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2023 Champion Hurdle

I really can't see them retiring her after 1 defeat and not even try to win a 3rd champion hurdle

That would be a complete disservice to the horse
 
Why anyone believes Honeysuckle will be retired before Cheltenham (not including injury) is beyond me.

It categorically won’t happen. I’m unsure why people are even theorizing on this.
 
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Bollinger said:
Why anyone believes Honeysuckle will be retired before Cheltenham (not including injury) is beyond me.

It categorically won’t happen. I’m unsure why people are even theorizing on this.
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Honeysuckle is a superstar and she owes connections nothing, which is why if she massively underperformed in the run up to the festival i think they would retire her, obviously i hope she makes it there a1 and attempts to defend her crown. This could be a great renewal.
 
Bollinger said:
Why anyone believes Honeysuckle will be retired before Cheltenham (not including injury) is beyond me.

It categorically won’t happen. I’m unsure why people are even theorizing on this.
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We deal in probabilities, not absolutes. There are always possibilities why horses don't turn up for an intended engagement, injury being the most obvious, sometimes the opposition (or lack of), sometimes new information about a young horse re trip etc... For Honeysuckle there are a couple of other points to consider over and above the usual for other horses. The first is that it has been announced that she will retire at the end of the year - for me this creates a bit of extra risk that if she has a relatively small injury that makes running at the Festival a bit of a doubt then they may be inclined to draw stumps, something that they wouldn't necessarily have done 2 years ago. The other factor is that she has been at the top of her class for virtually the whole of her career and if her form dips then this too may cause them to call it a day. What constitutes enough of a form dip is open to conjecture - my opinion is that a close defeat would see them carry on, a pulled up would be a huge concern whilst consecutive but creditable defeats might sit in the middle. As to why her form might dip, one might argue that her form dipped last season (her three RPRs were 4-6lb below her Festival and Punchestown victories of the year before) but often these things are not apparent. A lot of horses only have a certain mileage and the very top class races are often very hard on a horse (even when its not necessarily apparent at the time - as an aside I would have concerns about Allaho on this score as his running style is not conducive to "easy" races). In addition there's a school of thought (though i've seen no evidence either way) that mares are more likely to "sour" as their career progresses.

Its not categoric that she wont retire - there are possibilities that need to be considered and factored into her price. Personally, I think that she will get there but the probability of her not doing so (major injury aside) is not zero.
 
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Very well put Buckingham.
 
4's gone again on Honey.

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1f5e3.svg
“He’s changed dramatically and is a big, big hunk of a horse now. This time last year we were trying to put weight on him, now we’re trying to get it off.”

Hendo quote on CH taken from Josh Stacey...

Not completely sure what to make of it.

It won't let me delete that massive picture at the start :biggrin-new:
 
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It’s Nicky, before we know it will be December waiting for Henderson “good, to soft, but not too soft, whilst definitely not too good, but maybe…”

Any updates from the yards are good, but like you said, not sure what this is telling us lol

this is the same horse that does jack all at home, so not surprised he’s got a bit of timber on him

probably 20lbs ahead of the UK hurdlers (he won’t run against Epatante) so a bit of weight coming into the season won’t be too much of a worry
 
Benjy23 said:
1f5e3.svg
“He’s changed dramatically and is a big, big hunk of a horse now. This time last year we were trying to put weight on him, now we’re trying to get it off.”

Hendo quote on CH taken from Josh Stacey...

Not completely sure what to make of it.

It won't let me delete that massive picture at the start :biggrin-new:
Click to expand...

I was clicking the blue head expecting to hear Nickys voice :barbershop_quartet_member:
 
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Benjy23 said:
1f5e3.svg
“He’s changed dramatically and is a big, big hunk of a horse now. This time last year we were trying to put weight on him, now we’re trying to get it off.”

Hendo quote on CH taken from Josh Stacey...

Not completely sure what to make of it.

It won't let me delete that massive picture at the start :biggrin-new:
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of Wotsits myself.
 
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Changing that much is always a worry. Could mean he's going to be even better this season but could also have the opposite affect. His first run will be one of the most anticipated runs from a NH horse in many, many years.
 
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Aye, I imagine it's nothing and probably nonsense. But at the prices it's enough to make me want to see him first time out before having anymore on*. Not like he'll face much opposition pre Cheltenham, so price shouldn't shorten too much even if he does win.

*On top of the 50000/1, 20pt roll up obviously.
 
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Benjy23 said:
Aye, I imagine it's nothing and probably nonsense. But at the prices it's enough to make me want to see him first time out before having anymore on*. Not like he'll face much opposition pre Cheltenham, so price shouldn't shorten too much even if he does win.

*On top of the 50000/1, 20pt roll up obviously.
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The bookies will happily half him in price for winning a Mickey mouse novice chase if he jumps well
 
Are there any special prices on State Man and Vauban to win both the Irish and English Champion Hurdles?
For me, that seems the logical bets to play as cover over both Honey and Constitution Hill as they are both surely going to be aimed at the Irish version.
 
Lobos said:
Are there any special prices on State Man and Vauban to win both the Irish and English Champion Hurdles?
For me, that seems the logical bets to play as cover over both Honey and Constitution Hill as they are both surely going to be aimed at the Irish version.
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…neither is listed in Sky’s ante-post doubles section.
 
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