International Hurdle - Cheltenham 12th December

totally agree just walked to corals shop and had some 6/4 when saw on oddschhecker

will be 4/9

No more 6/4 left. Just can't see this starting at odds against.

I was going to back my mate Old Guard as i expected him to be a decent price, A handicapper taking on graded horses yet he is lower than 4/1 Probably down to the fact that he is going to turn up i guess.

Missed the 6/4

Pretty small field likely as well IS and he is race fit.

Think you are spot on with the original post shockster. The only thing that could possibly cost him is the lack of a run, but willing to take the risk against this lot at the prices.

Peace & Co should beat this lot comfortably. Old Guard is a nice yardstick for him here in terms of a rating.

Nicky trying to find a reason not to run as we speak

The staying chaser division looks the strongest it has been for years but the other 3 championship classes all look very thin. Faugheeen could still be a strong CH winner but showed his vulnerability recently while the british 2 and 3 mile hurdlers look very weak. The QM field seems to revolve round Un Des Sceaux but is he really exceptional? Admirable though SDG is, he was not a strong QM winner, Sprinter Sacre is still 20lb below his best so Dodging Bullets back to his best still looks the choice to me. A few trainers of novices must be wonering about going for the QM instead of the Arkle.

Interesting Sage!  What's it got to do with the "International"?

Just reflecting on the lack of top hurdlers to contest races like that.

Old Guard ew 1-2-3 4/1  is a no brainer..just a handful runners v.likely

P&C into top priced 11/10 already. Odds on incoming!

11/10 available with big built in margins. Unless a load drop out not going odds on in my opinion.

10/11 with hills and 4/5 with paddy already though.

Should be odds on here P&C imo. Will win easily, in a different league to this lot.

If P&C gets beat here Henderson will be devastated. I'm certain it will have an SP the wrong side of 4/6.

To me the gamble is will he line up?

Anthony Bromley bullish about both his participation and his readiness here:

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/#newsArchiveTabs=newsArchiveTab

Litle evidence that the 4yo hurdlers are any better or worse than the older ones yet although the lack of credible older hurdlers gives them a better chance than in many years. Hargam and Top Notch have not suggested that they are in any way above average 4yos so Peace and Co would have to improve relative to those two to have much chance in the CH on evidence so far. He may well win on Saturday but that would not tell us much. Old Guard ran off 145 less a 7lb allowance in the Greatwood so is he really a 160+ horse? Cheltenian and Purple Bay are hardly CH contenders so if Peace and Co does not win this easily, he won't have made any progress.

Completely agree Sage.  Peace & Co has nothing to beat if he is a serious Churdle contender. Horses do come on in many instances for their first run, but even so, he needs to win with a degree of comfort.

He is a 4yr old so will be improving,although no way of knowing how much at this stage.
Would agree he has to be winning this,but whatever he does he will improve.
Come March he may well be increasing his rating to something near what would be required to figure,and I suspect by next season he will be right up there.
Could be wrong of course,but everything I have seen of this horse suggests to me he will reach the top in the 2m hurdle division,just for me a case of when.

Love the horse but tend to think he will need soft ground to win a Champion and the horse he beat in the Triumph is starting to look like a twicer. Ought to win on Saturday but odds during the week are usually worse than those on the day so will leave a bet until then.

Bit harsh on Top Notch,these are still juveniles,give em a chance!!

I've given him two chances already lol. I don't rate the horses that beat him very highly although Jacob was somewhat hopeless in the finish at Newcastle which contributed to that defeat. If you think that's a gratuitous insult, look at the head on replay of the finish. He panicked, lost all rhythm with the whip as he frantically hit out, unbalancing himself and the horse. I mention this because he's a factor to take into account given he'll probably ride the favourite tomorrow.

Looks like further softening of the ground tomorrow so can't see anything beating P&C. I'll probably try a straight forecast with the Mullins horse if the rain comes.

Think identity thief may be pretty useful to be honest,he was gonna win that race by further but for the last hurdle error.
He may be underestimated.
Top notch,PAC and Hargam are all better than normal juveniles in my book,but they all need their respective ideal going it seems to me,to show their best form.
I will certainly be keeping an aye on them and their prices in future races.

Yes, I'm wary of underestimating Identity Thief, hence I've gone with the Mullins horse for the forecast today as he has form with that horse at Fairyhouse.

Favourite obvious chance but will back Cheltenian each way.

WD Old Guard ew backers. P&C ran a shocker even allowing for his keeness and not settling.

I will be amazed if we saw a horse run today that will get placed in the CH.