2025 Champion Hurdle

[Lobos]

I think it was easy enough to deploy them tactics against State Man today, they took the sting out of his speed at a finish.

The problem is Constitution Hill will be able to go with them. Then it will be a battle up that hill, of which I would expect Constitution Hill to come out on top.

Even he would have been stuffed today IMO. Niko would have sat behind SM for sure. All to play for.

[Brooksie]

Evening all, new poster here popped across from Not606 - I started a Champion Hurdle 2025 thread over there but it hasn't generated the amount of debate that I see here so I hope you don't mind me adding to what is an excellent thread.

I have to agree it has been a wonderful week of racing and I think my Champion Hurdle takeaways would be these:

Constitution Hill - great to see him back on the track and in the winners enclosure. He will come on a ton for that and for those who want to crab him for Burdett Road finishing so close - is Burdett Road any worse than the horses State Man and Lossiemouth have been beating the last 2 years? I grabbed a bit of 9/2 CH for the Champion Hurdle after he was scratched from the Fighting Fifth and if he stays sound I am very hopeful of collecting.

WP Mullins runners - whether it be Lossiemouth or State Man or many of the others, his yard is simply not firing right now. Whether they have a bug or its just not clicking, I don't know but it feels really strange for a team that has been peerless for so many years. Shows what a true champ Galopin des Champs is though - he was amazing yesterday.

Brighterdaysahead - has now beaten State Man twice. I thought State Man was carrying plenty of condition (a bit like me after Christmas week) in the Morgiana and expected to see a much fitter animal this week - but he was out with the washing and I'm not sure it was just down to Townend misjudging the pace. The mare simply has to go Champion Hurdle after that and I'm sure they are pulling everyone's leg with talk of the mares race. I think they would love to have a champion hurdle winner on their CVs and so no reason for them to not try and repeat today's tactics in March.

Welcome to the forum Odddog

I'd love to see 32-35 mph pace from start to finish in the CH. BDA, CH sat in a length behind KOK, Lossiemouth sat in a length or 2 behind them. Get all 3 of them to the second last hurdle on the bridle, what a race that would be!

[TigerRolllllll]

I think it was easy enough to deploy them tactics against State Man today, they took the sting out of his speed at a finish.

The problem is Constitution Hill will be able to go with them. Then it will be a battle up that hill, of which I would expect Constitution Hill to come out on top.

We haven’t really seen CH off bridle yet so hard to know

we do know BDA battles - so could be epic

[darlojim]

This has all the makings of the 2019 Champion Hurdle

The class act of the race - buveur d'air
A runaway winner of an irish g1 - apples jade
A WP Mullins mare - Laurina

And what happened?

A French 4/5yo that was hugely unexposed and overlooked by the majority of punters - Espoir Dallen

This year we have Anzadam

[Lobos]

Put that Rum down Darlo

[Lobos]

July/Anzadam double anyone??!

[Exar Essay]

I think it was easy enough to deploy them tactics against State Man today, they took the sting out of his speed at a finish.

The problem is Constitution Hill will be able to go with them. Then it will be a battle up that hill, of which I would expect Constitution Hill to come out on top.

I’m not sure he would, though. I think he probably would, but really couldn’t be sure. Firstly, the only time I’ve ever thought he was tested was in the Supreme. But in retrospect, Dysart wasn’t travelling that well, and Jonbon was able to live with the pace too.

Secondly, there is still a major doubt whether CH is the same animal he once was. He passed the first test, but the next test is putting at least 7lb on to his seasonal reappearance. He certainly could, but there’s still doubt.

[Brooksie]

This has all the makings of the 2019 Champion Hurdle

The class act of the race - buveur d'air
A runaway winner of an irish g1 - apples jade
A WP Mullins mare - Laurina

And what happened?

A French 4/5yo that was hugely unexposed and overlooked by the majority of punters - Espoir Dallen

This year we have Anzadam

If Con Hill brings down State Man... I'll be convinced we are living in a simulation.

[darlojim]

July/Anzadam double anyone??!

I mean the double we should be punting is the July/Majestic Force owner double but thats for another thread

[Carnage at Taunton]

Even he would have been stuffed today IMO. Niko would have sat behind SM for sure. All to play for.

Did you watch his CHurdle?
State Man tracked CH.
CH would have been somewhere between BDA and SM.

[Carnage at Taunton]

Con Hill is fairly prominent in all his races.
He has a very high cruising speed.
Don’t know what would have happened had he ran today instead of Xmas though.
Hopefully BDA turns up in March with a similar performance, we would get an idea then.

[Odddog]

I'd want to see Anzadam win a proper race before trying to assess his Champion Hurdle chances

[Lobos]

Did you watch his CHurdle?
State Man tracked CH.
CH would have been somewhere between BDA and SM.

Was basing it on today's race. Niko would have expected BDA to come back to them like Paul. I expected the same. It didn't happen. Extraordinary performance. As good as CH has ever done IMO.

[DenmanSacre]

Was basing it on today's race. Niko would have expected BDA to come back to them like Paul. I expected the same. It didn't happen. Extraordinary performance. As good as CH has ever done IMO.

Although the time was good, it wasn't CH Supreme good. Nico has never let any horse go far clear when riding CH. Not many have tried but DD and Jonbon went fast from the off in the Supreme and CH just slotted behind.

BDA has beat Winter Fog 30 lengths (rated 150) and Fils Doudsires 33 lengths rated 144 (but their time was slow).

CH beat Jonbon 22 lengths eased down and Jonbon is better than those in BDAs race.

Quite possibly BDA has put up the 3rd/4th best 2m performance for the last 5 years maybe longer, but still nowhere near what CH done in the Supreme.

Hopefully we see State Man, BDA and Lossiemouth in the Irish Champion where they try the same tactics again and she doesn't get the head start. It's quite possible she beats State Man pretty far again though. Good chance she hammers Lossiemouth as well.

[Exar Essay]

Although the time was good, it wasn't CH Supreme good. Nico has never let any horse go far clear when riding CH. Not many have tried but DD and Jonbon went fast from the off in the Supreme and CH just slotted behind.

Still don’t understand how they rated that 3lbs lower than his Champion Hurdle win.