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2015 Champion Hurdle

Jezki out to 6/1:confused:

Faugheen (3), The New One (7/2), Jezki (6)in, Vautour (10), Annie Power (14), Hurricane Fly (16), Un De Sceaux (18), Vaniteux (25), Vatour (25), Sign Of A Victory (28), Analifet (33), Diakali (33), Irving (33), Josses Hill (33), Garde La Victoire (40), Tiger Roll (40), Arctic Fire (50), Blue Heron (50), Calipto (50), Purple Bay (50), Rock On Ruby (50), Abbyssial (66), Clever Cookie (66), Goodwood Mirage (66), Guitar Pete (66), Kentucky Hyden (66), Wilde Blue Yonder (66), Zamdy Man (66)

20 Grades 1 for the Fly

 
Ruby

Nicky Henderson’s Vaniteaux lost little in defeat off top weight in the Greatwood Hurdle – but still needs to show he’ Champion Hurdle class. The ground was very bad by Sunday and both the winner Le Garde Victoire and third Clondaw Castle were getting weight and had a race-fit advantage.

BAZZA

VANITEUX struggled a bit on the tacky going but produced a good effort in defeat in the Greatwood Hurdle. A good season is ahead of him.
 
Faugheen has been entered for the Christmas hurdle at Kempton I see, along with TNO and Irving, what a race that promises to be.
 
Surely TNO will run this weekend and avoid clashing with Faugheen, although it would make my Christmas if they did meet!
 
The New One ran in both last year so could easily take up the Christmas challenge. I think Vaniteux gets 8lb of him if they both run on Saturday. That's not a gimme.
 
Fighting Firth 2014

 
the new one impressed me yesterday and had improved I think. Agree with old vic that last years defeat wasn't only about being hampered though.
 
Faugheen looked the business yesterday and, given the other high profile flops yesterday, it looks like the stable may be under something of a cloud. If this was an under-par Faugheen it's difficult to see how anything will get near him on a real going day. I've also just watched another red hot Mullins favourite get well beaten in the first at Leopardstown following on from Kalkir, Vautour and Champagne fever yesterday, the latter looking like a second jockey had clambered aboard with a mile to go.
 
That was some performance by Faugheen yesterday. He stands to be my biggest ever winner by an order of magnitude and I'm trying to hold my nerve and not lay any more off
 
That was some performance by Faugheen yesterday. He stands to be my biggest ever winner by an order of magnitude and I'm trying to hold my nerve and not lay any more off

Clobbered the last and all ! Unbelievable engine on him.
 
Bet365 have gone Non Runner No Bet. The might be some value in the each way market. I can see less than 7 on the day. Who will line up?

Faugheen
The New One
Jezki
Hurricane Fly
Irving
Purple Bay

are obvious ones

maybe Vaniteux or Sign of Victory will try and nab some place money but imagine ROR will go further ?



<br/><A href="http://imstore.bet365affiliates.com/Tracker.aspx?AffiliateId=48096&AffiliateCode=365_087943&CID=199&DID=82&TID=1&PID=149&LNG=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://imstore.bet365affiliates.com/?AffiliateCode=365_087943&CID=199&DID=82&TID=1&PID=149&LNG=1" border="0" ></A>
 
JP will need a pacemaker or two if Rock on Ruby doesn't go. Artic Fire and Tiger Roll other possible runners ?
 
Christmas Hurdle Leopardstown

 
Christmas Hurdle Kempton

 
It looks tight

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Odds and <a href="https://twitter.com/Timeform1948">@Timeform1948</a> ratings for the Champion Hurdle. <a href="http://t.co/K7mMJuzukh">pic.twitter.com/K7mMJuzukh</a></p>— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) <a href="https://twitter.com/AtTheRaces/status/552065987457994753">January 5, 2015</a></blockquote>
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PURPLE BAY got closest of the challengers to the brilliant Faugheen when finishing second in the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last month but he is not yet certain to take on the ante-post favourite again at the Cheltenham Festival.

The John Ferguson-trained six-year-old was given quotes for the Stan James Champion Hurdle after his latest run, but the trainer is yet to finalise a definite plan for the progressive hurdler.
"We will keep all our options open with Purple Bay," Ferguson said. "Ultimately he will be a two-and-a-half-miler. AP [McCoy] felt at Kempton, which is obviously a very different track to Cheltenham, he was off his feet for the first half of the race but was then travelling as strongly as at any time in the race over the last two hurdles.

"I think he will be more suited to Cheltenham than Kempton but another possibility would be to wait for the Aintree Hurdle. The third option is do both Cheltenham and Aintree. The Champion Hurdle is certainly tempting but what we are about is winning races."

Also in the mix could be stablemate Sea Lord, depending on how he fares at Newbury on February 7. Ferguson added: "I might enter Sea Lord as if he happened to win the Betfair Hurdle off topweight I'd be tempted to give him a spin."

Faugheen is no bigger than 5-4 for the Champion Hurdle after his eight-length romp at Kempton took his unbeaten record over hurdles to seven.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Pricewise and <a href="https://twitter.com/thespieler">@thespieler</a> both go for Artic Fire as their champion hurdle antepost tip. Jezki the RP trends pick. <a href="http://t.co/c1b6NAmOs9">pic.twitter.com/c1b6NAmOs9</a></p>— Fat Jockey (@FatJockeyTips) <a href="https://twitter.com/FatJockeyTips/status/552200548804751360">January 5, 2015</a></blockquote>
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I think Jezki could win but would need AP to produce the perfection that Bazza did last year. don't see that happening. will Faugheen make all iyos ?