2025 Champion Hurdle

[Yosser]

Not a drop has passed my lips today.

Looks like you, Darlo, Muswell and R4H shared the the remainder.

Make sure you top up on the Golden Ace and Kargesse bets........

I will be topping up on Kargese upon entry and will be topping up on Golden Ace when she gets beaten by on NYD

[Lobos]

Timeform hand BDA a higher rating than Honeysuckle ever achieved.

Her rating of 167 has only been bettered by a mare over hurdles this century by Annie Power.

[archie]

While you can criticise them for many things, the O'Learys don't usually mislead punters and tend to stick to their decisions, certainly over what Elliott might want to do. I'd say that only the absence of Constitution Hill will see BDA come here. She'll probably get an entry to cover that eventuality but that's all that it will be.

Full disclosure. I'm biased because I'm invested, quite heavily for me, in several doubles with GDC (Gold Cup) and BDA (Mares Hurdle) at an average of 7/1.

[Quevega]

While you can criticise them for many things, the O'Learys don't usually mislead punters and tend to stick to their decisions, certainly over what Elliott might want to do. I'd say that only the absence of Constitution Hill will see BDA come here. She'll probably get an entry to cover that eventuality but that's all that it will be.

Full disclosure. I'm biased because I'm invested, quite heavily for me, in several doubles with GDC (Gold Cup) and BDA (Mares Hurdle) at an average of 7/1.

They pretty much said and did exactly the same when Apples Jade won the Irish Champion 16 lengths (mares hurdle), then went Champion in the end.
They also change who decides as I remember Eddie saying Michael will decide and this year Michaels saying Eddie will decide. Classic stuff.

[Lobos]

Yes Archie. I think it'll be up to Gordon and his team between now and March to convince the O'Leary's that she's a Champion Hurdle horse. Or maybe BDA herself will do that by winning the Irish version.

[ComplyOrDie]

I have little issue with a horse coming out of the mares novice division and going for the mares race the following season.

What annoys me is when they have won the mares hurdle the season before and don't take the step up or are reigning champions and opt to go back to the mares race (in the case of Honeysuckle).

[Lobos]

They pretty much said and did exactly the same when Apples Jade won the Irish Champion 16 lengths (mares hurdle), then went Champion in the end.
They also change who decides as I remember Eddie saying Michael will decide and this year Michaels saying Eddie will decide. Classic stuff.

Timeform......

Apples Jade 162
Brighterdaysahead 167

The magnificent Dawn Run highest ever on 173

[Quevega]

I have little issue with a horse coming out of the mares novice division and going for the mares race the following season.

What annoys me is when they have won the mares hurdle the season before and don't take the step up or are reigning champions and opt to go back to the mares race (in the case of Honeysuckle).

The issue would be her winning the Morgiana, Savilles, and perhaps Irish Champion hurdle in the same season though.
Would also then make 2 grade ones on the first day - processions, with long odds on favourites.
Which is not a good look.
Explaining to a casual punter that she has beat most of the champion hurdle field easily and is close to top rated with the allowance - all season - but opted to run against horses rated 20lb inferior for significantly less money would be difficult.

[Mighty]

Timeform hand BDA a higher rating than Honeysuckle ever achieved.

Her rating of 167 has only been bettered by a mare over hurdles this century by Annie Power.

Is anyone who is better clued up on the Timeform ratings system, or who does their own ratings, able to explain this? It feels too high to me - Winter Fog in second, State Man not giving his running. Quite apart from being rated higher than Apples Jade and peak Honeysuckle. It was a very good performance, but it was almost too good to be true.

[ComplyOrDie]

The issue would be her winning the Morgiana, Savilles, and perhaps Irish Champion hurdle in the same season though.
Would also then make 2 grade ones on the first day - processions, with long odds on favourites.
Which is not a good look.
Explaining to a casual punter that she has beat most of the champion hurdle field easily and is close to top rated with the allowance - all season - but opted to run against horses rated 20lb inferior for significantly less money would be difficult.

Winning them races against an underperforming opponent though.

She's had little in the way of a challenge. The first race she had against State Man was probably a fairer assessment of their individual abilities, and could argue State Man needed that, albeit it didn't seem to help him next time out (obviously a bigger issue there).

I've also made my feelings known about State Man, anyway.

Can understand why they wouldn't want to go against Constitution Hill. Connections of Honeysuckle didn't want to and she won the Champion Hurdle twice before

[Quevega]

Is anyone who is better clued up on the Timeform ratings system, or who does their own ratings, able to explain this? It feels too high to me - Winter Fog in second, State Man not giving his running. Quite apart from being rated higher than Apples Jade and peak Honeysuckle. It was a very good performance, but it was almost too good to be true.

I think they stated they'd taken a cautious view as well !.

But it's probably fair when State Man is rated 167 with them also, and Winter Fog 151.
The Irish Handicapper has her at 163 and State Man still on 168. That's probably wrong if you had to price them up in a handicap.

RPR best for State Man is 168 which he's got several times, but haven't seen their rating for her yet, they're probably arguing the toss.

[Quevega]

Winning them races against an underperforming opponent though.

She's had little in the way of a challenge. The first race she had against State Man was probably a fairer assessment of their individual abilities, and could argue State Man needed that, albeit it didn't seem to help him next time out (obviously a bigger issue there).

I've also made my feelings known about State Man, anyway.

Can understand why they wouldn't want to go against Constitution Hill. Connections of Honeysuckle didn't want to and she won the Champion Hurdle twice before

Yeah, I can understand it also, although not really on recent form, and still maybe a race or two before then.
It just shouldn't be an option, for racing's sake.

[ComplyOrDie]

Yeah, I can understand it also, although not really on recent form, and still maybe a race or two before then.
It just shouldn't be an option, for racing's sake.

Yep, they can still have a mares program but not having it at Cheltenham then all the mares can take on the boys when it comes to the festival.

[Quevega]

Yep, they can still have a mares program but not having it at Cheltenham then all the mares can take on the boys when it comes to the festival.

One factor in this discussion also, is all of the mares in this programme have to gear towards a race at the festival ran over 2m 4f. They have "no option" !!.
Except they do as - If 2 miles or 3 miles is favoured they can take on the boys anyway and get an allowance,

I feel for the mares that want 2 miles or 3 miles to be seen at their best and the boys that would be seen at their best at 2m 4f.
We need 3 more fucking races.

[Carnage at Taunton]

Yeah, I can understand it also, although not really on recent form, and still maybe a race or two before then.
It just shouldn't be an option, for racing's sake.

Talking about recent form…. Maybe the brothers should ask themselves where the ConHill at Xmas would have finished had he ran in her race at Xmas?