Champion Hurdle 2020

[The King Pimm]

I remember watching Tony Mullins at the time and thinking this man is really switched on. He got mocked throughout but he was spot on with most of his calls. I missed out on Epatante, I got talked out of betting on her by too many people including minutes before the off. A lesson learnt, back your own calls and hold firm. I think Epatante can improve again but would hope the rest of the field will be more competitive because the other Henderson horses were woeful.

[Priceiskey]

Sharjah was an underrated/overlooked horse all season for me Kev, I was on at 33/1 and was fairly excited 2 out but Epatante went by and put daylight between them.
Does that make the winner high quality, I think we need to assess next seasons performances before we can judge that.

For me so much hinges on what novices stay over timber, Shishkin seems certain to go chasing but with Goshen about and if Aba takes a shot at the Champion Hurdle and if the likes of Saldier and Klassical Dream come back strong then Epatante will have a tougher task defending her crown...

Putting daylight between herself and Sharjah makes Epatante high quality. She’s absolutely cantered into the race and quickened impressively. Sharjah is a high class horse on his day and he was on a going day. Epatante definitely the one to beat again next year imo.

[Istabraq]

Epatante got her ground, Sharjah didn’t, I’d be confident Epatante doesn’t run out a 4l winner on good to soft so I’ll need another year of form in the book to assess all contenders to determine whether Epatante is a good winner...

[Kevloaf]

Epatante got her ground, Sharjah didn’t, I’d be confident Epatante doesn’t run out a 4l winner on good to soft so I’ll need another year of form in the book to assess all contenders to determine whether Epatante is a good winner...

Hard to say that it wasn't a going day for Sharjah? Using the ground as a stick to beat him is pretty harsh. That 2nd is arguably his best piece of form isn't it?

Beating Faugheen in the Morgiana I'm not having as stronger form and also 2018 beating Supasundae on Good? ....

Is that better than this? I wouldn't have thought so....


His Grade 1 over Christmas beating Petit Mouchoir on Yielding, again.... using the distances he's certainly not run below what he's shown before?




I've backed Sharjah today for 2021's edition, and won't be using soft ground as an excuse anyway. I just think Epatante is better than him... but no shame in that.


Of course time will tell, and she's not a bet...but she is without a doubt the one to beat.

[Istabraq]

Sharjah is arguably a better horse on quicker ground so whilst his performance was a career best it would have been even better had the ground been better In my opinion...

[Kevloaf]

Sharjah is arguably a better horse on quicker ground so whilst his performance was a career best it would have been even better had the ground been better In my opinion...

Yeah I'd say the same. We'll never get a good ground Champion Hurdle. Soft (good in places) is probably the best it'd ever be now?