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2016 World Hurdle

mayo said:
PFNicholls

Nicholls also has a second potential World Hurdle challenger in the form of Aux Ptits Soins.

The John Hales-owned gelding has not been seen in competitive action since winning the Coral Cup at last year's Festival.

"Aux Ptits Soins did a really good gallop at Wincanton last week. The problem with him is that he has had three lots of surgery and an anaesthetic in the autumn and that is just in the back of my mind," said the Ditcheat handler.

"Its been hard training him. He came back on January 1. Whereas last year we started with a big, strong horse, he has been very lean and we've had to do it the reverse way with him.

"It would be no surprise if he ran a very big race."
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If PN fancies APS to run a good race I don't see why Elliot won't give Tag a chance. A tad further and Tag would have past APS in the Coral last year., and of course he then went on to take the 3m handicap the following month at Aintree. He will be a different horse on spring ground.
 
Really???...


Nicholls: Saphir a big player in World Hurdle

BY LEE MOTTERSHEAD 12:21PM 24 FEB 2016

CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls believes Ryanair World Hurdle hopeful Saphir Du Rheu will be seen "in a completely different light" on the likely better ground at next month's Cheltenham Festival.

Saphir Du Rheu finished runner-up to Cole Harden in last season's World Hurdle but has been largely disappointing this season, failing to justify favouritism over fences in the Hennessy Gold Cup before finishing over 30 lengths behind Thistlecrack in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December.

The ground at Newbury was officially described as soft, while it was good-to-soft at Ascot, and Nicholls feels that was not in the favour of a horse who proved so effective on good ground in the spring last year.

Speaking at his media morning, Nicholls said: "Saphir Du Rheu will be seen in a completely different light on better ground and is a big player. We haven't seen the best of him."

Racecourse gallop

Nicholls will put the finishing touches to Saphir Du Rheu's festival preparation by sending the horse on a racecourse gallop next week.

Saphir Du Rheu is a 16-1 shot for the World Hurdle and is likely to be joined by stablemate Aux Ptits Soins who can be backed at the same price. The market is headed by Colin Tizzard's dual Grade 1-winner Thistlecrack at 11-10.
 
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Before racing I was thrilled by the way Saphir Du Rheu and Aux Ptits Soins worked together at Kempton. They showed they are bang on course for the World Hurdle in which Saphir Du Rheu finished second a year ago.
They both looked great and Sam has just phoned me and thought about it over the weekend and said he is going to ride Saphir Du Rheu so Nick Scholfield will be on Aux Ptits Soins.
 
Ruby still trying to get NC in World Hurdle :D


Assessing his other Champion Hurdle runners, Mullins said: "Sempre Medici definitely goes, Nichols Canyon - we'll have another think about the World Hurdle for him, but I think connections-wise they are keen on the Champion.

"He disappointed last time, but he's usually very good and very seldom disappoints. You have to forgive a horse a bad run every now and then. If he's well, he'll go there.

"Sempre Medici probably needs to improve 10lb, he has to step up but I have nothing else to run him in unless he carries top weight in the Coral Cup or something and I don't have any interest in doing that."
 
Is Thistlecrack ground dependent ?

Nicholls and others have thrown that into mix.
 
Good ground didn't hinder him at Aintree last season, in fact, it was his best performance.
 
Earlier on I had question marks to whether he was a banker and I think he is now that WM has folded.
 
Tom Scu over Hurdles

Ben Aikens work

T.Scudamore 0/41 ( for a 41pts loss ) Very poor figures linked to Pipe (0/91 since 2002)

ep Tom Scudamore has NEVER ridden a winner at the Cheltenham Festival over hurdles.

His record over hurdles at the festival is a rather worrying…

0/94 | 0% S/R | -£94.00 BFLSP – Win & Place 9/94 | 10% S/R

*my recent free guide states 0/91 but I forgot to add in 3 rides he had as an amateur

On Thursday he will be tasked with guiding home Thistlecrack in the World Hurdle, the hottest fav at the meeting (along with Yanworth) out with the Mullins hot-pots.

Thistlecrack is unbeaten in three starts this season. He’s taken in the major trials for the race and humped the opposition each time. He has looked an absolute beast at times and I would say he is very much deserving of his red-hot favouritism.

But those Scudamore stats are certainly a concern.

I’ll be honest I was struggling to pick holes in the Thistlecrack armoury. I was beginning to think he didn’t have any. The horse, in fairness, maybe doesn’t. The jockey, however, almost certainly does.

Can Scudamore bust his devastatingly poor festival hurdle record?

The defence…

He’s never been on one this short before…

In all of those 94 rides he has never once sat on one that’s started as short as Thistlecrack is likely to. In fact only three of them have even started as favourite.

His overall record over Cheltenham hurdles (excluding the festival) isn’t all that bad…

13/118 | 11% S/R | -£43.59 BFLSP – Win & Place 29/118 | 25% S/R

OK you won’t have gotten rich backing them all but 11% strike-rate is passable. Certainly better than his festival strike-rate of 0%.

Conclusion…

Tom Scudamore may never have a better chance than this to break his festival hurdles hoodoo. He’s on the highest rated horse in the race, who has the best form and is proven over course and distance.

However, if you are looking for a negative against Thistlecrack I’ve just given you one. A rather hefty one.

Tom Scu this is your chance to scoff at the stats…
 
mayo said:
Tom Scu over Hurdles

Ben Aikens work

T.Scudamore 0/41 ( for a 41pts loss ) Very poor figures linked to Pipe (0/91 since 2002)

ep Tom Scudamore has NEVER ridden a winner at the Cheltenham Festival over hurdles.

His record over hurdles at the festival is a rather worrying…

0/94 | 0% S/R | -£94.00 BFLSP – Win & Place 9/94 | 10% S/R

*my recent free guide states 0/91 but I forgot to add in 3 rides he had as an amateur

On Thursday he will be tasked with guiding home Thistlecrack in the World Hurdle, the hottest fav at the meeting (along with Yanworth) out with the Mullins hot-pots.

Thistlecrack is unbeaten in three starts this season. He’s taken in the major trials for the race and humped the opposition each time. He has looked an absolute beast at times and I would say he is very much deserving of his red-hot favouritism.

But those Scudamore stats are certainly a concern.

I’ll be honest I was struggling to pick holes in the Thistlecrack armoury. I was beginning to think he didn’t have any. The horse, in fairness, maybe doesn’t. The jockey, however, almost certainly does.

Can Scudamore bust his devastatingly poor festival hurdle record?

The defence…

He’s never been on one this short before…

In all of those 94 rides he has never once sat on one that’s started as short as Thistlecrack is likely to. In fact only three of them have even started as favourite.

His overall record over Cheltenham hurdles (excluding the festival) isn’t all that bad…

13/118 | 11% S/R | -£43.59 BFLSP – Win & Place 29/118 | 25% S/R

OK you won’t have gotten rich backing them all but 11% strike-rate is passable. Certainly better than his festival strike-rate of 0%.

Conclusion…

Tom Scudamore may never have a better chance than this to break his festival hurdles hoodoo. He’s on the highest rated horse in the race, who has the best form and is proven over course and distance.

However, if you are looking for a negative against Thistlecrack I’ve just given you one. A rather hefty one.

Tom Scu this is your chance to scoff at the stats…
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Love the horse not the jockey. This is probably why I haven't been a massive fan. :)
 
He always seems to go for home way too soon at Cheltenham. The ride he gave Kings Palace in the Albert Bartlett 2 years ago was shockingly bad.
 
Faugheen_Machine said:
He always seems to go for home way too soon at Cheltenham. The ride he gave Kings Palace in the Albert Bartlett 2 years ago was shockingly bad.
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The Thistlecrack ride at Punchestown last year wasnt too hectic but in general much improved imo.
 
Barry Connell bullish about Martello Tower on de radio.
 
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