2023 Champion Hurdle

[Istabraq]

I think it will be a travesty if the reigning Champion is fit and well and doesn't turn up to the race to defend her crown tbh.
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Totally agree, would stink of being scared of the fav...

[Carnage at Taunton]

I think it will be a travesty if the reigning Champion is fit and well and doesn't turn up to the race to defend her crown tbh.

Can understand a horse like Epatante deferring, she's been beat twice by Honeysuckle now in the race.

In principle I agree, but place in a CH or win the mares, that’s the realistic choice,
Placing in the CH probably the easier to achieve .

[Carnage at Taunton]

Totally agree, would stink of being scared of the fav...

Well that would be the reason

[Quevega]

The other problem with Honeysuckle for the Mares, especially anyone taking 3-1 or less, is that if she's beaten in the Irish Champion then she's clearly not the same horse.
So no shoe in for the mares IMO.
Obviously she could get done a short head by State Man or any other, but if that happened then surely she don't go to the Mares anyway.

[Quevega]

11-1 B365 Honeysuckle.
That's worth a bet I reckon.

[Lobos]

Lot of water to go under the bridge between now & March to be fair. She’ll run over 2 miles at the DRF and if she wins the Irish champion hurdle it will be hard to say no to a go at the champion in Cheltenham you’d think. If she’s beat in Leopardstown then to be honest we’ve not really got the clash we hoped to see her vs CH in any meaningful sense anyway and she may as well go for the mares race

Bang on. Win the Irish Churdle and there's only one race she'll end up in. Lose and it'll either be the Mares or retirement depending on the manner of the defeat. .

[FinalFurlong91]

“She’s great, not a bother on her. She seems really well and ran really well we felt.
“You just wonder whether two-and-a-half on that heavy ground against that level of horse (caught her out). They’re mid-160s horses and as it got softer, I felt Teahupoo was coming more and more into the race after what he did in Gowran in the Red Mills Hurdle, and Klassical Dream is a very good horse.
“I thought between the second-last and the last she had it put to bed and I just wonder did she get found out stamina wise on the softer ground, but who knows?
“She’s brilliant and owes us nothing. We’re in bonus territory – it’s incredible what she’s done. We’ve had a lot of fun with her and I don’t think it’s finished yet.”
He added: “We can look at the Mares’ Hurdle, that’s always another option. It would be very much in my mind. My job is to try to find the race I think she can win.
“If connections want to do something else I’ll wholeheartedly do that as well, so we’ll see. That’s all a long way away and everybody has to get there.
“Let’s see how we go in the Irish Champion Hurdle.

The full quote

Still very much up in the air, I'd be shocked if she won the Irish champion and didn't run here

[Lobos]

11-1 B365 Honeysuckle.
That's worth a bet I reckon.

Incredible EW value if you are prepared to forgive her last run.

[Carnage at Taunton]

Incredible EW value if you are prepared to forgive her last run.

Is it though?
Big chance you waste the win part, and not a definite runner from trainer quotes.
Think I would wait until the day or at least much nearer the time, and see the picture then.

[Craigy14]

In principle I agree, but place in a CH or win the mares, that’s the realistic choice,
Placing in the CH probably the easier to achieve .

What does winning a second mares race really do though? It doesn’t change any regard in what she’s already held in? She’s lost her unbeaten title now so whether it’s losing in the champion as the reigning champ or winning the mares I’d actually be disappointed if she went mares.

Completely agree that if she’s fit she should run in the champion hurdle.

If she’s beat in the Irish champion and went mares, it will hold up Brandy Loves price. All over her for the mares

[Lobos]

Is it though?
Big chance you waste the win part, and not a definite runner from trainer quotes.
Think I would wait until the day or at least much nearer the time, and see the picture then.

She might have won the Irish Churdle easily by that point and the price will be gone. Always a chance that CH doesn't make the race as well. Swings and roundabouts.

[Carnage at Taunton]

What does winning a second mares race really do though? It doesn’t change any regard in what she’s already held in? She’s lost her unbeaten title now so whether it’s losing in the champion as the reigning champ or winning the mares I’d actually be disappointed if she went mares.

Completely agree that if she’s fit she should run in the champion hurdle.

If she’s beat in the Irish champion and went mares, it will hold up Brandy Loves price. All over her for the mares

It gives them another festival win.
It just depends what the owners want.
I would think they would prefer that to a trouncing in the CH.

[Kautostar]

It gives them another festival win.
It just depends what the owners want.
I would think they would prefer that to a trouncing in the CH.

It achieves nothing winning a second mares hurdle at this stage of her career. Until I see her line up in the mares hurdle I won’t believe she’ll run there, champion hurdle or retire imo.

[opatcho]

Rather her battle out and lost to CH over a risk of loses to some grade 2 mare in the race afterwards

[Craigy14]

It gives them another festival win.
It just depends what the owners want.
I would think they would prefer that to a trouncing in the CH.

But ultimately that doesn’t really matter, she’s already created her own legacy. She’s won 3 times including a mares and 2 champions. She owes racing nothing but to win another festival race means very little on the grand scheme of things imo.

Go out on your sword, as long as she’s fit and well of course.