2025 Champion Hurdle

[Kevloaf]

Mullins said: “That was a very good performance. Paul gave him a squeeze after the last and he quickened away nicely. There was no sign of him stopping. “He has a good engine and is climbing up the tree nicely. He could be anything.
“He’s in the Champion Hurdle, but maybe we should wait for Aintree. That looks appealing and he’s still only five.
“The jump he put in at the third last I thought was extraordinary and showed me that we’ll have no trouble going novice chasing with him when we want.
“We’ll see how far we can go with hurdling and see what his owners would like to do.”
French-bred Anzadam also won a Grade 3 on Irish debut at Fairyhouse in November by an eased down six and a-half lengths.
Paddy Power kept Anzadam unchanged at 10/1 for the Champion Hurdle.

Next years Arkle fav then

[Kevloaf]

Plenty have won the Churdle over the years with similar experience..He looks a huge improver. Loads to come by the looks of it.

Don't chat nonsense

Which horses have won a Champion Hurdle with similar experience?

State Man
Constitution Hill
Honeysuckle
Epatante
Buveur D'air
Annie Power
Faugheen
Jezki
Hurricane Fly

All had been at the festival the year before so have at least run in a modertely big race



He's done fuck all to be single figures

and not even going by the sounds of it

[Lobos]

Don't chat nonsense

Which horses have won a Champion Hurdle with similar experience?

State Man
Constitution Hill
Honeysuckle
Epatante
Buveur D'air
Annie Power
Faugheen
Jezki
Hurricane Fly

All had been at the festival the year before so have at least run in a modertely big race



He's done fuck all to be single figures

and not even going by the sounds of it

Going back before your fledgling years Kev.

[Carnage at Taunton]

His 2nd to Brighterdaysahead on 23rd Nov is better than what Anzadam achieved today isn't it? Or him beating Kala Conti actually



I think it's literally just his last run


Very fickle


It's just an incorrect opinion

Well any horse can have an off day, but that was not good at all last time.
Should find out next weekend if he’s still a big player.
I wouldn’t blame anyone for having an opinion he’s not a big player for March, as I don’t think he is either.

[EnvoiAlien]

Next years Arkle fav then

Could be another Un de Sceaux, should've taken his chance in a CH but it never mattered in the end as he was fast as f@ck over a fence.

[Kevloaf]

Going back before your fledgling years Kev.

Anything more than 15 years ago isn't really relevant though is it .... certainly not "plenty with similar experience"

Have you ever admitted you were just, wrong?

[Kevloaf]

Well any horse can have an off day, but that was not good at all last time.
Should find out next weekend if he’s still a big player.
I wouldn’t blame anyone for having an opinion he’s not a big player for March, as I don’t think he is either.

Surely a race that you can put a line through though? Clearly not his running?

Obviously if he gets walloped next week then it's a different story, but I am not writing him off before I see it

[Carnage at Taunton]

Surely a race that you can put a line through though? Clearly not his running?

Obviously if he gets walloped next week then it's a different story, but I am not writing him off before I see it

Yeah, that’s fair.
I might be wrong, find out soon enough.

[DenmanSacre]

Only need to look at Espoir DAllen to see the last 5 year old who didn't have masses of experience and never ran at Cheltenham, but didn't matter on the day.

[Lobos]

Anything more than 15 years ago isn't really relevant though is it .... certainly not "plenty with similar experience"

Have you ever admitted you were just, wrong?

Might not be relevant to you
Alderbook was probably the most inexperienced hurdler of the lot. Extraordinary how he won it. Royal Gait another. Both had experience on the flat though so different to Anzadam.

[Lobos]

Only need to look at Espoir DAllen to see the last 5 year old who didn't have masses of experience and never ran at Cheltenham, but didn't matter on the day.

Yep. Forgot him. What a performance that was!

[Lobos]

Anzadam turning up will clearly be down to how State Man performs at the DRF. If he's hammered by another Mare then the young boy can step in for the Churdle.

[DenmanSacre]

Surely a race that you can put a line through though? Clearly not his running?

Obviously if he gets walloped next week then it's a different story, but I am not writing him off before I see it

I like State Man. He's a dependable 160-165 horse. But what's the best 2 miler he's beat - probably a past it Honeysuckle?

He's been beating either shit 2 milers or horses that need further than 2 miles. He beat Irish Point (a 3 miler) 1.25 lengths in the Champion and then 2 lengths at Punchestown.

He's a good horse when he gets a small field, even or slow pace and he can win it with his speed in the last half mile. But when he has gone up against a horse quicker than him in CH or been asked to run a quick pace from the get go (BDA) he won't perform to his perceived best. He's obviously not performed at his best last time but IMO the way Gordon set the race out was never going to let SM run to his best anyway.

Lossiemouth beats him next week anyway as she's got a better finish than him and stays well so he isn't beating her over 2m.

[Kevloaf]

Espoir D'Allen only missed Cheltenham through injury though didn't he in his Triumph year?

1 in 15, going back to the early 90s, if that's your style to find winners and get a bit on confirmation bias then fair enough

No correct way of doing it

[Kevloaf]

I like State Man. He's a dependable 160-165 horse. But what's the best 2 miler he's beat - probably a past it Honeysuckle?

He's been beating either shit 2 milers or horses that need further than 2 miles. He beat Irish Point (a 3 miler) 1.25 lengths in the Champion and then 2 lengths at Punchestown.

He's a good horse when he gets a small field, even or slow pace and he can win it with his speed in the last half mile. But when he has gone up against a horse quicker than him in CH or been asked to run a quick pace from the get go (BDA) he won't perform to his perceived best. He's obviously not performed at his best last time but IMO the way Gordon set the race out was never going to let SM run to his best anyway.

Lossiemouth beats him next week anyway as she's got a better finish than him and stays well so he isn't beating her over 2m.

He's still achieved much more than Anzadam at this stage ... you have 'no doubt' Anzadam is already better....

Ultimately Lossiemouth in your opinion then is beating a 'past it' State Man

Fair enough


I hope Constitution Hill destroys them all, at least we've got an exciting race this year



and exciting without needing to over hype Anzadam .... he's not relevant