Kempton 26th December

dj876,you are making too many excuses for your selection before the race has even started.

you will be responsible for putting ozy on the street...

it was odds on rr....thats the only reason he thought it would win.

what grade one horses has the new one ever beaten over hurdles.....the answer is none......

Fair enough the Gotchee,a difference of opinion which makes a market.I would question whether ROR and Zarkandar are now true 2 mile champion hurdle horses highlighted by the fact that connections think it's pointless in contesting it,ROR will be in the Arkle/jewson and Zarkandar in the stayers hurdle (I am well aware of their past champion hurdle record btw).

It would be very unusual for a horse to have the stamina to win the 2m 5f novice hurdle at the festival on softish ground and the speed to win a small field Christmas hurdle on the flattest of tracks, (again you can point to likes of Istabraq (just a freak) or Hardy Eustace subsequent champion hurdle records).Fair enough you have to have a true blend of speed and stamina to win a champion but this represents a very different challenge(speed test imo). I was a little surprised that the new one looked momentarily (slightly) outpaced at Cheltenham (highlighted by the fact that he was matched at 2.94 in running)over 17 furlongs against a stayers hurdle candidate.

Huddys fancied him as well Kavvie , I think if he gets around , he'll have a great chance ..He will be carrying a few of mine , cant desert him now can I...

kav you hit the nail on the head....a flat right handed track.....it could possibly suit this dog mount benbulben.....and lets be fair about him.....a dog he is.......on form cue card should take the beating but bad reports coming from the tizzard yard about a virus......my advice for a bet would be just lay what dj 19456789guesser puts up because it hasnt a clue but he uses exclamation marks,commas and brackets so he must no his peas and que cards.............

dont think cue card will be winning the king george imo.

im plaice laying too.

s conti for me.

poor old dickie,tried to take on the kid.first of all,u have to have a brain!

drifting a bit on here which is a worry..nothing on the lay side..a bigger worry..musnt be running

Can we really believe that Long Run has deteriorated that much since his narrow defeat to Sir Des Champ at Punchestown?, hes still only an 8 year old, if he didn't run those 2 poor races I'd say he would be vying for favoritism?.

I for one am willing to take the chance that he still retains plenty of ability the bigger prices have been nibbled at but is still a general 10/1 shot at a track he likes, if he does come right back to form hard to see him out of the frame bar a fall of course.

Meant to add it's a big day for Danny Mullins.

PP money back up to 100e if second to Cue Card.

To be honest, I cant entertain Mount Belbulben in this at all. I find it unbelievable how long the hype bubble has surrounded this horse. Rather than his jumping frailties making his price bigger, I think there is some sort of aura about them, and what he might do with a clear round.
What has he ever done over hurdles or fences to be given any sort of chance in this company?? People say he was travelling well when falling at DR. So he was, but he was far from certain to win. And he did fall. Again. He surely cant be any less than evens to jump around, given the gallop they will go.
That makes him about 7-1 to win with a clear round?
Even if he sh*t in at Down Royal, I wouldn't have him any shorter. Sizing patently didn't give his running, beaten too far our for it to be just the trip. And jumped very poorly. Flight Lieutenant too underperformed. Kauto is finished. Was a poor race, far removed from the KG.
I would have him the outsider of the field, and am hoping there is a match bet available with Champion Court.
Huddys, I wish you the best as always, and will be the first to hold my hands up if he makes a fool out me.

As regards the Hurdle, I agree to a point with what dj said in opening post. MTOY does have more chance against TNO here, than he will in the CH. But I think that backing MTOY would involve a lot of ifs, buts and maybes. I don't think hes the better horse, I think TNO is more tactically versatile, he possesses a lot more speed than given credit for, was hugely impressive lto, and is the Champion in waiting. To my eye, speed was the over riding element of TNOs novice season. He put races to bed in the blink of an eye, and when beaten by AFC, it was his premature production of this burst of speed which led to his defeat.
MTOY is one of these sexy types that punters seem to be lured into believing are better than they are. Undoubtedly talented, I just don't think he possesses the same ability as TNO, and at odds against I will definitely be siding with TNO.

The one I am really looking forward to having a good cut one is Vanteaux in the first. I was hugely impressed with him on debut, both on looks and performance. He could go right to the top, and would expect him to account for these along the way. 7-2 looks well worth taking. 

Leopardstown is another Mullins benefit.

Interesting shout on the cricket kavvie, Rogers spent 10 years playing in Perth at the WACA, the last few years playing for Victoria, so it is his current home, I suppose.  He does have has a strong Sheffield Shield record at the MCG, and scored 117 and 88 in his most recent outing there against NSW last month.  One of two of Australia's top 7 to have failed to score a Century so far this Ashes, hasn't been happy with his form, maybe he is due.

ialso like al ferof, there was a good interview with john hales in the post yesterday..he is always a bullish owner..but to say this horse is the nearest to one man?..i think he must really fancy it.

well chelts,..in this race we sink or swim together..?happy holidays mate..to you and yours..and a prosperous new year.