2026 Champion Hurdle

[opatcho]

Same as some on here, I don’t enjoy watching con hill over hurdles

But tonight, night race at Southwell, proper buzzing watching that and seeing him win

 

[wecandream]

I love the horse but didn’t want him winning by that amount , I fear my big odds ante lost slips will be down now

 

[Exar Essay]

Famous last words but I’d be amazed if he ever sees a hurdle again. I’m not sure if it would be brave to run in a CH or irresponsible and unfortunately we’d only know in hindsight and the owner does not have that luxury.

I hope he doesn’t. I just don’t see the upside. There could be two years of fun in good flat races. What a way for the horse to spend the latter part of his career.

It’s clear now that hurdles are the only issue. I did have a nagging doubt that the engine was perhaps not quite as good as it was, but that’s put that to bed.

His four most recent runs over hurdles though, have been an abomination.

You could tell on Emmet’s podcast how heavy the decision rests on Nicky too.

 

[Quevega]

Famous last words but I’d be amazed if he ever sees a hurdle again. I’m not sure if it would be brave to run in a CH or irresponsible and unfortunately we’d only know in hindsight and the owner does not have that luxury.

Kind of where I am.
They've put themselves in a pickle with all of this.
A run over hurdles in a lesser race was the best option and then it's an easier choice for the next step.
Now they are in no man's land.

 

[Brooksie]

I'd agree he wouldn't stay in an Ascot gold cup, he looked average over two and a half at Aintree. Maybe they keep him in training, find some early flat season assignments then give him a break for a go in the Arc lmao.

 

[opatcho]

Issue is, they’ve sent the last few weeks preparing this horse for a AW flat race and getting out of stall

That ain’t going to help his hurdling…

I’m at Cheltenham on the Tuesday and nothing would make me more happier than watching con hill piss up in the CH, it would be close to Sprinter Sacre come back. But…. I’d be happy to see con hill taken out for the CH

I think when the dust settles, they won’t run him. Hopefully they see how positive tonight was, a huge change to the negativity and bad press observed over the last 12 months

 

[Exar Essay]

I know very very little about flat so excuse what may be a bloody stupid question. Is there any reason why he couldn’t take in the Ebor and then have a tilt at the Melbourne Cup? I appreciate that’s a massive step up. But theoretically could that be a route to take?

Nicky did say he doesn’t like summer ground but then almost questioned himself. And his Supreme was on good ground (that had to be called GS for the usual reasons).

 

[opatcho]

He should have ran in the international

Nico on Sir Gino
Someone else on Con Hill, and just use it as a schooling session and see if he go around

Now they’re in a mess

Imagine he fell again at the CH - this AW win will soon be “why run him at Southwell as a prep race”

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

Loved that. Got a nice ticket on him for the C.Hurdle but i loved watching that and would happily throw it away. I would rather see him mixing it on the flat in the summer than killing himself for the sake of one day in March

Yeah, I have him at big odds, but I don’t want him to run.
I just don’t think it’s worth the risk, especially as they now have a definite potentially exciting alternative.
Be nice to rekindle my interest in the flat for a year or two as well.

 

[Lobos]

Bear in mind - Nicky just said he's not a Summer flat horse !
Whatever the fuck that means.
He's also previously said that he wouldn't stay in an Ascot Gold cup.

He'll change his mind after that. He could easily be a Cup horse.
No way on earth he runs in the CH now.
I should have took the 8/1

 

[Yosser]

Bear in mind - Nicky just said he's not a Summer flat horse !
Whatever the fuck that means.
He's also previously said that he wouldn't stay in an Ascot Gold cup.

Think Nicky is mistaking Summer with dry fast tracks. We get plenty of heavy ground in the supposed nice months. Stradivarious and Trueshan missed plenty of races with the ground being too soft. He is almost apologising for what he is going to do. I think him and Buckley had already made their minds up before this race. He goes CH imo, though i don't want him to.

 

[Lobos]

If they did go CH then keep Murphy on him.

 

[Quevega]

Think Nicky is mistaking Summer with dry fast tracks. We get plenty of heavy ground in the supposed nice months. Stradivarious and Trueshan missed plenty of races with the ground being too soft. He is almost apologising for what he is going to do. I think him and Buckley had already made their minds up before this race. He goes CH imo, though i don't want him to.

Yep, I've already gone into my suspicions on the whole thing.
Just hope they do the right thing.
If they do run him then everything I ever thought about him and many others in the sport will be cemented further than it already is.

They play the welfare card when it suits them to do so.
To be fair to Henderson, his main issue is that he can be over emotional at times, and this affects his decision making, good and bad.

 

[Craigy14]

Agree with couple of folk when they’ve said if he goes champion as stays up he wins but……it’s the staying up part that’s the problem.

Not many horses in their last 4 runs at this level have FF5F. 75% fall rate in 4 runs.

 

[Odddog]

Have to remember he is 9 years old - very old to be having fanciful thoughts about Ebors and Melbourne Cups. I dont think he has beaten much tonight at all. The only horse in the Field with a rating was Skeltons who finished 3rd and he was rated 83. Giving CH 6lbs. The Level he has run to there probably wouldn’t be good enough to get a run in the Ebor.

 

[Quevega]

If they did go CH then keep Murphy on him.

I've heard that they are arranging a flat race for Posh Boy.
over 1500m at Haringey next Friday night.

 

[Yosser]

Agree with couple of folk when they’ve said if he goes champion as stays up he wins but……it’s the staying up part that’s the problem.

Not many horses in their last 4 runs at this level have FF5F. 75% fall rate in 4 runs.

If he ran, it will be the first time i don't watch a Cheltenham race and just listen to the commentary. I can't watch him potentially kill himself. I know it happens in the sport but we have gone way past the danger signs now. We are walking into the reactor room cellar approaching the elephants foot.

Look at that reaction and media hype tonight. Imagine what that would be like at a huge flat meeting. The sponsors would be falling over each other to get involved.

 

[opatcho]

If they did go CH then keep Murphy on him.

Murphy will catch a “horrible cold” on the day and self cert as a N/R

“I ain’t hitting the deck at that speed… nooo thanks”

 

[Carnage at Taunton]

Kind of where I am.
They've put themselves in a pickle with all of this.
A run over hurdles in a lesser race was the best option and then it's an easier choice for the next step.
Now they are in no man's land.

Yep me too.
I’m hoping so bloody much that two men that have been in the game a long time, can come to a correct and sensible decision regarding a horse they clearly both love.
I will be behind the settee if he turns up at Cheltenham so Christ knows how they would be feeling!! Plus his lad and all the other lads in the yard.
He’s won the CH, been the best of his generation and arguably one of the best ever for a too short time.
IMO he’s told them he’s still a racehorse of great ability but not a Hurdler anymore.
Do the right thing for the horse, risking his health unnecessarily is not the right thing.

 

[Quevega]

Yep me too.
I’m hoping so bloody much that two men that have been in the game a long time, can come to a correct and sensible decision regarding a horse they clearly both love.
I will be behind the settee if he turns up at Cheltenham so Christ knows how they would be feeling!! Plus his lad and all the other lads in the yard.
He’s won the CH, been the best of his generation and arguably one of the best ever for a too short time.
IMO he’s told them he’s still a racehorse of great ability but not a Hurdler anymore.
Do the right thing for the horse, risking his health unnecessarily is not the right thing.

Definitely couldn't say it was the best for the horse, could they ?
But they will put a spin on it either way unfortunately.