Champion Hurdle 2021

[FinalFurlong91]

Honeysuckle gets shorter and shorter

She looks very short to me in a competitive race

[darlojim]

Think alot of people are reacting as if it has become proper soft ground where in fact it will probably be back to good to soft - soft in places by the off tomorrow, little strange really. A reigning champ hurdler 4/1 4 places seems huge to me.

[Bonjers]

Honeysuckle gets shorter and shorter

She looks very short to me in a competitive race

Some move for her today - 13/8 is very, very skinny. Epatante at 4/1 is screaming out at me...

[TheRowebot]

Think alot of people are reacting as if it has become proper soft ground where in fact it will probably be back to good to soft - soft in places by the off tomorrow, little strange really. A reigning champ hurdler 4/1 4 places seems huge to me.

You say that but today the going stick is almost identical to that of 12 months ago. The supreme last year, I think, was the slowest in the last ten years.

[FinalFurlong91]

I saw them say that but I find that very hard to believe as it was soft- heavy in places last year

And will probably be gd to soft- soft in places this year

Did it rain a lot overnight last year or something

[Quevega]

Yep, the ground should be Good to Soft - soft in places, which is what they'd try and water it to, if a dry week was forecast.
Almost perfect ground and no excuses.
And about as good ground as you could expect with the way they water these days - at best we may have got Good to Soft (good places)

Just listened to a sad man ramble on for over an hour about the ground for every fucking horse he mentioned. The tips he'd already given were based on the ground being good and he was against them all now and was going with the soft ground horses. I still had some respect for pricewise but he came across as a pathetic fidgety bookies muppet. I'd rather get tips from Derek the referee.

We're not even talking extreme ground here either way you look at it.
He's become a fucking moron guesser.
I'd stuck up for him now and again but he's just Bobar now.

[FinalFurlong91]

Some move for her today - 13/8 is very, very skinny. Epatante at 4/1 is screaming out at me...

I mean shes got a cracking chance but 13/8 is a horrendous price

[darlojim]

You say that but today the going stick is almost identical to that of 12 months ago. The supreme last year, I think, was the slowest in the last ten years.

I presume the actual figure will be taken on the soft described parts of the track and by tomorrow no doubt there will be plenty more green on that going map. last year it was 5.5 and now its 5.6 in the soft areas, these will reduce after what should be a dry night tonight and in the morning. Chalk and cheese id have thought the ground this year and last.

[jono]

Think alot of people are reacting as if it has become proper soft ground where in fact it will probably be back to good to soft - soft in places by the off tomorrow, little strange really. A reigning champ hurdler 4/1 4 places seems huge to me.

Agreed.
I went big on Epatante at 4/1 in November (13.3pt)...
You can now get the same odds and get 4 places

A belting bet EW imo.

[Eggs]

....in advance of James du Berlais running well, I’ve dipped into next years novice Chase market.

[Spectre]

1. Honeysuckle
2. Abacadabras
3. Epatante

[SeanRock]

1. Honeysuckle
2. Abacadabras
3. Epatante

That’s a snap for me!

[TCH29]

Maybe I’m missing something re. the ground, but everyone was expecting a GS festival, on the quicker side maybe, and after one night of rain, with a dry day, night and morning to follow the RP and certain tipsters seem to have lost their heads. Surely it’ll be GS, soft in places, tomorrow? That’s perfect National hunt ground. It’s not ground for mudlarks.

I don’t understand the reaction.

This is also a course that is basically completely fresh with a fantastic grass covering. I still think it’ll suit horses who prefer decent ground, but they’ll be enough give for horses who like that too.

It just seems to me like perfect ground. No idea why the media are banging on about it’s impact. It was never going to be “Good” nor was it ever going to be proper soft/heavy like previous years. It’s a marginal change in expectation at best.

In terms of my prediction, I’ll go against the grain and probably be proven stupid:

1. Epatante
2. Sharjah
3. Honeysuckle

[AaronLad]

TCH29 with the amount of rain we have had all winter the ground has inevitably soaked up more water than usual. The ground is fuller with water, so it doesn't take so much rain to make the top of the ground quite soft. Now as you point out we've had this dry period since the last rainfall, so the ground is drying and when it dries it can become sticky, and I believe that's where we're at, rather than being really wet ground it's sticky and tiring.

Having said that I still think Epatante has the class in the race and she looks good on any ground. I remember last year's champion being run on soft ground, she emphatically put the race to bed with her speed after the last. Honeysuckle is a worthy fav especially if the ground is as sticky as expected, her proven stamina over further will be her biggest asset.
I think this year's race is a race to enjoy rather than lump on anything, but Epatante is my choice to defend her crown.

[Old Vic]

Epatante is backable now but niggle about Henderson form holding me back.