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2017 Champion Hurdle

I'm probably being a bit harsh on him but I do feel his price is shorter than it should be. He'll probably win the Christmas hurdle and make me look stupid in the process :highly_amused:
 
It's not often you get unexposed horses in championship races but with so little 2m experience he has to carry that label, and that's what makes him so appealing against a bunch who have yet to prove their wellbeing.....
 
Went to Fairyhouse on Sunday. VVM looked fat to me. Apples Jade got plenty of allowance and doubt if I saw the Champion Hurdle winner.
 
The New One as short as 10s in a place. (25s are available) ....

The only possible way to make this race exciting would be to run Annie Power and Faugheen against each other.

On the day I'll be cheering whichever one does line up on, but my goodness, what a weak divison this is.
 
Faugheen looks a bit weak on the exchange last 24 hours might be nothing but i wonder if hes struggling for his Xmas target.
 
WH have shorted Annie Power to 7/4 ... they've been standout 3/1 for months
 
Now putting 2 and 2 together... from the FFP with Wylie he says:

1. I won't have two horses in the same race against each other
2. Shaneshill could be our World Hurdle horse, he needs a staying trip (he'll probably come 2nd)
3. Nichols Canyon may be stronger now and a 2 mile horse
4. Yorkhill going novice chasing


Joining those dots, 25/1 in the Champion Hurdle is worth a speculative point each way?

Add in that there is no reason to think that Mullins wouldn't have more than one runner in different ownership, he's done it before with this horse.
He has placed in the race before, after making a hash of the last
He has won the Morgiana giving 10 lbs to Jers Girl by 12l and could win again over Xmas in the Ryanair hurdle?

.... I've convinced myself :)
 
I was just about to write the exact same thing today! Couldn't agree more and I joined up those same dots
 
jono said:
I was just about to write the exact same thing today! Couldn't agree more and I joined up those same dots
Click to expand...

Great minds.

I think Nichols Canyon is going to turn up in the 2m race in Ireland on the 29th and he'll surely shorten for this!

Probably a better horse than Shanehill over any distance, but if they've 'realised' Shaneshill is needing 3m over hurdles then this just looks so obvious.
 
Owner Rich Ricci hopes Faugheen will return to action in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on 29 January.

The eight-year-old has not been seen since winning the Leopardstown feature last season, with Willie Mullins' charge subsequently suffering an injury that ruled him out of defending his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham.

"He's going well, I'd be hopeful of the Irish Champion," Ricci told At The Races.

"He's there or thereabouts, I don't want people to worry.

"It's just been niggles, he got a stone bruise and then it got inflamed. It's very stop-start.

"He's working everyday, he's riding everyday, he's close. We've had a good run for two weeks with him now and I hope we can keep that going.
 
More and more I look at the Faugheen/Annie situation I'm convinced it will be champion and mares..
 
TheRowebot said:
More and more I look at the Faugheen/Annie situation I'm convinced it will be champion and mares..
Click to expand...

That could very well be the case Rowebot but am I alone in thinking it's terrible that a fit horse isn't allowed to defend their crown and connections take a lower target on the same day ?
 
I guess we don't know the extent of AP's fragility.

Also, seeing VVM win just then at leopardstown was probably a Willie Mullins sighted into the snow falcon form who was travelling well against UKWIMH
 
Istabraq said:
That could very well be the case Rowebot but am I alone in thinking it's terrible that a fit horse isn't allowed to defend their crown and connections take a lower target on the same day ?
Click to expand...

Not alone in that - it would be horrible.

Definitely said this before, but the only way I could (can) see Annie NOT defending her crown is if she has "an interupted prep" ... when I said that at the start of the season, I assumed we'd hear about it...but as Rowe says, the longer this goes on, you can absolutely see her first race of the season being in the mares hurdle at the festival.... they'll say she isn't "prepped" for a CH and then she will absolutely destroy the Mares hurdle.


In addition, if Faugheen does re-appear and win the Irish Champion hurdle, there isn't a chance they'll send him to the World Hurdle with that as the prep? Considering VVM has just won the G1 over 3 miles today... (boring myself now, Ricci mentioned the Ryanair after the race for her).....
 
We're saying the same thing but how can a horse be fit/ready to run the Mares but not the Champion hurdle, given they are 40 mins apart !
If that's the route they go then I'll have even less respect for Ricci
 
It'll be the same situation as Vautour ? They said he wasn't working well... then he put in a brilliant display...

If they weild out the same excuse, it'll be disgusting... just a feint lie to split up horses in the same ownership!
 
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Petit Mouchoir put in a big performance there. I don't think Nichols Canyon ran to form when you consider how close Ivanovich Gorbatov was to him today. I'd definately take PM over Yanworth for the Champion Hurdle but their now at a price where I wouldn't want to back either as I still only see it as an each way bet.

Listening to connections it sounds like Faugheen is likely to go for the Irish Champion Hurdle if he can get through the month without another setback. To me they sound as positive on the horse lining up as they have been all season, not that that takes much! I agree if he does line up in the race there's no chance Faugheen goes anywhere other than the Champion Hurdle. I do think they intended to run Faugheen over 2m4 this season which would have allowed them to step him up to 3 miles come March if needed but there won't be enough time between the Irish Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham to test this will there? Or a suitable race to do so? I know Inglis Drever did it that year but he was running over middle distances the whole season prior.

So I am sadly resigning myself to Annie Power not defending her crown. You're right Ista - you're either ready for Cheltenham or you're not. If Annie was to be fit come March there's no excuse. She just about squeezed a prep in last year and still won the race and this years CH looks just as weak. If it was a red hot renewal with a lot of depth I could kind of understand but not at this years.
 
I took a punt on Petit Mouchoir at 33s a couple of weeks after falling in the race irving won. Cooper was being so bullish about the chances and was convinced he would have won and I thought there is no other race for this horse at the festival (chasing seems to be certainly on hold!) .... so that has worked out nicely today.

I've also got Yanworth at 14s and Nichols Canyon at 25s, and Apples Jade at 16s :( - Mixed bag but I can't be disappointed.


How about this theory.....

They tried SO hard to keep her in training, she must have one last hurrah... she CANNOT go out and retire with a win in the Mares hurdle. She absolutely can't. It won't happen.... I am not having it. I think she will run in the CH.... Faugheen will return in the Irish CH and "not look to have the pace he used to" as Ruby makes it look like hard work but gets the job done...they'll say he needs a step up in trip.... Annie with 1 prep run wins the CH and Faugheen makes a mockery of all the UK horses in the World Hurdle... and we all feel a bit dead inside because we know that Faugheen would have won the CH backwards.
 
I have had petit on side ever since his fall as I noted earlier on this thread. No excuses from Mullins camp regards canyon defeat... I think PM won fair and square and is a player.. I also think apples jade will go world hurdle after Elliott team said missy tata was going to the mares with a real chance
 
I'd be happy to see AJ in the World Hurdle but I wouldn't think AJ ams Missy Tata will have any affect on each other. Both horses have retained jockeys?
 
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