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2026 Champion Hurdle

Racing Post has a going article up - headline around Navan but it does give a Cheltenham update. Clerk expects no further deterioration and racing will be soft ground.
 
Odddog said:
Racing Post has a going article up - headline around Navan but it does give a Cheltenham update. Clerk expects no further deterioration and racing will be soft ground.
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Yeah, dry now...few light showers and breezy today and tomorrow.
 
….Skelton re TNL;

"I’m very happy with our horse and the softer ground will put a little bit more emphasis on stamina, which is a positive for us. I think the track is a positive for us. He is a relaxed horse and he showed plenty of boot at Newcastle when unfortunately he came down two out, which wasn’t ideal," the trainer said.

I’ve got my opinion of how that race would have turned out, but I will keep that to myself as it didn’t turn out the way I thought it was going to. I don’t think the fact we are going into the race off the back of a fall makes a great deal of difference as we have done loads of jumping since.

“I think it might have perhaps changed the betting had he not fallen as they would have been closer in the market, but I’m not convinced it makes the absolute difference to us as I feel like he is in great form.

“We have trained him to get through this the best we can. I’m sure it will be a good match up. We are taking on an odds-on favourite who won the Christmas Hurdle last time. We have never taken on a horse this good, but maybe Sir Ginohas never taken on a horse as good as us before.”

With only the four runners set to tackle the two mile one furlong contest, there is the prospect of the race becoming a tactical affair. However, the trainer doesn't believe it will have any bearing on the result.

He added: “I think for the first mile it could be tactical, but to be honest with you, good horses, when they turn down that hill they will get rolling. There will be at least six furlongs of proper racing, if not a bit more. The hill will come into play as it is a long stretch from turning in there. It will be a good race. It won’t be overly tactical as you have got three furlongs from the back of two out so you will have to be racing.”

And while this will be a proper test of The New Lion’s ability, Skelton, who is yet to add the £125,000 contest to his CV, is keen to embrace the challenge rather than swerve it.

He added: “Do I wish I was going in there at 1/8 on, well yeah as you are more likely to win, and I love winning, but I’m not one of those trainers that wants everything in their favour all of the time as for a sport to thrive you have got to have competition. I think if he beat Sir Gino tensions would rise as he is favourite for the Champion Hurdle. I wouldn’t be surprised if he won on Saturday, having said that I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t win as we are taking on a very good horse.

“I don’t go there with any apprehension thinking what if we lose? I ain’t interested in that. I’m going there thinking we can win and hoping that we do. If we don’t we just dress ourselves and go again. There is still only one way he is going after this and that is the Champion Hurdle. It would be ideal to win, but we are not nervous if we get beat.”
 
Eggs said:
….Skelton re TNL;

"I’m very happy with our horse and the softer ground will put a little bit more emphasis on stamina, which is a positive for us. I think the track is a positive for us. He is a relaxed horse and he showed plenty of boot at Newcastle when unfortunately he came down two out, which wasn’t ideal," the trainer said.

I’ve got my opinion of how that race would have turned out, but I will keep that to myself as it didn’t turn out the way I thought it was going to. I don’t think the fact we are going into the race off the back of a fall makes a great deal of difference as we have done loads of jumping since.

“I think it might have perhaps changed the betting had he not fallen as they would have been closer in the market, but I’m not convinced it makes the absolute difference to us as I feel like he is in great form.

“We have trained him to get through this the best we can. I’m sure it will be a good match up. We are taking on an odds-on favourite who won the Christmas Hurdle last time. We have never taken on a horse this good, but maybe Sir Ginohas never taken on a horse as good as us before.”

With only the four runners set to tackle the two mile one furlong contest, there is the prospect of the race becoming a tactical affair. However, the trainer doesn't believe it will have any bearing on the result.

He added: “I think for the first mile it could be tactical, but to be honest with you, good horses, when they turn down that hill they will get rolling. There will be at least six furlongs of proper racing, if not a bit more. The hill will come into play as it is a long stretch from turning in there. It will be a good race. It won’t be overly tactical as you have got three furlongs from the back of two out so you will have to be racing.”

And while this will be a proper test of The New Lion’s ability, Skelton, who is yet to add the £125,000 contest to his CV, is keen to embrace the challenge rather than swerve it.

He added: “Do I wish I was going in there at 1/8 on, well yeah as you are more likely to win, and I love winning, but I’m not one of those trainers that wants everything in their favour all of the time as for a sport to thrive you have got to have competition. I think if he beat Sir Gino tensions would rise as he is favourite for the Champion Hurdle. I wouldn’t be surprised if he won on Saturday, having said that I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t win as we are taking on a very good horse.

“I don’t go there with any apprehension thinking what if we lose? I ain’t interested in that. I’m going there thinking we can win and hoping that we do. If we don’t we just dress ourselves and go again. There is still only one way he is going after this and that is the Champion Hurdle. It would be ideal to win, but we are not nervous if we get beat.”
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Great talking
 
Cheltenham now soft - heavy in places

I predict Sir Gino non-runner and Grey Dawning non-runner. Maybe even TNL non-runner so we have Nemean Lion v Brentford Hope LOL
 
Skelton won’t pull his knowing Nicky is very likely to, huge prize for his trainers title chance.
 
They'll all run. Lovely conditions now.
 
“We could have done without the rain and Ferraris probably don’t work in a muddy field. It might not be that, but it might be hard work tomorrow,” the Seven Barrows handler said at Warwick on Friday.

“We want the trials and they are an important part of the build-up to March, but we also don’t want desperately hard races in very bad ground.

“Everyone is probably quite twitchy at the moment and nobody really wants to see horses walking up the hill at Cheltenham, as that is not a good preparation two months before the Festival.”

With just four runners declared, and Sir Gino and The New Lion clear of Nemean Lion and Brentford Hope on ratings, there is every chance the two-mile-one-furlong contest could turn into a tactical affair.

Henderson is not ruling out the possibility of his charge going straight into the lead, adding: “He made the running in the Christmas Hurdle because he was too fresh and nobody wanted to go on, and it left him in front. He didn’t mind, though, and he also made it when he won the Desert Orchid over fences.”

The New Lion was imperious as a novice last season, but fell two from home on his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November.

While Skelton respects the threat posed by Sir Gino this weekend, he admits his JP McManus-owned runner does at least need to make a race of it if he is to keep his Champion Hurdle dream alive.

“We’re taking on a horse that won the Christmas Hurdle very authoritatively and we fell, so there’s a difference in last-time-out performances, but I’m very happy with our horse,” said the Alcester handler.

“We’ve done lots of jumping (since Newcastle), I think the track’s a suitable track for him and I’m looking forward to it, we’re very excited.

“Slower ground and a bit more of a galloping track will suit. I haven’t had a runner in the Fighting Fifth when I’ve been there and I was surprised how fast they go around Newcastle.

“We handled that speed and I’m not afraid of that speed, but I think it will be much more suitable for him on Saturday.

“It’s the next step and we’re only just out of novices and I feel like there’s more to come, but ultimately we do have to have a sharp run.

“If we get beat, we can’t be getting beat by too far.”
 
I think the winner tomorrow will be the mighty Lossiemouth!

They might both leave their Festival races in the Unibet.

Here's hoping !
 
have you seen the going and forecast at Leopardstown....lossie might have a week less after running in softer conditions 😆
 
fatherjohn said:
have you seen the going and forecast at Leopardstown....lossie might have a week less after running in softer conditions 😆
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She'll absolutely devour it though unlike the English pussies. Perfect for her. Hard as nails.
 
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Lobos said:
I think the winner tomorrow will be the mighty Lossiemouth!

They might both leave their Festival races in the Unibet.

Here's hoping !
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Nah, plenty of time to recover from any exertion.
If they think it’s bad enough that puts his chances in jeopardy then SG wont run.
Not so sure re Skelton, always think of the prize money element with that lot.
 
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I think The New Lion will struggle to beat SG today, but as long as he isn't beaten out of sight, I'd give him a chance of reversing the form in March.

It's difficult to see how today's race is going to suit TNL with there being only 4 runners. He needs a strong pace to be seen at his best imo, and if SG has a flaw, then it's his jumping but I can't see that being put under any pressure today.
 
I can’t see a situation where The New Lion turns the form round if beaten today.

On all things known today, the only condition against him is field size as it’ll likely not be run to suit.

Back on the old course in March, speedier track will suit Sir Gino imo. He doesn’t hurdle like a champion hurdle horse but his engine and speed is so good it bails him out but at the same time they haven’t really been tested to date or he is just that good nothing has got close to him to test him. He’s won on speedier tracks than Cheltenham as well, Kempton and Newcastle in Grade 1’s.
 
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