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2026 Novice Hurdlers

If truth be told, her form doesn't really stack up at all. 4/1 was a truly horrific price. Even at 6/1 I wouldn't be interested tbh, albeit I think that a was a very satisfactory debut against a solid race fit mare. Most of Willie's massively needing the run too.
 
I think it is pretty rare for a top bumper mare to train on and be equally or even better over hurdles. Quite often they will be surpassed as novices develop at different rates.
 
Exar Essay said:
Yeah you'd say that has nailed on the Mares Novice Hurdle route, if it wasn't already. She'd be hard pressed to make the DRF now if shedding her maiden tag first.
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Agreed, I think most on here would have seen through the stable tour comments from WPM anyway.
 
Not sure of any quotes but Starzand must be swerving the Challow, dec'd for Wednesday in a novice hurdle
 
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Exar Essay said:
Yeah you'd say that has nailed on the Mares Novice Hurdle route, if it wasn't already. She'd be hard pressed to make the DRF now if shedding her maiden tag first.
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Yeah surely the Solerina next
I was pleased with that run considering she jumped well apart from one and a lot of willie’s needing the run
I thought it was an interesting/considerate run from Joseph O’Brien’s mare in 4th with a view to the future
 
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Said it earlier but the bumper form from last years springs festivals looks dreadful
 
Hurricane fly said:
Said it earlier but the bumper form from last years springs festivals looks dreadful
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Whilst the placed horses from the champion bumper have disappointed in different ways.

Runners from the champion Bumper are current favourites for the Turners, Bartlett, mares novice and County hurdle.
 
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Hurricane fly said:
Said it earlier but the bumper form from last years springs festivals looks dreadful
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Happens every year this imo, with the odd year where we have an exceptional renewal. Some of them don't train on, some do, so you tend to get a mishmash of form that is hard to judge. I tend to not really use it for a form guide
 
Interesting what Willie runs in the G1 at Leopardstown at Christmas and the Lawlors in the New Year. Given the two best on vibes and betting appear to be Fou De Toi and Doctor Du Mesnil, and we won't see either of them in the races, be interesting to see who fits into each race
 
I wouldn't give up on Heads Up just yet. He bumped into a live one. Haven't got him in the book yet but I will be doing
 
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Ellisgittings said:
Happens every year this imo, with the odd year where we have an exceptional renewal. Some of them don't train on, some do, so you tend to get a mishmash of form that is hard to judge. I tend to not really use it for a form guide
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It is true.

Recency bias kicks in. I done a post way back now about the Bumper form, I think either the year Fayonagh or Relegate won it.

I can't remember the ins and outs of it but I have done some more digging, and it's really not a race to follow the winners of going forward.

Of the past 24 renewals only 13 of the Champion Bumper winners have made it back to the festival the following season as novice hurdlers, and they went to the following races:

Supreme - 7

Turners - 3

Bartlett - 3

Despite the Supreme having 7 of them runners, only two have gone that way in the past 10 seasons.

On from the runners and only 4 winners of the Champion Bumper (past 24 renewals) have gone on to follow that up at the festival as a novice hurdler the following season. The form is very hit and miss for the Supreme, the Ballymore (Turners) is a lot more solid and worth following if one turns up to that race but the Bartlett is also hit and miss. Form lines read as follows:

Supreme - 0 - 5 - 3 - 4 - 1 - 4 - 2

Turners - 2 - 1 - 1

Bartlett - 0 - F - 1


Obviously the above is only taking into account the winners of the Champion Bumper, there will likely be horses within their races who may have come out and won the above races, Appreciate It, for example, is one that springs to mind immediately.
 
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Conman John is pencilled in for a Cheltenham return after his third-placed finish in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the track on Saturday.

The five-year-old, who is trained by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, went into the three-mile Grade Two the 11-10 favourite following success at Prestbury Park in October and was beaten half a length when conceding 3lb to the two horses ahead of him.

Despite defeat the performance still offered plenty of encouragement for connections, who are now considering sending their charge directly to the Albert Bartlett itself at the Cheltenham Festival.

“It looked a nice race beforehand and perhaps giving away 3lb was just a bit too much on the day, but I think he comes away with plenty of credit,” said Scudamore.

“We’ll see what we do now, we have a couple of options. Obviously Cheltenham in March is the target for most people and that would be the dream.

“There is a Grade Two at Haydock in between, but I would say it’s more likely that we go straight to Cheltenham in March and get him nice and fresh for that.

“He’s done nothing wrong, he travelled well and we were very happy with him.

“He’s going to have to improve again come March, but he’s still a young horse and a stronger gallop will probably suit him too.

“He’s an exciting horse and we’ve hopefully plenty to look forward to with him.”
 
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Yosser said:
I wouldn't give up on Heads Up just yet. He bumped into a live one. Haven't got him in the book yet but I will be doing
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Heads Up is a curious one, as you say beaten by a good horse at Cheltenham and just about hung on for second despite going off too quick - unlikely to win a Bartlett running like that though. Both the Skelton horses that were in the contending pack but finished behind him have come out and won since (as has Nicholls winner). Will be interesting to see how he goes next time..
 
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Eggs said:
Conman John is pencilled in for a Cheltenham return after his third-placed finish in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the track on Saturday.

The five-year-old, who is trained by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, went into the three-mile Grade Two the 11-10 favourite following success at Prestbury Park in October and was beaten half a length when conceding 3lb to the two horses ahead of him.

Despite defeat the performance still offered plenty of encouragement for connections, who are now considering sending their charge directly to the Albert Bartlett itself at the Cheltenham Festival.

“It looked a nice race beforehand and perhaps giving away 3lb was just a bit too much on the day, but I think he comes away with plenty of credit,” said Scudamore.

“We’ll see what we do now, we have a couple of options. Obviously Cheltenham in March is the target for most people and that would be the dream.

“There is a Grade Two at Haydock in between, but I would say it’s more likely that we go straight to Cheltenham in March and get him nice and fresh for that.

“He’s done nothing wrong, he travelled well and we were very happy with him.

“He’s going to have to improve again come March, but he’s still a young horse and a stronger gallop will probably suit him too.

“He’s an exciting horse and we’ve hopefully plenty to look forward to with him.”
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This is good news.

I backed him pre-weekend without cash out and after his defeat (albeit the ride, IMO, wasn't great) I wondered if they might hold him back for Aintree instead, so I'm pleased they are still targeting Cheltenham.
 
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ComplyOrDie said:
This is good news.

I backed him pre-weekend without cash out and after his defeat (albeit the ride, IMO, wasn't great) I wondered if they might hold him back for Aintree instead, so I'm pleased they are still targeting Cheltenham.
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Snap. I did exactly the same thing and thought exactly the same thing. If they think he has a bit of growing to do and would be better off fresh, that'll do me
 
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ComplyOrDie said:
This is good news.

I backed him pre-weekend without cash out and after his defeat (albeit the ride, IMO, wasn't great) I wondered if they might hold him back for Aintree instead, so I'm pleased they are still targeting Cheltenham.
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I agree. I was there and for me he was the best horse on the race. Leading from the front and controlling the pace is not easy anywhere but especially at Cheltenham. On this occasion the jockey did not in my opinion excel and the horse got done for toe. So I would agree that he deserves another chance. There is likely to be more pace come March and that should suit him.
 
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Job done for Un Sens A La Vie, pre season I fancied him as a Supreme horse, now with the 4 starts under his belt I'm wondering if the County Hurdle might be under consideration, the form with Old Park Star could turn out to be very decent as he was giving him 6lbs at kempton.
 
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