Don't disagree - just my interpretation from the comments in the RP supplement. I may be wide of the mark.

Theres a pricewise RP tomorrow and Im guessing John Constable and Fou Et sage are the ones unless the bookies are second guessing.

t s betfair hurdle 
dicosimo 25/1 h,c. 
mad jack mytton 33/1 l.

Hoping Sternrubin is not a flash in the pan??.... He's won his last 3 races.
Fact Johnson will ride War Sound??..... I haven't heard this, and would be very surprised, must have been some thrill riding Sternrubin in Lanzarote.
   If he has chosen War Sound and no claimer on Sternrubin, it would be a tip...but maybe you've had a bit to drink before posting.

Sternrubin - young horse who didn't have a win to his name last season - this season won (in my opinion) two weak races, but he went on to win the Ladbroke ... but in there he looked beaten at one stage and jockey threw horse over the line... If feel Jolly Cracked should have won that race rather than the dead heat - it was Johnson master class that won that race...

It Was a gutsy win though, but do feel had it his own way for a lot of the way... hence flash in the pan comment ... but betfair hurdle is much tougher than a Ladbroke... and the double is quite a challenge...

But having said that I have backed him and wouldn't put anyone off him either - still a good price...

1/26 in last 2 weeks

Iris, last seasons form against Lil Rockerfeller was pretty strong, the beating of John Constable this season shouldn't be underestimated and there's no Jolly's Cracked It this time.Great ride by Johnson last time, but he wasn't the one flying those hurdles.
  Feel Johnson has another trick up his sleeve so if you are right and he doesn't ride I'll be devasted, well, maybe not devastated, but not happy.
  Where did you hear he wasn't riding?
Up another 8lb, but War Sound would be up 15lb with Johnson riding, admittedly plenty of time has passed to improve to that mark but 280 days since last run. Wouldn't be surprised if Hobbs gets quoted, 'he's fit but will improve for the run'

nothing wrong with your post - its a good point.

Question is: For War sound - is the Betfair hurdle a prep race for Champion Hurdle? If yes then RJ would ride... if not probably put a claimer on - vibes seem to suggest that the CH is the target... but you are right Hobbs will start giving more info in the next week.

But I have backed him on the basis he will win this and RJ will be on board - but I might be wrong

3 winners in the last week for PFN and possibly more today...

Looks like it could easily be heavy by Saturday.

Currently Soft (Heavy in places) with more rain due today, lighter on and off during week but a nasty looking front coming in Friday. Thankfully Sternrubin appears to go on all ground.

Was keeping an eye on Starchitect and Mad Jack Myton but both would prefer a sounder surface and will probably be of worth looking at Cheltenham, if it ever dries up.

Zarib could now come into consideration given more of a stamina test.

^^ If Blazer was confirmed and was still 20/1 I don't know think that would be my approach.

It'll be near fav on the day if it turns up.

Johnson says, he imagines he'll ride Sternrubin, Gethin on War Sound and O'brien on Cheltenian but hasn't confirmed it with Hobbs yet.
    Sounds like Cheltenian runs, hope so, don't want the weights to go up.

Sporting Life reckons Blazer unlikely to make cut. Isn't it unlikely they're right.

Headmaster a certainty to make the cut as WM also has a number which he can/will withdraw. Cancellation your only problem as he also will relish the ground. Depends on how he comes out of the race. You could nearly start spending it now .... I said nearly but a nice one and GL.

Like I said on your other thread I thought they'd save the horse for Cheltenham, looks like I was wrong but still wouldn't totally guarantee him taking place but for your sake hope I'm wrong. If they decided to go for it then I'd love to be in your position as he'd have a massive chance. A lot can still happen but like I said before GL THm

(to Arklearkle)

'track'

Less of that please, IS.


31 go forward for Britain's richest handicap hurdle, the Betfair Hurdle, at Newbury on Saturday

Last year's runner-up Cheltenian (11st 12lb, Philip Hobbs, 20/1 with Betfair) tops the weights for the £155,000 Betfair Hurdle (3.35pm), Britain's richest handicap hurdle, which takes place over an extended two miles at Newbury on Betfair Super Saturday, February 13.

The 10-year-old is one of three entries going forward for the Somerset handler along with 6/1 chance War Sound (11st 7lb), who has not been seen out since landing the valuable Swinton Handicap Hurdle in May, and Sternrubin (11st 1lb, 12/1), successful in an intermediate handicap hurdle at Newbury in November before dead-heating in a Grade Three handicap hurdle at Ascot shortly before Christmas.

The 5/1 favourite with Betfair is the novice Modus (10st 12lb, Paul Nicholls). The six-year-old won over the course and distance on November 26 and was last seen out when third at Taunton on December 30.

Modus is owned by J P McManus, who has five entries remaining including Blazer (10st 4b, Willie Mullins, 6/1), a comfortable winner at Leopardstown on Saturday (February 6), and Waxies Dargle (11st 1lb, Noel Meade, 20/1), who was third in a Grade Three event at Cheltenham in November but has been disappointing twice since. The Jonjo O'Neill-trained duo of Matorico (10st 9lb, 25/1) and Champagne At Tara (10st 2lb, 25/1) complete the McManus-owned quintet.

Brian Ellison sent out Bothy to finish runner-up to Recession Proof in 2011 and is set to rely on Forest Bihan (10st 13lb, 16/1) this year.

An impressive winner on his final start in France, the five-year-old is yet to win in four outings over hurdles in Britain. The best of those efforts came when third to Aristo Du Plessis in a two-mile handicap at Ayr in October and last time out when just touched off under a big weight at Catterick on January 27.

Ellison, who trains in North Yorkshire, said today: "Forest Bihan is fine. He got there a bit too soon at Catterick and was probably a bit unlucky not to win.

"I'm not really concerned about dropping back in trip. Two miles, three furlongs around Catterick is similar to two miles at Newbury on testing ground and you need to stay to win these big handicaps.

"I think he is probably the best horse I have run in the Betfair Hurdle. He is a quality horse and whatever he does now he will be class next year. It has just taken him a while to settle into English racing and he didn't jump very well when we first got him. He was a bit high, but at Catterick he was brilliant."

There are nine Irish-trained entries remaining, eight of whom are trained by Willie Mullins. In addition to Blazer, Mullins' other leading hopes include Dicosimo (11st 9lb, 14/1), a Listed winner at Limerick over Christmas, and Kalkir (11st 6lb, 14/1), who was runner-up in a valuable handicap hurdle at Leopardstown last month.

Other contenders prominent in the market with Betfair include exciting novice Affaire D'Honneur (10st 5lb, Harry Whittington, 10/1) and John Constable (10st 12lb, Evan Williams, 10/1) who finished runner-up to Sternrubin over the course and distance in November.

A maximum of 24 runners can line up in the race over two miles and 69 yards which is due off at 3.35pm on Saturday.

Betfair spokesman Barry Orr commented today: "Modus and War Sound head the market but Saturday's Leopardstown winner, Blazer, is lurking towards the bottom of the weights and should he get in, which he should do as he is number 26 on this list, I suspect he will go off favourite.

"To reflect the competitiveness of the race, we are paying five places to each way ante-post punters."

The fabulous seven-race card on Betfair Super Saturday at Newbury runs from 1.20pm through to 4.45pm. Entries for both the £50,000 Grade Two Betfair Denman Chase (2.25pm) and the £50,000 Grade Two Betfair Exchange Chase (3.00pm) have been re-opened until 11.00am tomorrow.

The going at Newbury is currently Heavy, Soft in places.

Betfair Hurdle, Betfair bet: 5/1 Modus; 6/1 Blazer, War Sound; 10/1 Affaire D'Honneur, John Constable; 12/1 Sternrubin; 14/1 Dicosimo, Kalkir; 16/1 Forest Bihan, Mad Jack Mytton, Starchitect; 20/1 Agrapart, Buiseness Sivola, Cheltenian, Petite Parisienne, Waxies Dargle, Whiteout, Winner Massagot, Zarib; 25/1 Champagne At Tara, Flying Angel, Ivan Grozny, Matorico, Noble Inn, Qewy;  33/1 Baby King, Fou Et Sage, Galizzi, Montbazon, Three Kingdoms; 50/1 Chieftains Choice
EW Terms: 1/4 Odds | 5 Places

The Betfair Hurdle
Grade 3, £155,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.35pm, Saturday, February 13, 2016. For four-year-olds and upwards, two miles and half a furlong (2m 69yds). Penalties: after January 17, a winner of a hurdle 5lb, a winner of two hurdles 8lb, no penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed January 12, entries revealed January 13 (75 entries), weights revealed January 20. Scratchings deadline January 26 (51 remained), five-day confirmation stage February 8 (31 confirmations), final declaration stage 10.00am, February 11.

CHELTENIAN (FR)    10    11-12    Roger Brookhouse    Philip Hobbs 
DICOSIMO (FR)    5    11-09    Susannah Ricci    Willie Mullins IRE
WAR SOUND    7    11-07    The Englands and Heywoods    Philip Hobbs 
KALKIR (FR)    5    11-06    Susannah Ricci    Willie Mullins IRE
IVAN GROZNY(FR)    6    11-04    Andrea & Graham Wylie    Willie Mullins IRE
PETITE PARISIENNE(FR)    5    11-03    Gigginstown House Stud    Willie Mullins IRE
QEWY (IRE)    6    11-03    Bloomfields    John Ferguson 
FOU ET SAGE (FR)    5    11-02    Andrew Brooks    Dan Skelton 
BUISENESS SIVOLA (FR)    5    11-01    Simon Munir/Isaac Souede    Willie Mullins IRE
STERNRUBIN (GER)    5    11-01    Terry Warner    Philip Hobbs 
WAXIES DARGLE    7    11-01    J P McManus    Noel Meade IRE 
THREE KINGDOMS (IRE)    7    11-00    Bloomfields    John Ferguson 
WHITEOUT (GER)    5    11-00    David Lawlor    Willie Mullins IRE
MAD JACK MYTTON (IRE)    6    10-13    J C & S R Hitchins    Jonjo O'Neill 
FOREST BIHAN (FR)    5    10-13    P J Martin    Brian Ellison 
MONTBAZON (FR)    9    10-13    David Sewell    Alan King 
JOHN CONSTABLE (IRE)    5    10-12    Walters Plant Hire Ltd    Evan Williams 
MODUS    6    10-12    J P McManus    Paul Nicholls 
NOBLE INN (FR)    6    10-11    M J Mulvaney    Willie Mullins IRE
AGRAPART (FR)    5    10-10    The Gascoigne Brookes Partnership III    Nick Williams 
MATORICO (IRE)    5    10-09    John P McManus    Jonjo O'Neill 
STARCHITECT (IRE)    5    10-08    Paul & Clare Rooney    David Pipe 
ZARIB (IRE)    5    10-07    Notalotterry    Dan Skelton 
AFFAIRE D'HONNEUR (FR)    5    10-05    Holt Robinson Kronbauer Macnabb O'Connor    Harry Whittington 
WINNER MASSAGOT (FR)    5    10-05    Masterson Holdings Limited    Alan King 
BLAZER (FR)    5    10-04 (5lb ex)     John P McManus    Willie Mullins IRE
GALIZZI (USA)    5    10-04    Bloomfields    John Ferguson 
CHIEFTAIN'S CHOICE (IRE)    7    10-02    Carl Hinchy    Kevin Frost 
CHAMPAGNE AT TARA    7    10-02    John P McManus    Jonjo O'Neill 
BABY KING (IRE)    7    10-01    About Two Weeks    Tom George 
FLYING ANGEL (IRE)    5    10-01    R J Rexton    Nigel Twiston-Davies 

31 five-day confirmations
9 Irish-trained

sternrubin-e/w poke

hoping gary moore would have a runner but nope

Ahh well there goes the John Constable retirement plan for me! Just need to back him at 33/1 for the County Hurdle as an alternative now!

Ground would be the concern with Starchitect for me Frankelampard, is a good shout though.