2024 Champion Hurdle (Previously Constitution Hill thread)

[archie]

Horse of a lifetime tends to depend on how long that lifetime is.

[PresentingPercy]

Horse of a lifetime tends to depend on how long that lifetime is.

Gordon Elliott must have about 10 horses of a lifetime namedropped in the last few years alone. Serial offender

[Carnage at Taunton]

Horse of a lifetime tends to depend on how long that lifetime is.

Way I look at it is , it means that horse is the most special or best I’ve seen in my lifetime.
Istabraq is that as far as hurdlers go, but I guess there can be another one if I feel like one has impressed me as much.

[archie]

Way I look at it is , it means that horse is the most special or best I’ve seen in my lifetime.
Istabraq is that as far as hurdlers go, but I guess there can be another one if I feel like one has impressed me as much.

If you think about it, that means it's the horse of a lifetime minus 15 to 20 years. As I can remember Arkle, I have a slightly more competitive field I suppose.

[Kevloaf]

Frankel is the horse of any lifetime

[Benjy23]

That State Man each way is looking seriously shrewd now

Hope and expect Constitution Hill still runs and wins though

[Frankely My Dear]

Frankel is the horse of any lifetime

Goosebumps every time I watch back his races, his acceleration when asked...beautiful

[FinalFurlong91]

Goosebumps every time I watch back his races, his acceleration when asked...beautiful

His Queen Anne and juddmonte international wins will likely never be topped

A true freak of nature

He made group 1 horses look like class 6 Southwell handicappers

And some people think sea the stars was better

[Madmoose]

Frankel on the flat for me with Sprinter Sacre over jumps, the only two horses that brought tears to my eyes especially that QMCC comeback I’ll take that to the grave being there that day.

[Hurricane fly]

Sometimes you only have to watch a horse to see how good they are.
Problem CH has is their has not been another horse that can get near him, thus far.
Different campaign would not change that.
Unless you think chasing would have, and no way of knowing if that would be the case.
Istabraq was the horse of a lifetime imo.

I'm not diminishing how good I think he is, in fact I felt he was harshly rated in last years Champion Hurdle. On a line through Vauban, State Man ran to form and so thought CH should have been given closer to 180 (9 length win would put him at 176 plus the ease of the victory for a few more).

Chasing invariably does give a higher rating than hurdling regardless of whether or not it is more a true reflection in my opinion based on the idea that predominantly the best horses go chasing.


A different campaign, atleast a fuller campaign, would certainly do more to put him into all time conversations - particularly if he were to miss this seasons CH. The difference between 3 and 5 races a season plays a big roll in how people view a horse in hindsight imo.

[Carnage at Taunton]

I'm not diminishing how good I think he is, in fact I felt he was harshly rated in last years Champion Hurdle. On a line through Vauban, State Man ran to form and so thought CH should have been given closer to 180 (9 length win would put him at 176 plus the ease of the victory for a few more).

Chasing invariably does give a higher rating than hurdling regardless of whether or not it is more a true reflection in my opinion based on the idea that predominantly the best horses go chasing.


A different campaign, atleast a fuller campaign, would certainly do more to put him into all time conversations - particularly if he were to miss this seasons CH. The difference between 3 and 5 races a season plays a big roll in how people view a horse in hindsight imo.

So beating the same horses a couple more times in the season enhances his reputation? Not for me it don’t.
Beating higher quality horses would, but there ain’t any.
To my eyes hes the most impressive hurdler I’ve seen since Istabraq.
But I accept I may not get the evidence to prove my belief to those that think differently .
I do think he’s at least a 180 horse but again I may not be able to convince some of that.

[somer1]

Frankel on the flat for me with Sprinter Sacre over jumps, the only two horses that brought tears to my eyes especially that QMCC comeback I’ll take that to the grave being there that day.

For me its the horse thats in my profile pic. Step forward Star Rage, Winner of 28 races under rules. And like me not quite top class

[FinalFurlong91]

There may be hurdlers with better CVs than constitution hill

But if they all turned up in a race at their peak against each other I find it very hard to believe he wouldn't beat the lot of them.

A bit like sprinter Sacre there is something different about this horse

That cruising speed makes him virtually unbeatable

[Carnage at Taunton]

Frankel is the horse of any lifetime

I’m reading book about Frankel at the moment, very good it is.

[Rooster Booster]

I’m reading book about Frankel at the moment, very good it is.

I’m reading a book about Geddy Lee. Fuck all to do with racing but everything to do with once in a lifetime