Champion Hurdle 2018

[Quevega]

I know - they havent even said charli was a maybe for the handicaps. Its full on confirmation.
I think they made a mistake putting barry on BVD anyway, Noel is far better jockey at the moment. Its hard to think Noel would be used as a pacemaker aswell. Noel won the race on BVD last year didnt he because of Mark walsh injury, from memory ?
I really do fancy him, just gutted STIbet have awful without faourite odds. The more I type in here, the more i am up for the bet.

Have they mentioned about headgear for charli ?

He can only be in here for pacemaking or spoiling tactics, and Fehily is obviously available. Agree about the jockey's though. Geraghty is one of the reasons the Fav might get beat

 

[Kevloaf]

He can only be in here for pacemaking or spoiling tactics, and Fehily is obviously available. Agree about the jockey's though. Geraghty is one of the reasons the Fav might get beat

Barry who is 5 from 5 on him?
Barry who has won the Champion Hurdle on Punjabi and Jezki?

Give it a rest with this Barry Geraghty thing already :highly_amused:

I've got a little bit on Charli at 50/1 without BVD - must be a good thing if Fehily is so much better than him

 

[Quevega]

Barry who is 5 from 5 on him?
Barry who has won the Champion Hurdle on Punjabi and Jezki?

Give it a rest with this Barry Geraghty thing already :highly_amused:

I've got a little bit on Charli at 50/1 without BVD - must be a good thing if Fehily is so much better than him

Yep, it's my bag the geraghty thing, and up to me how much I factor in the jockey's form and ability when making a bet.
But don't forget that Jockeys are like horses and will at some point start going downhill, they will also be affected by injuries and their mindset can make a difference also, so past glories are not entirely relevant, neither is jogging around on a long odds on shot that can work it's own way over fences/hurdles.
We spend so much time on horses and why they will or won't perform when the jockey is equally important.
I think Barry was badly affected after his injuries in the last 18 months, and I think he is often too careful approaching fences and hurdles these days, I think he also goes wide an awful lot to get a clear sight and his hold up tactics (probably his caution) has cost him a few times on the better horses.
There are very few races in last year or two where I think he's won on not the best horse. And last Saturday was the first big handicap I can recall him winning for a while.
both brian Cooper and Harry Derham have admitted recently to having lost their bottle a bit after injuries so whilst they are younger and less experienced it don't mean Barry is infallible.

 

[MrMcGoldrick]

Maybe the Charlie Parcs idea is to counteract whatever the Mullins thinking is by putting headgear on Faugheen, if they think that sharpens him up enough to reignite his old flame perhaps Hendo wants a spoiler in there just in case it works. Personally if we see a reinvigorated Faugheen I don't think BD would get near him with any extra tactics but he hasn't looked the same animal in his last 2 runs so that's a long shot. Would be great to see though, except for BD backers, but not expecting it

 

[doctorwu]

CP in as a pacemaker only.

 

[Kevloaf]

Yorkhill confirmed as going for the champion hurdle unless UDS gets injured

From Graham Wylie at the preview evening at Newcastle...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="de" dir="ltr">Under starters orders <a href="https://twitter.com/NewcastleRaces?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NewcastleRaces</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cheltfestpreview?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cheltfestpreview</a> <a href="https://t.co/jZJCIhRlWr">pic.twitter.com/jZJCIhRlWr</a></p>— Liam Hedgecock (@liam_hedgecock) <a href="https://twitter.com/liam_hedgecock/status/971095994564857857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[TheRowebot]

Yorkhill conformed as going for the champion hurdle unless UDS gets injured

Big decision for Ruby..he loves both Faugheen and Yorkhill.

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

Surely it's a no brainer for Ruby.

You have (possibly) the best hurdler since Istabraq vs a horse who has been beaten 50+ lengths in his last two races and hasn't run over hurdles for two years.

1/10fav that he rides Faugheen.

 

[TheRowebot]

Surely it's a no brainer for Ruby.

You have (possibly) the best hurdler since Istabraq vs a horse who has been beaten 50+ lengths in his last two races and hasn't run over hurdles for two years.

1/10fav that he rides Faugheen.

I wouldn’t disagree but he absolutely loves Yorkhill.

 

[Kevloaf]

I'd take it as a bigger positive for Un De Sceaux than Faugheen too.... not that bold, but reading between the lines... *(and to be fair, the actual reading on the lines)... suggests UDS has more chance than Faugheen

 

[kinloch brae]

He can only be in here for pacemaking or spoiling tactics, and Fehily is obviously available. Agree about the jockey's though. Geraghty is one of the reasons the Fav might get beat

He is the only reason. Had the horse fluffed the last at Kempton he would have got him beat that day. When you are on a horse that is so much better you shouldn't need to be going for something big at the last. Wins comfortably unless jock does something very stupid again.

 

[Quevega]

He is the only reason. Had the horse fluffed the last at Kempton he would have got him beat that day. When you are on a horse that is so much better you shouldn't need to be going for something big at the last. Wins comfortably unless jock does something very stupid again.

Think there's a good chance he will go wide, or be forced wide before second last, if he's not perfect there he will lose ground for sure, then he'll have to really get on it and meet the last really well, if they get a run on him.
Having said that, he may well travel all over them and not have to move much at all until after second last as they begin the rise, in which case he should be more than ok.

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

Everyone says how good at hurdling Buveur D'air is (and he generally is) but he was far from foot perfect in the Champion Hurdle last season where he absolutely flattened the hurdle 4 out.

His hurdling worries me slightly.

 

[Kevloaf]

Everyone says how good at hurdling Buveur D'air is (and he generally is) but he was far from foot perfect in the Champion Hurdle last season where he absolutely flattened the hurdle 4 out.

His hurdling worries me slightly.

Why does it worry you if he's generally superb?

Last minute nerves getting the better of you?

Most natural hurdler I've seen ....HOWEVER it does beg the question snout why they tried him over fences.

Maybe that's auto-praise syndrome? I did think he's the definition of "slick" though

 

[Quevega]

Why does it worry you if he's generally superb?

Last minute nerves getting the better of you?

Most natural hurdler I've seen ....HOWEVER it does beg the question snout why they tried him over fences.

Maybe that's auto-praise syndrome? I did think he's the definition of "slick" though

very quick and economical and perfect for a champion hurdler,
but anyone who's on him, and I'm not, will be a bit nervy as it's likely (a bad mistake) the only thing that gets him beat, and he's not really had to go full speed since last year.

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

Watch last year's race and see how he jumps that hurdle 4 out. He doesn't lift a leg and was lucky to get away with it.

 

[Faugheen_Machine]

very quick and economical and perfect for a champion hurdler,
but anyone who's on him, and I'm not, will be a bit nervy as it's likely (a bad mistake) the only thing that gets him beat, and he's not really had to go full speed since last year.

I'm nervy Quevega, and probably trying to find faults that aren't there.

 

[jono]

I'm nervy Quevega, and probably trying to find faults that aren't there.

I'd be far more worried about Faugheen and Yorkhill's jumping holding out in this race long before I worry about Buveur D'Air. And those 2 are the only horses in the field that have a chance of beating him. He is easily the best jumper in the field. Also got to remember he had only just switched back to hurdles in that CH so you can forgive the odd mistake? :encouragement:

 

[riccirich]

so going by that preview night the vibes from mullins yard are good about douvan but not faugheen. cant say im surprised, no excuses last time and only reason i think he might nick a place is if ruby picks him then im not sure townend can handle yorkhill

 

[Old Vic]

I have never been a huge fan of buveur dair. He was third best in a Supreme and there is the chasing thing. His hurdling is slick and potentially high risk. the two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

Barry is 5/5 on him and has already won two champion hurdles when probably not on the best horse. Barry’s overall strike rate this year is comparable with previous seasons.

No horse has won back to back champion hurdles since 2005. Buveur dair could fall. He could be undercooked by Nicky. Faugheen could be back to his old self. There are many ways he could lose the champion hurdle that have nothing to do with the jockey. If however some of you have decided the only way he can be beat is because of the jockey before the race nothing that happens is going to change your opinion before or after the race. Keep open minds and be a bit kinder to jockeys. They risk a lot for our entertainment.


Sorry for the sermon