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Willie Mullins is considering letting Champion Hurdle contender Laurina make her belated reappearance in the Unibet Mares' Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday. The five-year-old won each of her four starts after arriving in Ireland last season, including a stunning victory in the Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
She has missed several engagements this term on account of unsuitable ground, the latest being the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
However, Mullins revealed at Punchestown on Monday that she could cross the Irish Sea later this week for her eagerly-awaited competitive return.
"She is entered in Sandown and it's a good possibility that she'll go there," said Mullins.
Laurina is in Sky Bet's antepost market for the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
Another high-class Mullins mare who has not yet made it to the racecourse this season is Benie Des Dieux.
She also won at Cheltenham, in the Mares' Hurdle, and also had the option of running in the Relkeel Hurdle.
Mullins added: "I don't know what I'm going to do with her, just wait.
"There is no rain forecast for 10 days here. I'm happy that they're sound and they're well.
"I'm happy enough that I've sound horses at home and when the rain comes, it comes.
"After the rain we had last year I'm never going to give out about rain again!"
I said a long time before the race last year I backed BDD any race at 14s. So I love the Mare. I did make sure to post it on here last year so it ain’t aftertiming.
But what I want to know is am I being biased or is she being completely overlooked? Everyone seems to be talking about Laurina and Apples Jade potentially going elsewhere or run here for the penalty kick of the Mares. To me; that’s extremely unfair on the reigning champion.
BDD is unbeaten. Of course she has course form. She beat AJ twice last season and no matter what Elliott says about AJs runs, she was still beaten on the day twice. Remember too that BDD was compared by Mullins to Douvan. That’s some statement.
The negative is of course that she hasn’t run yet. Although she’s said to be raring to go and they’re just looking for a race for her. Also, the chances are if AJ comes here, she will be better than last seasons showing. And Laurina could go here and is a ‘could be anything’ type like BDD. Perhaps with more ‘wow factor’ about her than Benie though.
AJ is clearly top class. I’ll still whack her in a few multiples if she comes here because she’s brilliant. If she runs like she has this season at Cheltenham, BDD will need to pull out a career best. Whatever race AJ does go for (they won’t take her to the Champion Hurdle), she will be favourite for - here or Stayers. BDD isn’t going to be going to the Ryanair this year and has one target.
Im not saying to back her. I’m not even saying that she’s value at the prices. I just think she’s being overlooked by pundits/fans alike.
I’m
I know what you mean she hasn't been talked about nearly as much as Laurina, but then again Laurina is flirting with the Champion. I know this won't happen, but i would like BDD to try 3miles, Mullin's has said she'd compete at G1 level over that trip, but i guess they have Faugheen (hopefully).
For me, BDD to win at Cheltenham albeit against a below par AJ was a great performance- she hadn't run over hurdles since 2015 for a different yard.
I think this has huge potential to be a cracking race,
BDD - reigning champ who we haven’t seen yet, beat AJ twice but we saw AJ wasn’t at her best but I thought she won well enough
AJ - again another solid winter, will she won’t she struggle come Mitch again
Laurina - more than likely comes here, hasn’t run against anyone of substance but yard holds her in high regard.
I’m sure we can all agree if we could see these 3 line up on top form and eu. Their true races, it would be a cracker, definitely a race I wouldn’t have a bet on
Id back AJ. In that scenario.
On hype alone she'd drift to atleast 9/4. If not a shade bigger on the day.
Its hypothetical so we will never know (unless the three really do clash but that’s unlikely imo) but I would imagine AJ would be favourite against Laurina and BDD. I’d expect something like 11/8 AJ, 2/1 Laurina and 7/2 BDD. But with Laurina and AJ, connections of both will avoid the other I think. If Laurina is to take on a big gun, she may as well do it against Buveur Dair in the Champion Hurdle. If AJ is going to win the easiest race (as they always say is the target for her), it won’t be against BDD and Laurina. They’d divert her to the stayers.
This scenario ensures BDD won’t have to take both of them on and so is currently being overlooked...
Think Laurina would be fav personally. People will have doubts about AJ after last year and there's so much hype around Laurina.
Unless she comes out and beats something in her next race, the thought of her being shorter than AJ (the one who’s beaten everything so far this season with ease) and BDD (although I’d understand that one with Ruby likely on Laurina) based purely on hype is crazy.
That being said, I could see that happening when I think back to Samcro going off favourite against BD this season. And Laurina beat less than Samcro did in her novice campaign and so has more to prove than Samcro did in the Fighting Fifth.
There's that doubt though. She smashed up Nichols Canyon and Supasundae before Cheltenham went off 1/2 and got beat. She's definitely better going right handed. There wouldn't be much between them in the betting imo.
Except there would be more behind this hype, in that, Mullin's has half a clue with mares and their level's. Elliot wouldn't have had the same experience with 2mile hurdlers.
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