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Declared in Rabbobank Champion Hurdle 2moro – Hurricane Fly, Zaidpour, Thousand Stars and The Real Article. NO Overturn.
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Punchestown announce that two more races have been cancelled from Saturday's card - Pat Taaffe Chase and charity flat race both dropped.
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Captain Chris will not run in Saturday's rescheduled Punchestown Gold Cup. More to follow on http://racingpost.com
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Racing Post @Racing_Post
New Saturday Punchestown order: 2.30 Irish Field Chase, 3.10 Punchestown Gold Cup, 3.45 Guinness H'cap Chase, 4.20 ITBA Mares Hurdle... 5.00 AES Champion 4YO Hurdle, 5.35 http://Setantabet.com Hurdle |
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Racing Post Live @Racing_PostXtra
Friday's Schedule 4.55 Ryanair Novice Chase G1 5.30 Rabobank Champion Hurdle G1 6.05 Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle G1, 6.40 Star Best For Racing Novice Hurdle 7.10 ITBA Fillies Scheme Premier Bumper #punchestown |
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Am back on QE but disappointed to have lost some of the value. Shadow Catcher looks good in the 4yo race, should reverse form with Hissy on this ground.
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View of what happened in champion hurdle
HF didn't travel great but got the job done. My overall view of this horse now is that he's on a downward curve possibly more mentally than physically. He's had a lot of races ,many on very soft ground with large weights and he's only small horse and maybe getting hacked off with it. Will take a lot of skill from Mullins to keep him sweet next year and he could end up being a bit hit and miss. With Mullins having 3 of the 4 runners it was obvious they had a plan for 1,000 stars to make the running to suit HF and Zaidpour. 1,000 stars was given the same pacemaker role under similar conditions in the Irish CH where it was obvious it didn't suit him and for me the race highlights the problem of having one trainer being able to have control over a race. O'brien has similar control in some of the Irish group races where a plan is put in to benefit a certain horse whilst others are not ridden to best effect. It doesn't lead to level playing field for the horses and for me is poor sportsmanship. In dubai where Mike de Koch and Godolphin have a similar stranglehold on some of the races they let their horses run on their own merits ,which for me is a lot more sporting and leads to more competitive racing. The other Irish trainers look to have their backs against the wall ,especially on the flat, and unless the coolmore trio split up and spread their horses about ( highly unlikely as there a money making operation) or other wealthy owners start to buy with other trainers, then it's only a matter of time before some of the Group 1 races are contested by Coolmore horses only. |
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Lets see how fly gets on with 3/4 prep runs before Cheltenham. It'll be clear if he's back to the horse he was within a few runs. He could be on a downward, we'll find out next season.
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Lets hope not CVB, he is a beautiful looking horse, very classy and I was thrilled to see him knock the critics last week.
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He ran awful though, no zip in his step. He is certainly got it to prove next season. Lets hope he can bounce back like other great horses have.
Mullins needs to run him 3 times before Cheltenham next season, and he needs to not be afraid to run him unfit. Racing will get him fit. |
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Not sure I agree with the 3 runners before Cheltenham theory ,to me his best run this year was first time
out and since then he's got progressively worse. Could be a changing of the guard in the top Irish 2m hurdles next year with the progressive Unaccompanied taking over from HF. |
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I'd hardly call Unaccompanied progressive. I still think Fly will remain on top in Ireland at least. Nothing coming through to really challenge. But it will be interesting if he can recapture the form he was in last season.
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I agree with that CVB. It was great to see him win but he did it without his usual pomp, though given the lacklustre run in March I'd be hopeful after a summer off he can come back refreshed and full of life, and maybe be campaigned a little more forcefully, as you say.
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He's 8 going on 9 - quite old for a top class hurdler.
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That is true Strontium. your saying that though brought back memories of the late, great and completely inimitable Sea Pigeon. I was fortunate enough to see him a few times at the Malton Open Day, lovely and old and placid. Sorry, I digress!
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