Champion Hurdle 2021

[fatherjohn]

I think 13/8 is about right for honeysuckle... based on this years form what price would you have her in a match bet with sharjah over 2m? I would have sharjah more or less on levels. then I believe aba or saint roi will do better than last time out based on trainers comments before the matherson.

I dont think honeysuckle has done anything this year to suggest this is a tap in.

having said that im taking both the 20s special and the additional 50s adding concertista in mares.

[Al Boum Photo]

Maybe. Last year there were big doubts going into the race how she would handle going left handed, how she would perform over the minimum distance and she answered both of those questions. She has since beaten the best Mare Mullins has ever had (his words not mine) at Cheltenham and still remains unbeaten against all comers....so, for me, she's in a much better place this time around and will go off a lot shorter than 13/8.

This year however we know how she performs over the minimum distance. It is still a high level of form but she is better over further. For me, Sharjah has shown a higher level at 2m. Also, her win in the Hattons Grace this season was far less impressive than the previous season.
Also, would you have a link for Mullins quote about BDD because for me Annie Power would have walloped BDD.

[Lobos]

I don't really know why I'm not a fan of Honeysuckle's. I think it's just last year's Irish Champion hurdle where Petite Mouchoir and Darver Star were so close which dampens my enthusiasm for her. However, I do really hope she wins the IRH so that she goes to the CH(then loses to Epatante) which would leave Concertista with an easier chance of winning the MH!

Yep, that's how I see it and think it will pan out. Always a Silver Lining !

[Scooby91]

James Du Berlais

James Du Berlais (FR) Age: 4 (Foaled March 15th, 2016) Sex: Gelding Sire: Muhtathir Dam: King’s Daughter (FR) Trainer: W P Muliins Owner: Munir/ Souede

James du Berlais is a brother of the champion and young sire Goliath du Berlais (Saint des Saints).

James Du Berlais was exported from France to Ireland on the 02/12/2020, to join Champion trainer maestro Willie Mullins, who with 7 more winners at this year’s 2020 Festival cemented himself as the outstanding trainer in Festival history with 72 victories, since it all began for the Closutton maestro 25 years ago.

He is clearly in good hands but what has James Du Berlais achieved to date for former Trainer Robert Collet in France?

He had earlier needed a few races to find his bearings, before finishing second place in Prix Robert Weill Listed Handicap Hurdle at Auteuil, and going on win after that in both the valuable Fifrelet 3yo Hurdle, and the Prix Le De Mezaubran Listed Handicap Hurdle where he was subsequently puchased by UK based owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede to stay in France with Robert Collet . That already looked to be a shrewd piece of business, as James du Berlais shortly afterwards went on to finish 2nd in the Grade 1 Alain du Breil 4yo Hurdle Race at Compi?gne, only beaten by For Fun, and has been campaigned at the top level ever since.

Recent races he has ran in.

The Group One Prix Renaud du Vivier (Grande Course De Haies Des 4 Ans) Ran over 2m3f is one of the biggest events in the French jumping calendar and offers a winter championship contest for four-year-olds. In recent years, this high quality contest has been won by future stars such as Blue Dragon, 9 times graded winner L’Autonomie, Master Dino (one time fav for the JLT) and the mighty De Bon Coeur. James du Berlais went off a very strong market favourite at odds of 2/5 and was looking to add his name to this illustrious list. There was seemingly a difference in opinion amongst the jockeys as to where the best ground was as the field spread across the track throughout. All but the outclassed and weakening last time out winner Gaius were positioned to win entering the home-straight, however it was the son of Martaline, Moises Has, who despite a bad error at the final hurdle, showed plenty of resolve to deny James du Berlais by a short head at the finishing post.

This was still a very good run from James du Berlais, and the quality of the field was high, as you would expect from such a prestigious race. It is to be strongly noted that conditions were very heavy here, and in the favour of Moises Has, as per the quote below.

“Moises Has will be better on heavy ground. And we’ll have to count on him for the good The Renaud De Vivier (Gr1)” Francois Nicolle





Moises Has had the time before, finished 2nd to James du Berlais in the Prix Pierre de Lassus Hurdle (Grade 3) over 2M3f. The race had been won previously by french NH stars
Bonito Du Berlais, Device and the aforementioned trio of L’Autonomie, Master Dino and De Bon Coeur. In this Years renewal James du Berlais went off a well fancied 6/4 favourite here, he travelled and jumped well throughout before joining last time out winner Grace Feline in the lead in to the final turn, picking up very well when asked, James du Berlais shifted outward between the last two hurdles to take up the lead, Jumping a little to the left at the final obstacle, he went on further and won by a very comfortable five lengths ahead of the next time out Prix Renaud du Vivier winner Moises Has, again it was a strong field here, and this performance confirmed him as the best of his generation. The following quote is from his rider, who was seemingly as impressed as i was.

“I respected James du Berlais a little too much last time. But that’s how it is when you ride them every morning, you love them and you don’t want to hurt them. When I asked him to accelerate, I had to increase his speed by 10 km/h; we can look at the stopwatch! I’ve been getting up for him every morning for two years. It has its small flaw, that of being a little left-handed. Finally, he wanted to cross the runway on his own. Today I stayed inside, I took care of my horse and not the others. If the horse you ride is better than the others, you can be inside, left, right, where you want… It doesn’t change anything”.



other notable runs of James du Berlais, would start and not end with the Prix Questarabad (Hurdle)

Questarabad was one of the most talented horses to soar over the hurdles at Auteuil in the last two decades. To honour the memory of Questarabad, a champion over the hurdles at Auteuil, this race was named after him in 2013.

The Grade 3 race is ran over a distance of 2M3f and won in recent years by UK and French NH stars such as Footpad (W P Mullins) Prince Ali the aforementioned L’Autonomie (French made 4th), Master Dino (Stormy Ireland and Saglawy 3rd and 5th for W P Mullins) Blue Dragon and De Bon Coeur.

In this year renewal James du Berlais started as the 3/1 2nd favourite behind the 13/10F and 4 race unbeaten Galleo Conti (Poliglote) who is full of quality, Galleo Conti led the race, where the pair were still both going well in the latter stages, before James du Berlais who was running in his 2nd ever group race, asserted in the closing stage to win nicely by2.5 lengths over Galleo Conti .



Where does James du Berlais go now?

He has just had an entry in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival where i have personally just backed him at 50/1 EW with the Non Runner No Bet concession, This is not only because i am a fan of the horse from following him on from handicap hurdles all the way to being the best of his generation, he does have valid claims, he is highly rated, travel and jumps well, he does have a slight tendency to go out to his left, however that is no issue for the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree, he has had a little time to acclimatise to his new surroundings, and if I had to guess, I would say that the Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Grade 3) at Gowran Park in February, which was won by now stable mate Cilaos Emery last season before finishing 3rd in the Champion Hurdle itself. Whether that is to be he case, we will find out in due course, The Aintree Hurdle over 2 and a half miles at the Grand National meeting would also be over a trip which should suit, so options are open.

Looking further into the future, I would personally be strongly assuming that James du Berlais will be going Novice Chasing next season, where his valuable experience over the fixed brush hurdles around France will be a great advantage. This would strongly lead me to believe that he will take high rank in either the Arkle or the Marsh Novice chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.


Not sure how well this copies and pastes so ...

https://scooby91horseracingtips.com/2021/01/15/the-journey-from-france/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

[ComplyOrDie]

Looking further into the future, I would personally be strongly assuming that James du Berlais will be going Novice Chasing next season, where his valuable experience over the fixed brush hurdles around France will be a great advantage. This would strongly lead me to believe that he will take high rank in either the Arkle or the Marsh Novice chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.

Nice write up Scooby, top work.

I completely agree that he'll have been brought over to be a strong Novice Chaser for next season, and think his inclusion in the Champion Hurdle is likely nothing more than seeing what they have. I'd probably chuck a free bet on him at a price though.

[Istabraq]

Mullins generally enters his better horses in every race they’re permitted to run to not rule anything out, this is consistent with archie’s comments around targets never being confirmed until the last moment.

James du Berlais is clearly talented but I wonder why he wasn’t bought over before very recently...

[Scooby91]

Mullins generally enters his better horses in every race they’re permitted to run to not rule anything out, this is consistent with archie’s comments around targets never being confirmed until the last moment.

James du Berlais is clearly talented but I wonder why he wasn’t bought before very recently...

He was already owned by munir munir souede and stayed to contest all the 4yo championship races. On what hes done i'd have thought hes a mid 150s horse before going to Mullins, without doubt the highest rated horse he has ever received from France

[Istabraq]

He was already owned by munir munir souede and stayed to contest all the 4yo championship races.

Yes I realised that as I typed Scooby so corrected the original post.
I’m not up to speed with Munir/Suede overseas portfolio but it just struck me as odd he continued to race in France as long as he did and so frequently too, he’s had plenty of racing in the past year, as good a chaser he might turn into he’s likely to be another French bred to peak at 6/7 and regress soon after, though I could easily be wrong...

[jack1092]

James Du Berlais

James Du Berlais (FR) Age: 4 (Foaled March 15th, 2016) Sex: Gelding Sire: Muhtathir Dam: King’s Daughter (FR) Trainer: W P Muliins Owner: Munir/ Souede

James du Berlais is a brother of the champion and young sire Goliath du Berlais (Saint des Saints).

[ It has its small flaw, that of being a little left-handed.

https://scooby91horseracingtips.com/...mpression=true

Scooby91
Just to clarify, the small flaw is wanting to go left handed? Over here that's a plus as we know!

[Scooby91]

Scooby91
Just to clarify, the small flaw is wanting to go left handed? Over here that's a plus as we know!

The below is the race the quoted jockey was talking about

https://youtu.be/ifwYyNaTFis

http://www.france-galop.com/fr/course/detail/2020/O/WTlSbU1wT3NiMnpxVUtNdytMWXNLUT09

at auteuil its left handed however on the home turn you want to veer across to the right on to the stands rail, james du berlais has a turn of foot, but when asked to open up and jumping the last he wanted him to go right, the horse tried to correct him and go straight or to his left, which arguably could have hampered the 2nd.

[jack1092]

Preach it TOTG!!

I was a fool to back him in the Matheson. He'd been off for 400+ days and I ignored all the previews where they basically said he wont win, and he didn't. He just got tired. He's jumped the second last bang there, then turning in the petrol gauge hits 0 and he falls away like a tired horse.

In a very open race with lots of non-runners ahead of him in the market, he's my idea of the best EW value bet @ 25/1 (Hills) by some distance.

It's his wellbeing that's been his achilles heal over the years because when he's raced he's done bloody well. He jumps like a proper champion hurdler, wastes no time in the air and is low, slick and fast at his obstacles, so his jumping gets a huge tick. He ended his novice campaign with a Grade 1 win, he started in open company by looking to have the measure of subsequent runaway Champion Hurdler Espoir D'allen before falling, he then pissed up in the Morgiana dispatching of Sharjah with relative ease - there is a lot to like there.

The big 'if' is his wellbeing now. If he's come out the Matheson fit and well, coming on for the run, then I expect big things from him in March.

Well he had previous winning a Morgiana off almost as long a layoff!?

[jack1092]

Maybe. Last year there were big doubts going into the race how she would handle going left handed, how she would perform over the minimum distance and she answered both of those questions. She has since beaten the best Mare Mullins has ever had (his words not mine) at Cheltenham and still remains unbeaten against all comers....so, for me, she's in a much better place this time around and will go off a lot shorter than 13/8.

‘She could be better than any mare I’ve trained. You’d seriously have to look at the Stayers’ Hurdle after that performance.’

Could be. Why do you have to exaggerate everything you say . Instead of jumping on a "could be" quote, why not have a look at the form book and tell me if that's the case so far vs Annie Power?

[Lobos]

‘She could be better than any mare I’ve trained. You’d seriously have to look at the Stayers’ Hurdle after that performance.’

Could be. Why do you have to exaggerate everything you say . Instead of jumping on a "could be" quote, why not have a look at the form book and tell me if that's the case so far vs Annie Power?

Do I exaggerate everything I say ? I think that's an exaggeration

[charlie]

Well he had previous winning a Morgiana off almost as long a layoff!?

True, but his issue / layoff then was due to a busted nose by my understanding, so you wouldn't expect that to impact how he raced first time then vs other injuries.

It was a fine reappearance IMO. Off a long layoff you want a run that looks like a winning one for as long as possible (ie. up to the 2nd last or last) and then they just drop out because they're not fit. Far more troubling is them being niggled all the way round, or not looking comfortable, jumping badly, being awkward, etc, none of that happened, so hopefully he's well.

[Craigy14]

True, but his issue / layoff then was due to a busted nose by my understanding, so you wouldn't expect that to impact how he raced first time then vs other injuries.

It was a fine reappearance IMO. Off a long layoff you want a run that looks like a winning one for as long as possible (ie. up to the 2nd last or last) and then they just drop out because they're not fit. Far more troubling is them being niggled all the way round, or not looking comfortable, jumping badly, being awkward, etc, none of that happened, so hopefully he's well.

Agree with this and still very much on the Saldier bandwagon.

Of all the 2 mile hurdlers we have seen, he is the quickest and lowest over his obstacles in comparison to Epatante imo.

I just really hope they can keep him fit, WPM said as much in his stable tours that he’d love a crack at the champion hurdle with him. That tells me enough of the regard he is held and it is the niggly issues last season that have stopped that from happening thus far.

To be fair to the horse he is a little like CPS, he isn’t really injury prone, getting skelped on the dish by another horse is hardly an injury we see to regard him as injury prone. Only really last season after the Morgiana is when he’s had niggly issues.

I think if he lines up in the ICH it can only be viewed as positive in that he’ll have come out of Xmas ok and I would expect a potentially even sharper performance.