Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy 2021

Oh and free tips given to anyone except THFC fans and GR Fans. You don’t deserve my years of knowledge that has provided countless Festival winners.

HONEYSUCKLE ......

Does the incredibly learned and sagacious Irishone concur? I think so long as she is not in season, she will take some stopping.

Yeah that would be a bit of sh1tter shlotter !

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas ....

Very impressive yesterday and if she goes Champion route which is likely, spices up the race which it desperately needed.
My concern with Honeysuckle is that she’s unlikely to get the lead with Aspire and Silver Streak in the race who would take the field at least to the last hurdle you’d expect. Would she then be able to out sprint Epatante and co ?

A race to look forward to now !

Your posts are beyond belief,she didn't lead until the 2nd last where it's all uphill it's only uphill after the last at Cheltenham what evidence do you want.
You seem to favour horses that disappoint

Your posts are beyond belief,she didn't lead until the 2nd last where it's all uphill

We’re you watching a different race ? She led about just under a mile out....Unless my eyes and race report are wrong.I suggest you watch again.

https://youtu.be/-oKKTIPLdn4

Am I not allowed to have a concern that she may be outpaced after the last by a horse that won last years Champion ??
On soft or worse I’d back her and G/S I’d go with Epatante.

Well there u have it she'll be away and gone then

I have to agree that if Honeysuckle goes over the last, either level or in front, then she wins.

I think Honeysuckle was not inconvenienced by the ground as much as some especially Sharjah and Saint Roi; the form of Abacadabras had been woeful compared to last season; 5/2 is very skinny, and reflects more about the well-being of Epatante. Another Petit Mouchoir or Apple's Jade perhaps.

I still believe the only winner will be Epatante if the Epatante of last Champion Hurdle turns up; 11/4 is a very good price.

You’d have think the winner will be either of the Mares. 5/4 the pair isn’t the worst bet.

"They have three quarters of a mile to go and its honeysuckle taking over the lead"

Is what the commentator said on the video recommended above.

The clock doesn’t lie. Considering the ground at Leopardstown yesterday, that was some performance. Her hurdling has improved vastly. Plus she wasn’t all out. That is the toughest mare I have seen since the late great Dawn Run. Rachel Blackmore has hands like silk...

I am struggling to see how a horse who is in form, is very skinny at 5/2, but a horse who is not in form is a very good price at 11/4

Ah but he'll be using Tramore as a guide,about just under a mile out

Which represents better value? 5/4 Shiskin for The Arkle or 5/4 for either mare winning this race? Both have beaten Sharjah either on good or very soft ground.

Epatante was clearly not right when beaten. She walked all over her conqueror the previous time. I believe Treve had a similar issue in the PoW at Ascot when beaten at odds-on; a trapped nerve on her back.

Henderon did say something about her back, but I don't think he entioned a trapped nerve. I would be vary wary of backing her (no pun intended), epecially given that Honeysuckle seeems bang in form.

irishone
irishone 07 Feb 21 13:38 Joined: 22 Sep 06 | Topic/replies: 45,323 | Blogger: irishone's blog
"They have three quarters of a mile to go and its honeysuckle taking over the lead"

Is what the commentator said on the video recommended above.


He is wrong. Honeysuckle is in the lead before that. FACT as you like to say.

Benny, we’re you also using Tramore measurements when you said she took it up 2 out

So just to get it right.

You put up a video to prove a point.

....and then you say its wrong

Massive plonker !

Do you need commentator to tell you what is going on in a race ? Explains a lot.

Given the choice
Between a man at the track
And a liar/plonker like yourself
No question !

Village idiot

(Well able for you son! )

Boys Boys Boys.

Irishone, please don’t bite to the ones that do not respect your depth of knowledge. He is just a mere selling plater. He probably supports THFC OR GRFC. Your threads are always highly informative, incisive and I would for sure if I was putting my last euro on a horse listen to you, rather then him.

How do you work that out he is a professional punter,well a cliff follower anyway

In regards to your comment Bentring, Irishone provides fellow forumites with absolute pearls of wisdom. When he is kind enough to impart with them. It is down to you to either follow that or not. But I consider him a shrewd judge. Unlike a lot of guessers on here.

Shlotter not aimed at Irishone hth

.

Fair enough

Lets hope that wincenton run by goshen shakes up the market

I would jump on the bandwagon and say its a nailed on certainty.....

Must admit i did enjoy that today.
Great to see him put in a performance, impressive.

Definitely in the mix now. 5/1 could look a bit big in 4 weeks time.

Yes, I liked the way he travelled today. There were opportunities for him to get lit up early but he ran much kinder than last time. I wasn’t impressed by the UK races today but Goshen shone out. Jamie has taken a couple of kicks in the chankies with this horse so it was nice to see a smile on his face.

Why would Jamie take a quick peek behind before the last
Why would he check out both sides behind after the last ?

...... Few doubts exposed there !

Me aul fella told me to stop betting on Istabraq before he would fall at the last. Saying it was the horses partypiece. Some horses are quirky. He is extremely talented to win like that round Wincanton, but he definitely tried to jink at least twice. Could he do the same at Cheltenham? I greened up on him today anyway, but still think the mares with the weight allowance have the edge.

HE’S THROWN A GRENADE INTO THE CHAMPION HURDLE NARKET

Should the mares be worried? Epatante and Honeysuckle remain strong at the top of the Unibet Champion Hurdle market but connections of both will now be throwing anxious glances over their shoulders after Goshen returned to his swashbuckling best in the Kingwell Hurdle.

Jamie Moore had several glances over his own shoulder on the run-in, but anxiety was far from his mind as Goshen slammed his Grade 2 rivals and threw a grenade into the betting for Cheltenham's opening day showpiece, a race for which he is now as short as 4-1 with the sponsors.

The official winning distance was 22 lengths from Song For Someone and while it must be noted Goshen was receiving 6lb from the 11-10 favourite, he was value for more after being eased down by Moore after clearing the last hurdle.

After a few worrying runs his Cheltenham credentials now look solid and Goshen has already shown he can handle the track following last year's infamous Triumph Hurdle, the form of which is looking particularly strong given the performances of Aspire Tower and Allmankind this season.

5/1 only with few firms now. Looks like will be 9/2 and 4/1 very soon.

Wonder what price he would be if Dec hadn’t happened ?

Come on lads charge .......
The English banker has arrived .....

Wehave only got to give 7 lb to the best hurdler in Ireland and the best from last year........

Come on lads ....full pelt ......

Oh I say Irishone, does one care for a cup of Darjeeling? Jemima is awfully upset that her Radio four broadcast was interrupted by some oil playing The Fields of Athenry. How dare those awful nasty Irish bullies interrupt the Archers!

Yes Hibore, Goshen certainly livened up the race.
Great for connections to have the horse back after that last run.
Really pleased for them after what happened in the Triumph.

Yes, Bud great for a relatively small trainer to have one as good if not better (we will see) as the big boys. Interesting to see what mark the handicapper gives him after Wincanton. If they raise him a few pounds there won’t be a **** paper between the top 3. The Arkle and Champion Hurdle look crackers.

Timeform have Goshen at the top on 163 now,
after Saturday.

Such a hard horse to give a rating. Every win seems to have tonnes in hand. If Royal Pag goes up stones for easy wins Goshen should be 166/167 now.

Did you see De Bromhead today ? Apparently hasn’t watched Goshen’s race, so couldn’t pass comment if he was worried. Probably would if he went on YouTube.

Henry de Bromhead racehorse trainer was spotted neglecting his horses watching RTV on Saturday afternoon

Henry's worried because he has the British bred favourite in the English Champion hurdle and they have an awful record in the race lately.

RE Goshen, i'm not a times man, so i'm hoping for a bit of guidance here. From looking at the racing at Wincanton, i have compared the 3No 1m7+f races and it looks like the novice in the first would of beaten SFS home on the day admittedly getting 6lb off of him. Obviously it can be dangerous to compare races, but it does make the form look a little suspect to me. If i've made a miscalculation please let me know?

Given the heavy going the form is suspect and time opened to interpretation (to suit). Bin.

SFS beaten before the first flight has certainly exaggerated whatever the performance was.

He wouldn't be for me, for him to win he's going to attempt to blow them away from the word go and all this dependent on him having a going day which we also can't rely on, he's just going to set the race up for others IMO.

Goshen revised from 156 to 164, Honeysuckle 161, Epatante 161.

7lb mares allowance makes Goshen 4lbs wrong at the weights going into Champion Hurdle.

1. Honeysuckle
2. Epatante
3. Goshen

Dist 2l, 3l

Now now slots
We should all be backing the highest rated
Plus or minus seven pound.....its that easy
You know it makes sense

Abacadabras to hit the frame, he'll be greatly enhanced by the pace of the race and will travel through the race better than most on better ground, many will be going backwards whilst he's still on the snaff.

If Goshen can catapult himself back to the higher echelons of the piece after one good run despite a string of poor runs, well, abacadabras ideal conditions only arrive on the day of the race itself and remember his run in the Supreme last year where he travelled deadly only succumbing to Shishkin himself with a chasm back to the rest.

Hes dodgy isnt he duffy ?
You not been listening to Ruby ?

Oh yes Irishone, one does concur that we surely must grab whatever price we can on it before everyone else does. Three and a half bags of sugar in me Barry’s please

He is dodgy, for sure, but a lot of good can be done on the bridle for him and I think he can hit the frame on that basis and to be fair, last years Supreme was about the straightest he's looked on the run to the line.

I watched the supreme over and over. Something as a result tells me there is no logical way any of the boys can beat the girls. Goshen is way too quirky for my liking but will be green just in case as consolation. Three and a half bags of sugar in me Barry’s please Irishone

And a tayto sandwich as we go four up in the Prestbury cup

In the Champion Hurdle travelling through the race easily is a major plus and he's an A+ in that department and becomes interesting on that alone for me.

Add to that that there is now, (particularly now that Goshen is back on the scene) a strong possibility of a suicidal pace being set where the ability to travel will be all the more important, Honeysuckle is going to experience something completely new to her in that regard and on this ground at this pace and Epatante has a question to answer to.

Abacadabras and Sharjah for much the same reasons will be my two against the field to come through late like a couple travelly things to pick up the pieces.

Gustavo, I am pretty sure the rain was falling and ground deteriorating race by race.

Duffy, thats a good point about the pace of the race, though I don't think Goshen will set or chase a mad pace.  Can't have Abacadabras myself though - I have thought for well over a year now the sooner he faces a fence to focus his mind the better.

Aspire Tower comes out better than Aba.....lot bigger price

Abacadabras were'nt fit the 1st time they met,
was giving him 6LB.Forget about the next meeting
he was clearly not right,the stable had a few
runners underperform.Abacadabras showed against
Honeysuckle that was the case.This will run a big
race in the Champion and will go close if staying up.

Well he could run a big race,absolutely, so could AT.
Whatever the reasoning and excuses..........
One is 12, the other 20.

If Honeysuckle could replicate her Irish form she'd win. Similarly, if Epatante is over her back issue she'd retain her crown too. Both these runners get a 7lb sex allowance. And, if Goshen is allowed to make the pace on his own (and not crowded) he'd win too. But, will he given others know what his achilles heel is and giving the mares 7lbs? Unlikely I'd have think.

The rest will need 3 exceptional independent circumstances to happen prior to winning. What's the chance of these independent events happening in the race? 33/1 or more perhaps. If so, any runner outside these 3 principals will need at least the same odds to make the bet viable.

this is probably the race I'm most
looking to.Hope they all show.

shlotter 23 Feb 21 17:00 Joined: 05 Oct 11
1. Honeysuckle
2. Epatante
3. Goshen

Dist 2l, 3l

xxxxxxxxxxx

1. Goshen
2. Epatante
3. Honeysuckle

Dist 5l, 1l

Goshen wins...happy
Epatante wins...happy
Honeysuckle wins...ECSTATIC....

no Abacadabras ?

General drift on all Elliott's horses?....hopefully, I'm looking forward to Abacadabras

impossible12324 Feb 21 17:21Joined: 07 Sep 15 | Topic/replies: 18,964 | Blogger: impossible123's blog


If Honeysuckle could replicate her Irish form she'd win. Similarly, if Epatante is over her back issue she'd retain her crown too. Both these runners get a 7lb sex allowance. And, if Goshen is allowed to make the pace

So do you envisage a triple dead heat with the above 3 circumstances???

Epatante: I like for what she did last season and in the Fighting 5th; X'mas Hurdle was certainly not her run.
Honeysuckle: She's more of a conundrum with me. She was visually impressive the last time. However, there may be mitigating circumstances
             her main adversaries that day eg Sharjah (not his track/ground impediment); Abacadabras is no reliable yardstick.
Goshen: It was a massive improvement from what he's done this season. He likes to dominate and not crowded. Ground induced?

Nevertheless, Epatante is the one for me. She's proven at the highest level, and her Fighting 5th was impressive; 7lb allowance is added bonus too. On last season's form I cannot have Honeysuckle after just one good showing against Sharjah and Abacadabras over the minimum distance. Her 7lb allowance will aid her chance, distance? After just one good run against inferior opponents and atrocious ground for the main principal Goshen had it all his own way. He seemed to be the only one relishing the ground.

I think with Goshen and Honeysuckle a good pace is almost assured which can only help Epatante to retain her crown, all things being equal.

Goshen at around 4/1 is appalling value - Still a 5 year old and i cant stop thinking how animated Jamie Moore was in the saddle 50yds off the last flight blunder in the Triumph . Not a great jock as was proven again last week with his non stop looking over his shoulder .

Buveur D’Air been taken out of the race. Horse is fit and well and will run instead at Aintree where he is expected to improve for a step up in distance.

Seems a strange decision by the owner and trainer. If the horse is “fit and well”, as a two-time former winner of the race, why not let him take his chance?

Indeed very strange choosing Aintree over this. And, now his stablemate Epatante (JP's) has taken a walk in the betting too. She's 5 to 5.5; 6/4 prior to x'mas eclipse.

Song for Someone not running

Buveur d'air was beaten getting weight off Navajo Pass. He had no chance. Goshen will be the best horse at the weights, which ought to make him champion. The point of  a championship is to find the best horse so all should run off levels.

Zealot I don't think Jamie has any choice with the horse
He's a monkey

Honeysuckle now my third biggest bet of the week so far
Sharjah could get her ground for the place as well

10 mm overnight wont give Sharjah the ground.

That unexpected rain is good for Honeysuckle. I don’t see anything beating her with the 7lb allowance.

I think Epatante does not mind a bit of rain either. It was soft last year too.

Sharjah was 2nd last year too, on worse ground than he'll get this year. It'll dry overnight too.

small bet each way saldier each way 100/1 4 places

Impossible would you like to see another run from Honeysuckle to make your mind up

How impressive was that

Block Useririshone • March 14, 2021 10:23 PM GMT
Honeysuckle now my third biggest bet of the week so far
Sharjah could get her ground for the place as well


OI.OI

Well done.shlotter too !!!!?

Fair play to Sharjah. Technically he’s been the best horse in the race two years running. Honeysuckle doesn’t need the 7lb. She’d have beat him without it but the race would have been a proper championship.

He wants it a tad more good
Great horse though won the galway hurdle

Hopefully he'll get it later in the spring. I've put the Honeysuckle winnings on Bob Olinger. His Gowran form against Ferny Hollow is by far the best on offer imho #smashthebookies

Technically he’s been the best horse in the race two years running.

I too agree the 7 pounds should be done away with ....but this is nonsense ...she would have won giving 7 pounds.

Abracadabras fall was a choker,for me.
Definately thought he'd be in front of
Sharjah,will never know now.Like to see
him take these on again.Honeysuckle was
superb.
   wd winners.
   GL ALL

Abacadabras was a choker for me too, having said that I'm not sure if he'd have got near her because the race was not run how it looked like it would be.

They never went a quick gallop through out, they were a lot slower than the Supreme to at least halfway, none of the likely pace setters really set it alight, I thought they'd have fallen back into Abas lap but that would not have happened and he'd have had to really pick up to go with her which we haven't ever see him do.

you pick more fallers than a bunjee jump firm duffy !

"Goshen is allowed to make the pace on his own (and not crowded) he'd win too"

No he wont  he will be somewhere in South Wales by  now !

RotfPmsl

"My concern with Honeysuckle is that she’s unlikely to get the lead with Aspire and Silver Streak in the race who would take the field at least to the last hurdle you’d expect. Would she then be able to out sprint Epatante ? "

WAFLOB

irish,
That's the only faller I've bet, I wish I bet more, usually mine are all beat fair and square, I wish I could use falling down as an excuse more often

Thank you fans! Yet another Ante Post winner at Festival. Happy Saint Patrick’s day.