Champion Hurdle 2020

[Kevloaf]

Carrying on my lovin' for Cornerstone Lad

Jumps placings: 1312223/2131-113

Never out of the first 3 in his jumping career.
Shows he's genuine, tough, consistant...


Bit of a form case - He gave Ballyandy 6lbs and got beaten 0.75L in the same race he gave Pentland Hills 3lbs.
(5.25L better horse than Ballyandy based on that?)

Epatante was getting 7lbs (her allowance tbf) from Ballyandy in the Christmas Hurdle and beat him 8.25L

So I reckon you can argue there is only 3l between Epatante and Cornerstone Lad through him?
Official Ratings have Ballyandy rated 1lb higher though for that win, so arguably just 2l ?


He won the Fighting Fifth, and obviously Buveur D'air didn't perform to his highest level there, however he did still win the Grade 1 - Silver Streak was back in 3rd beaten 3.25L.
Silver Streak was 3L ahead of Ballyandy in the Christmas Hurdle - this is a similar distance he'd have put between him using Ballyandy as the guide from the Haydock race, so I believe Cornerstone Lad is better than Silver Streak too.


Silver Streak has won a listed race and placed in 3 grade 1's in his last 5 runs, including the Champion Hurdle and Christmas Hurdle.
Being better than Silver Streak surely makes you a player in this years CH?




He has a few lengths to find on Epatante, absolutely zilch to find with the second fav (Pentland Hills) - the next 5 in the market are Irish so don't know where they sit in this pecking order, the next best of the British is Fusil Raffles which is laughable, he's rated 150 so has 9lbs to find?




So, 4 places, 33/1 - what's not to like


I think he's still a great bet at 33/1 - 4 places now.

[Humble Pie]

Didn’t realise form figures were as they are

4 places definitely worth an ew punt , cheers

My only meaningful bet in this is Cilaos Emery @12’s Any Race as after all my serious bets fell by the wayside and decided to draw a line under it .

Max bet Cornerstone Lad ew

[TCH29]

Yeah, very good case, Kev.

I cannot understand his price. His loss to Ballyandy came carrying 6lbs and it was narrow and he was coming back.

He’ll like soft. The more rain this evening the better for him. 33s still feels big.

I got him at 170 on the Exchanges months back but only for pennies. Have had to go back in ew on the back of your case so if he gets done on the line, I claw back something.

This race antepost has been a disaster for me with Saldier getting injured. Had 2pts ew at 33/1 from before his one run this year due to his form with last year’s winner. Would be convinced he’d win if he was running!

[Faugheen_Machine]

I listened to a podcast the other day where someone said they'd backed Cilaos Emery to beat Altior and DDS (like I did), so how could they not back him to beat this rabble.

It's got me thinking and seriously considering him at around 7/1, 4 places.

[Kevloaf]

I listened to a podcast the other day where someone said they'd backed Cilaos Emery to beat Altior and DDS (like I did), so how could they not back him to beat this rabble.

It's got me thinking and seriously considering him at around 7/1, 4 places.

You made a mug bet then and might do again by the sounds of it?



As they're on the same OR, try and convince me, that Cilaos Emery is a better bet than Cornerstone Lad?


Cilaos Emery is a forum favourite as we all know he'd have won last years Arkle, but Duc Des Genievres is absolutely toss... he wouldn't need to be that good to beat her.

Being trained by Willie Mullins is the best thing he has going for him, so you can expect improvement. That's fair enough...

But you can even crab his hurdling technique can't you, he was a bit big?






I suppose really you need to go back and ask yourself if you really did believe Cilaos Emery would have been close to beating Altior, Defi Du Seuil or Chacun Pour Soi?


I reckon Min would go off odds on at 2m against Cilaos Emery and wallop him....


I'm on Cilaos Emery, I wish I wasn't (although not enough to lay him for stake back)

[nortonscoin200]

Thanks for putting me out of my Champion Hurdle misery Kevloaf - I'm now a fully paid up member of the Cornerstone Lad fan club.

A 7-2 favourite whose only previous Cheltenham run was 9th in the mares novice hurdle just has to be taken on - but boy have I struggled to find anything that fits the bill.

[Kevloaf]

Supasundae is 6/1 (9 places) with 365

Petit Mouchoir is 10/1 (9 places)

Cornerstone Lad 10/1 (9 places)

Silver Streak 9/1 (9 places)

Ballyandy 9/1 (9 places)




Obviously they're all priced up.... Darver Star 6/1 too

[callhimgamblor]

Cornerstone Lad never been to Cheltenham?

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/profiles/horse/424282

[Quevega]

Just watched Epatante run at Cheltenham last year, on the Ruby show.
typical Barry ride, and he gave up pretty quick, and coasted home from half way up the hill. The horse actually looked like it could have done better.

[harchibald]

Can't wait to see how pentland finishes off his race tomorrow. Will the better ground and the wind op help?

Im hopeful but not confident.

[jack1092]

Y
As they're on the same OR, try and convince me, that Cilaos Emery is a better bet than Cornerstone Lad?


Cilaos Emery is a forum favourite as we all know he'd have won last years Arkle, but Duc Des Genievres is absolutely toss... he wouldn't need to be that good to beat her.

Being trained by Willie Mullins is the best thing he has going for him, so you can expect improvement. That's fair enough...

But you can even crab his hurdling technique can't you, he was a bit big?






I suppose really you need to go back and ask yourself if you really did believe Cilaos Emery would have been close to beating Altior, Defi Du Seuil or Chacun Pour Soi?


I reckon Min would go off odds on at 2m against Cilaos Emery and wallop him....


I'm on Cilaos Emery, I wish I wasn't (although not enough to lay him for stake back)

He jumped big, but i guess you've to hope that's because it was his first time back over the smaller ones.

Jumping's the name of the game so we obviously don't know how he'd have fared at DRF. He was 4/1 against Min + CPS, so reasonable to suggest the market gave him a decent enough chance of going close?

At the prices we are on (think you're on at like 14s too) you'd have to be hopeful he can surely place at least?

[Kevloaf]

He jumped big, but i guess you've to hope that's because it was his first time back over the smaller ones.

Jumping's the name of the game so we obviously don't know how he'd have fared at DRF. He was 4/1 against Min + CPS, so reasonable to suggest the market gave him a decent enough chance of going close?

At the prices we are on (think you're on at like 14s too) you'd have to be hopeful he can surely place at least?

Can't prove it either way but I'd have been staggered if he was good enough to get near either of them. I have him in a rung below.

You are right though, I did get the 14/1. Hopeful is about the best I can be, I see hes usurped Pentland Hills as 2nd fav, about bloody time PH wasn't 2nd fav in this market!



If CE is as good as the market over fences suggested he was, then he'll be going very close here... so lets hope I'm wrong.

I basically went off him the same day I backed him, I felt like I'd made too rash of a decision.

He is now HALF the price of Sharjah. That's crazy.

[Kevloaf]

Can't wait to see how pentland finishes off his race tomorrow. Will the better ground and the wind op help?

Im hopeful but not confident.

He'll finish it like Haribald did probably.

[Altior]

Just managed to stop myself from pressing the confirm bet on Epatante. Happier and happier with Darver Star and Supasundae shouldn't mind the mud at all. Going to leave it there.

[jack1092]

If CE is as good as the market over fences suggested he was, then he'll be going very close here... so lets hope I'm wrong.

I basically went off him the same day I backed him, I felt like I'd made too rash of a decision.

He is now HALF the price of Sharjah. That's crazy.

I suppose he could be a 165+ chaser and still not be good enough here if he doesn't sharpen up his hurdling.

That is crazy in theory, but the ground sounds like it'll be against Sharjah.