Gigginstown Chelt Bumper Policy

I'm sure I read a stat last year in the lead up to the Festival, documenting the poor record of horses that had run in the Bumper at subsequent Cheltenham festivals.

Can't find it anywhere but it was a bit of an eye opener when I read it.

Perhaps the O'Learys might have a point?

Found it:

"558 horses have competed in the Cheltenham Bumper since 1992. Only 2 have gone on to win Championship Races at the Festival."

When you think that, in theory, this is the cream of up and coming horses from the top stables, I found it a very interesting stat.

I should quantify Championship races as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother, Gold Cup and Stayers Hurdle.

Pretty sure loads of horses have gone on to be at least Graded Class after running in this race.
My point is simply that Gigginstown seemingly don't like the race but maybe have changed their mind.

Gigginstown Champion Bumper Runners:
2016- Avenir D'Une Vie (Willie & Patrick Mullins)
2015- General Principle ran in 2016 for (Bryan Cooper & Gordon Elliott)
2015- Stone Hard ran in 2016 for (Willie Mullins & Paul Townend)

Strange that because I could swear they've had really fancied horses before but trainers said owners don't like running their horses in race....I stand corrected thread over!!

I believe your right. I think its just their premier bumper horses they don't. From memory they avoided it with Samcro and Poli Roi last year.

I am adamant that they've publicly stated their dislike for running horses in it (From memory it was specifically last year!)

I had it in back of my mind that when they had horses with Mullins he would say something like....id like to take this horse to the Cheltenham bumper but the owners arnt keen on the race

Gigginstown have had really fancied runners lots of times that never ran in it e.g. Don Cossack. Also i remember Blow by Blow was all the talk a couple of years ago. I guess they could still have runners but maybe not the really good ones.

Can see how this ends.... Gigginstown win bumper and Oleary says its worst horse he owns!!!!

A bumper is a different discipline to jumping so not that surprised at the stats. Few bumpers are rated above 130, partly because there is limited data on which to rate them but mainly because many of them fail to exceed that rating over obstacles. Sadly we never found out what Fayonah could do, Debuchet has not made the frame in 2 hurdle runs so from last years bumper placed horses, only Claimintakinfogan has run many times and he is well below championship class. This all reinforces just how good a horse Cue Card is. Won the bumper at 4, still competing at Grade 1 level at 12.

Think Claimintakinforgan will run a big race in the Supreme.

You could be right reminds me of one similar a few years back of Hendos,can't recall the name though

I'd be cautious about taking Elliot's word (or any other trainer's) about Gigginstown horses because O'Leary makes the decisions and has form for overriding trainers' wishes. At this stage I'd make a note of their names and see if they line up for the Punchestown bumpers (of which there are an unfeasibly large number).

Gigginstown have had runners in the cheltenham champion bumper, just not that many, and not very good ones either. Maybe elliot feels that it is better for a couple of them to run for whatever reason but i certainly wouldnt be backing any gigginstown horse in the champion bumper because you can be fairly sure that if the horse is any good, then they will wait for a bumper in ireland or just wait to go hurdling next season