Champion Hurdle 2021

[Quevega]

I really dont understand why Saldier gets any air time. He was a well beaten fifth in a bang average triumph and has only had one completed start in the last 2 years. At 25/1 he makes zero appeal to me.

He gets some air time (not getting any would be ignorant).
Because after defeat in the triumph he won the four year old grade one at Punchestown, beating all the main triumph runners in the process. Easily.
And Because the one completed start since then, after a long lay off, was a grade one hurdle (Morgiana), and the uncompleted start was a last flight fall against the 2019 Champion hurdle winner.

And He'll only be 7 in March. And is still training as far as I know.

Just trying to help you understand.

[Hardy Eustace]

He gets some air time (not getting any would be ignorant).
Because after defeat in the triumph he won the four year old grade one at Punchestown, beating all the main triumph runners in the process. Easily.
And Because the one completed start since then, after a long lay off, was a grade one hurdle (Morgiana), and the uncompleted start was a last flight fall against the 2019 Champion hurdle winner.

And He'll only be 7 in March. And is still training as far as I know.

Just trying to help you understand.

That was a bit of an overreaction, I accept that. As you rightly say he is a grade 1 winner of a usually decent CH trial and as Ista points out horses do progress at different rates.

He may only be 7 but the fact is he only had 2 completed starts in the last 2 years resulting him missing the last 2 festivals. For me, I cannot see why people would back him now. That was the point I should have made rather than being so flippant.

Good luck to anyone who is on him but I couldn't back him antepost...

[Quevega]

That was a bit of an overreaction, I accept that. As you rightly say he is a grade 1 winner of a usually decent CH trial and as Ista points out horses do progress at different rates.

He may only be 7 but the fact is he only had 2 completed starts in the last 2 years resulting him missing the last 2 festivals. For me, I cannot see why people would back him now. That was the point I should have made rather than being so flippant.

Good luck to anyone who is on him but I couldn't back him antepost...

I was only playing.
I've not backed him yet, for the same reasons really.

[Hardy Eustace]

I was only playing.
I've not backed him yet, for the same reasons really.

It helps me understand

[Quevega]

It helps me understand

[Istabraq]

Very entertaining exchange gents !

Just to note, Saldier went (about) 5/1 for this race after his Morgiana win last year, if he were to repeat that what would his price retract to ?
It’s for that reason the 25/1 for me represents value, whereas if he is beaten out of sight he’ll probably not drift too much...

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

I’m probably more on Hardy Eustace’s side on this one. For me it’s a decision to be made once he has an entry. Connections in OJA indicate that a seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown over Christmas is perhaps more likely than the Morgiana although they certainly didn’t rule that out. Also see the reason he was out for the rest of last season was a shattered nose which sounds bloody painful although probably better from a recurring injury perspective than damage to his legs.

[jack1092]

Very entertaining exchange gents !

Just to note, Saldier went (about) 5/1 for this race after his Morgiana win last year, if he were to repeat that what would his price retract to ?
It’s for that reason the 25/1 for me represents value, whereas if he is beaten out of sight he’ll probably not drift too much...

Yeah, have to admit, i'd hope there are 1 or 2 runners in a Morgiana this year that are better than those in last year's renewal. KD wasn't the same horse + PM is just of a level.

I’m probably more on Hardy Eustace’s side on this one. For me it’s a decision to be made once he has an entry. Connections in OJA indicate that a seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown over Christmas is perhaps more likely than the Morgiana although they certainly didn’t rule that out. Also see the reason he was out for the rest of last season was a shattered nose which sounds bloody painful although probably better from a recurring injury perspective than damage to his legs.

Wasn't that the year before?

[Istabraq]

Jack - Sharjah was further back from Saldier than Epitante was in front of him in the Champion Hurdle, of course you can’t take form lines literally all the time but Sharjah got closer to beating Epitante than anyone, so I don’t think you can dismiss Saldier’s performance as sub standard.
But like everyone I’d like to see him on a racecourse and proving his wellbeing and talent...

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

Wasn't that the year before?

Think you are right Jack as looks like I misread. Does anyone know what the reason was for last year? It’s a shame that trainers/connections just say injury as if it kept the horse off for half a season or more would be nice to know exactly what was up

[Halffat1]

Goshen currently entered on the flat at Goodwood on Sunday - currently showing as having Ryan on board!

[Quevega]

Yeah, have to admit, i'd hope there are 1 or 2 runners in a Morgiana this year that are better than those in last year's renewal. KD wasn't the same horse + PM is just of a level.




Wasn't that the year before?

They never really said what was wrong this season. That's the worry for me
I'll defintiely back him on an entry though, as he's proven when fresh and as Ista says, price is only likely to fall.

And crabbing the form and not mentioning the champion hurdle second is naughty.
This years renewal will likely have the supreme second, a handicapper/grade 3 winner and Sharjah & Petit Mouchoir again. So I wouldn;t expect much better

[jack1092]

They never really said what was wrong this season. That's the worry for me
I'll defintiely back him on an entry though, as he's proven when fresh and as Ista says, price is only likely to fall.

And crabbing the form and not mentioning the champion hurdle second is naughty.
This years renewal will likely have the supreme second, a handicapper/grade 3 winner and Sharjah & Petit Mouchoir again. So I wouldn;t expect much better

Sharjah is capable of running very good races but also pretty bad ones I'd say the fact he was 6ls off a mental Klassical Dream isn't his true running. I'd rather use the ones who to have run their races and to me PM ain't a bad marker, but i'd still hope for better from the novices from last year?

Surely it's not a mental statement to say i hope two horses priced at around 7s and 10s for this year's champion provide a tougher race than two horses that were probably 25/1 + at this stage last year?

[Quevega]

It'll look a good race (hopefully) before they set off. Like last years renewal looked.
It's after they've run it that matters.

The point was that last years Morgiana (on paper), before we knew the outcome. Looked a decent race.
This years, is unlikely to look any better, before it's run. Although the outcome may be more to some people's liking.
IF the sexier horses run better.

[Saxon Warrior]

In the Weekender Stable Tour with Gary Moore he has said that GOSHEN will run this month at Cheltenham in the 4yo Masterson Holdings Hurdle.

This would be followed by the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, and then the Champion Hurdle.

He has in mind only three or four hurdle runs for him through the whole jumping season, and the plan is laid out through to Cheltenham.