Champion Hurdle 2018

[Can't Catch Me]

I would add he's clearly got his own ideas about the game, but with blinkers on, and if in the mood, I could definitely see him in the frame.

 

[Scooby91]

You could tell the result after 2 hurdles?! I think you must be a better judge than me Scooby. Because that was the race WB almost refused to race.... gave them all a start and was still last after two hurdles! He didn't take it up until about 6f out.

Take your point about him being given too much rope when he went clear, but I think it's unfair to say he didn't win fair and square. It takes a good deal of energy to put that distance between you and the field... and although they closed he still had plenty at the line to my eyes. I also think that should have suited MTOY pretty well.

I'm going off memory as soon as Patrick sent him clear and the others let him go ahead without expending much energy. I said to the Mrs we have no chance of winning Wicklow brave has won. (I backed arctic fire big ew) there was no way you can give a horse of his ability a lead like like that. It was deffinately a long way out as I was extremely frustrated at the time.

 

[Can't Catch Me]

I'm going off memory as soon as Patrick sent him clear and the others let him go ahead without expending much energy. I said to the Mrs we have no chance of winning Wicklow brave has won. (I backed arctic fire big ew) there was no way you can give a horse of his ability a lead like like that. It was deffinately a long way out as I was extremely frustrated at the time.

I watched the race this morning. 6f out. And it wasn't just that he was given a soft lead. He was a bit lit up and going like the clappers at the time. The field start getting serious plenty early enough... he was just too good on the day.

 

[Scooby91]

I watched the race this morning. 6f out. And it wasn't just that he was given a soft lead. He was a bit lit up and going like the clappers at the time. The field start getting serious plenty early enough... he was just too good on the day.

Wasn't a soft lead by the ones close to him. It was by vroum vroum and arctic fire if be pretty sure ruby new what he was doing anything that had a chance like mtoy was watching and tracking vroum vroum. By the time barry noticed what had happened and vroum vroum wasn't finding or bringing the others into the race the bird had flown.

Either way I do like Wicklow brave anyway he travelled supremely well in last years CH before obviously expending his energy and dropping down to 8th. if they could somehow get him to start off level with the others he'd have a fair shout. It's also a fair ask to go straight there like last year.

 

[Can't Catch Me]

Wasn't a soft lead by the ones close to him. It was by vroum vroum and arctic fire if be pretty sure ruby new what he was doing anything that had a chance like mtoy was watching and tracking vroum vroum. By the time barry noticed what had happened and vroum vroum wasn't finding or bringing the others into the race the bird had flown.

Either way I do like Wicklow brave anyway he travelled supremely well in last years CH before obviously expending his energy and dropping down to 8th. if they could somehow get him to start off level with the others he'd have a fair shout. It's also a fair ask to go straight there like last year.

So you think he wouldn't have won that race if MTOY had gone with him from the 6f marker?

 

[Scooby91]

So you think he wouldn't have won that race if MTOY had gone with him from the 6f marker?

If the whole field reacted to Patrick's move, which it wasn't in the stables interests to do so when Patrick was chasing the jockeys title with a few rides left and ruby realised he diddnt have as much as he'd like under the bonnet. And townends on the owners other horse knows he picks up and stays extremely well.
But you'd be bringing mtoy / labaik into the race with you
correct I think arctic fire could have won personally. But may have been close with mtoy. Labailk stayed on well also.

 

[Can't Catch Me]

If the whole field reacted to Patrick's move, which it wasn't in the stables interests to do so when Patrick was chasing the jockeys title with a few rides left and ruby realised he diddnt have as much as he'd like under the bonnet. correct I think arctic fire would have won personally. But may have been close with mtoy. Labailk stayed on well also.

So Ruby or PT are going to give up any chance of a Grade 1 win just to help Patrick! Not having that. Best horse clearly won on the day for me. They barely close all the way from the last flight to the line. He had plenty left.

Agree to disagree. We've digressed.

 

[Scooby91]

So Ruby or PT are going to give up any chance of a Grade 1 win just to help Patrick! Not having that. Best horse clearly won on the day for me. They barely close all the way from the last flight to the line. He had plenty left.

Agree to disagree. We've digressed.

Wasn't a plan from the outset
Ruby had no horse under him he never could have won. Why would he want to set it up for the others with his stablemate well infront

But I'll happily leave it at that.

 

[Can't Catch Me]

Ruby had no horse under him he never could have won. Why would he want to set it up for the others with his stablemate well infront

But I'll happily leave it at that.

If Ruby had no horse under him, he was never going to do anything else. What were the alternatives? Ride VVM out to try and keep up with WB when he knew he had no horse under him?

 

[Scooby91]

If Ruby had no horse under him, he was never going to do anything else. What were the alternatives? Ride VVM out to try and keep up with WB when he knew he had no horse under him?

If Wicklow brave had differnet owners and in a differnet yard I'd be very suprised if they let him go on like that without trying to make the ground up sooner. He could have expended vroum vroum to benefit the others behind.
I'll leave it at that.

 

[ryanh97]

Defi has an entry in the Betfair - likely to run there off 157?

 

[Kevloaf]

Defi has an entry in the Betfair - likely to run there off 157?

Since 2010, top OR horse (and finishing position)

Blue Bajan 155 (18th)
Soliz 152 (7th)
Brampour 162 (7th) - won by Zarkander 151 (beat Get Me Out Of Here 151)
Petit Robin 159 (5th) won by MTOY on off 149
Rolling Star 150 (17th)
Pine Creek 144 (12th) - Wicklow Brave 11th off 140 funnily enough
Cheltenian 153 (7th)
Hargam 146 (14th)

It'd surprise me if he ran...

 

[Cashew King]

Defi has an entry in the Betfair - likely to run there off 157?

This was the latest from Hobbs:

“His scopes, etcetera, weren’t quite right afterwards,” said Hobbs, reflecting on Defi Du Seuil’s poor showing at Ascot on 25 November, when the horse started at odds-on but finished fourth of five behind Lil Rockerfeller. “Whether that was the reason … It’s probable that it was but he seems in good form now. So we’re looking for a run somewhere before Cheltenham.

“I’d imagine he’ll run in February but I don’t have any plans about where, as yet. It needs to be discussed with the owners, obviously.”

If he’s going to run in February & they still hope to run at Cheltenham on 13th March, I’d imagine we’re talking first 2 weeks of February - how many alternatives are there.

I’d reckon it’s likely he runs.......but whether he's likely to win is a different matter. Do you think 20/1 is big enough reward to risk finding out?

 

[Kevloaf]

Maybe less surprising then, but that seems a really tough ask... I suppose they don't have anything to lose though! I wouldn't back him but 20/1 for this and he's 20/1 for a Champion Hurdle which would be much harder to win

 

[Geordieboy83]

Maybe less surprising then, but that seems a really tough ask... I suppose they don't have anything to lose though! I wouldn't back him but 20/1 for this and he's 20/1 for a Champion Hurdle which would be much harder to win

is it just me or does he sound very down and negative about horse? Wouldn't fill me full of confidence if I were a defi backer!

 

[Liammet]

Not an expert but i think 5 year olds struggle to make an impact here
Defi did have a relatively hard campaign for a four year old
Think Barry said at start of season he would struggle to make the same impact this season

 

[Geordieboy83]

Patrick Mullins confirms to ATR that Melon goes straight here for fest. A few other festival targets seem to be going to leopardstown for a run beforehand including Next Destination. Fingers crossed I heard it right?

 

[KingSprinterSacre]

Willie at the press briefing today -

Willie Mullins is hoping Faugheen can still bid to regain the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on February 3 - despite being pulled up at the same track over Christmas.

The 10-year-old was the odds-on favourite for the Ryanair Hurdle but was pulled up with two to jump after dropping away tamely, leaving connections mystified.

Mullins and his team conducted a series of tests and report the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero in good form.

The County Carlow trainer said: "We are as happy as can be expected with him. All his tests have come back fine.

"The next step up is to do a little bit of fast work this week and if he passes that test we will be aiming at the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle.

"We have been minding him and last week we gave him a slow canter.

"We'll move up a gear this week."

Faugheen could be joined in the race by stablemate Melon at Leopardstown on February 3, though the latter was not put through his paces on Monday morning.

"He was unable to work because he lost a shoe and the blacksmith wasn't here to put a shoe back on," said Mullins.

"He's fine and I'd like to run him in the BHP as well."

 

[KingSprinterSacre]

Cilaos Emery - "Unfortunately he picked up a stress fracture, probably in the Ryanair Hurdle, that will keep him out of Leopardstown and Cheltenham. I’d say the best we can hope for is to have him back for the Punchestown Festival."

 

[Kevloaf]

I just can't take any positives from the Faugheen "updates". That is just no news to me...

He isn't doing any work yet... I don't think I'll be miles off the mark to say prior to the Irish CH he "isn't sparking" or "not completely happy with him" .... "we'll see how he is before Cheltenham"....

and then it'll probably be the same again.

Hypothetical one for you..... Faugheen ruled out for the season prior to Dublin Festival.... Yorkhill wins over 2m1f with Min 1L behind in 2nd....

Where does Yorkhill go? - I'd say here!