a statement on where Altior is being aimed!

ftv

Yes it does Duffy,its a lot more quiet on this forum compared to previous years,and without Mullins it would be near silent.

Altior is the same as Yorkhill,not a single mention from connections re a change of plan.

Oh yes I see your point Mary,i was just saying connections of both horses are not saying anything re changing plans.

Of the two,i have no doubt Yorkhill is the more likely to go CH, and personally I would not mind that at all.
It would give the race a boost,and we need championship races to be as competitive as possible.

But the thing is they don't have to say anything.
Both horses have had clear targets all season,and we are all aware of them.

Agree both camps are silent and tbh both put punters away regularly but would be truly shocked if Altior switched.  Yorkhill sure to switch for me but don't think it will be announced yet.

What's a matter with you lot He is going for the JLT .Full-Stop ..

Nicky has enough hurdlers. Plus he's game enough to not avoid other peoples horses. No way would he switch Altior. He loves a 2 mile chaser. There's a sprinter sacre void to try to fill. That's a big void with big shoes !

i would be very surprised if he stitched up JP!!

Why would Yorkhill bypassing the JLT mean that Bellshill moves from the RSA?

In my opinion Yorkhill has as much chance of winning the CH as the JLT because of his none-too-convincing fencing; the likes of Coney Island and Top Notch could give him something to think about in the JLT; Yorkhill will not go to the Arkle with the presence of Altior.

Bellshill is much more likely to run in the RSA than the JLT (should Yorkhill be absent) as that is his distance in a top notch race - he is not as effective over 20f.

Try and stay positive. Mullins has kept a radio silence, and as they say...."no news is good news"; Mullins will not announce his participation in the CH unless closer to race day - he is never punter/racegoer conducive. But I do take comfort in his missing the Flogas this sunday.

No trainer or owner need to say anything about any of their horses but they do say what they say to the media because it keeps the racing wheels turning and gives the big festivals a boost/advert. It is right and true that they shouldn't think about gamblers of the sport. The wellfare of their horses is paramount and the only thing that comes 2nd is the business. Thus i come to my 3rd point, the best way and i say this every year even when it looks 50/50 what race will what go is to keep a beady eye on the betfair markets. Yorkhill has traded around the same amount of money now in the Champ hdl as in the JLT the very fact that he is as short as 8s on betfair for the Champ hdl and fav for the jlt is irrelevant here the fact is has spent most of the winter in the jlt but was only re-introduced into the Churdle a short time ago when it was mooted he might. This says it all to me and if pp still offer odds of against for him to run churdle and not jlt i be taking them with a wheelbarrow!!

Certainly isn't going to be running on the Tuesday if the markets are right.
With Bellshill fluffing his lines for Mullins/Wylie yesterday I expect the JLT is the only race under consideration now.

The bad run of Bellshill yesterday in Ireland had no bearing on the final running plan of Yorkhill at Cheltenham, but one thing for sure though is Yorkhill's participation at Cheltenham will not be in the Arkle after that jaw-dropping performance by Altior; the present betting market for Yorkhill in the Champion Hurdle is just a common and usual reflection of the fickle sentiment by the some users of this platform at this present moment and not a true indication or reflection of his eventual race at Cheltenham.

I'm sure connections will only pitch him in a race that will give him the best chance of winning; connections do not need to make a decision until nearer race day.

Yesterday, Bellshill ran a race too bad to be true; he trounced Balko Des Flos, the runner-up yesterday by 10l the previous time. If sound, he and Might Bite are the two to beat in the RSA.

Yorkhill not entered in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday, surely a negative for the chances of him being supplemented for the Champion Hurdle.

I think only the mugs ( The usual names ) thought he was going for the Champion Hurdle!!