http://www1.skysports.com/horse-racing/news/12426/7465974/Walsh-Fly-form-not-strong Interesting stuff from Ruby Walsh... Clearly sitting on the fence
There is always that! Without wanting to sound like a complete moron and actually suggest that something can get within a million miles of Hurricane Fly, 'they' do appear bullish about Zarkandar. I can only assume that he is showing a fair bit more at home than he was last year which must bode well for when he finally sees the racecourse in a couple of weeks.
Latest runners after scratching deadline: THE STAN JAMES CHAMPION HURDLE Class 1, Grade One, £370,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 3.20pm, Tuesday, March 13, two miles and half a furlong. For four-year-olds and upwards which are allotted a rating of 130 or more by the senior BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and taking account of races run up to and including March 6 - horses which are not qualified for a rating in GB, IRE or FR may also be entered (such horses may be eligible providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse’s racecourse performances up to and including March 6 would merit a minimum rating of 130 - the decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final). Weights: 4yo: 11st 2lb; 5yo+: 11st 10lb; fillies & mares allowed 7lb. Entries closed January 17, entries revealed January 18 (27 entries). Scratchings deadline February 14 (20 remain), £18,500 supplementary stage & six-day confirmation stage March 7, final declaration 10.00am, March 11. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, February 13. Form Horse Age Owner Trainer 114-321 BINOCULAR (FR) 8 J P McManus Nicky Henderson 00-1130 BRAMPOUR (IRE) 5 Banks, Blackshaw & Gannon Paul Nicholls 210-131 CELESTIAL HALO (IRE) 8 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls 4462-04 CLERK'S CHOICE (IRE) 6 Michael Banks Oliver Sherwood 11-6541 FINAL APPROACH 6 Douglas Taylor Willie Mullins IRE 3B-1F11 GRANDOUET (FR) 5 Simon Munir Nicky Henderson 1/1111-1 HURRICANE FLY (IRE) 8 George Creighton & Rose Boyd Willie Mullins IRE 50-1312 KALANN (IRE) 5 K McConnell Sabrina Harty IRE F-40311 MIKAEL D'HAGUENET (FR) 8 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 530-42F OLOFI (FR) 6 R&L Channing S&F Roberts McNeill Family Tom George 114-323 OSCARS WELL (IRE) 7 Molley Malone Syndicate Jessica Harrington IRE 3-11123 OVERTURN (IRE) 8 Tim Leslie Donald McCain 120-112 PEDDLERS CROSS (IRE) 7 Tim Leslie Donald McCain 1223-12 ROCK ON RUBY (IRE) 7 The Festival Goers Paul Nicholls 13-6111 SO YOUNG (FR) 6 M McMahon Willie Mullins IRE 5/23134- STARLUCK (IRE) 7 Andrew Wates David Arbuthnot 11-21 STAYING ARTICLE (IRE) 7 Thomas Barr Edward O'Grady IRE 2-22112 THOUSAND STARS (FR) 8 Hammer & Trowel Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE 1220-11 ZAIDPOUR (FR) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 111- ZARKANDAR (IRE) 5 Potensis Limited & Chris Giles Paul Nicholls 20 entries remain after February 14 scratchings deadline 9 Irish-trained THE FOLLOWING 7 ENTRIES HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED: BOBBY EWING (IRE), DARE ME (IRE), FLAT OUT (FR), OSCAR WHISKY (IRE), SPIRIT SON (FR), TOPOLSKI (IRE), UNACCOMPANIED (IRE)
Zen, great write up! For, there's no way I could oppose Hurricane Fly. The only possible dangers must be Zarkandar & Spirit Son- if one has improved tremendously. I think Zarkandar was a more impressive winner of the Triumph than given credit for- he surged to the front and had it won at the last. I don't know what to say about his Aintree run...over the top? Perhaps the Triumph runners are not that good even though the form has worked out mostly very well. Unaccompanied devalues it drastically from her run against H.Fly, but maybe she didn't give her running. However, when has Hurricane Fly run a bad race or any really top hurdlers from the past. Most top hurdlers of recent years tend to be very inconsistent and/or be short lived at the top. I think H. Fly is the best since Istabraq, but the Champion Hurdlers in between don't add up to much in the main.
Tam, Spirit Son won't make it to the Festival, he's been scratched People are hoping with natural improvement that Zarkander can worry the Fly but I just can't see that being enough myself. Rather than improvement he's going to need a transformation as for my money he's taking on potentially one of the greats... I can see Hurricane Fly a long, and I do mean long, way clear of Zarkander and co in this renewal.
thanks as ever princess, I knew there'd been a latest forfeit stage today but couldn't find the details. why is the sporting life website do slow to update?
Rumours flying around last night that W Hills are going 5/4 Hurricane Fly this morning - unlike Billys to offer value by taking on a big boy....
Don't forget after Cappa Bleu made an encouraging return they pushed him out to 33s for the National ..................... then slashed him into 16s !!!
For anyone not yet on, Hills are indeed 5/4 the fly. If you ask for too much they'll ring up and you will get 40 win at 5/4 and the rest of your desired stake at 4/5 (don't take the rest!). However if you play it clever and ask for 80-90quid (100 at the most) then you should avoid a phone call and you'll get all that at 5/4. If you're lucky the price will last the day.
Paddy Power briefly interviewing Ruby Walsh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LQxgdWbcug An interesting point: "Will Zarkandar finish second the Hurricane?" "I think Binocular will" Which to be honest, only puts me off Zarkandar.
Hills limiting shop punters to £100 on Hurricane. I was in this morning and was limited to £100 for each bet. You can do as many doubles as you like at 5-4 for £100 though...I doubled him with Quevaga at 4-7, the double pays over 5-2and doubled him with Sizing Europe. Already got 5s and 4s last year on him when he won. As I write I see offer is over: Hills now 4-5 on him...they must have been knocked over this close to the race. Shergy, I can be certain you'll not get 5-4 on the day...He'll be punted off the boards
beefy what time were you in hills? the first shop i went to at 9.10am said 100pound was the limit but the second i went to at 9.45ish was 40pound limit. i asked them about this and they said the 100 limit was gone
Gorgeous I was in just after 10.00am, probably 10.10am and got 2 X £100 doubles with the Fly at 5-4 (2 separate bets). They had to ring up when I put the 2 bets on. I tried to have one of the bets at £200 pound but they would only lay 5-4 on the first £100, 4-5 the next which I kindly declined. What I did though was I got a friend to go in for me at around 11.00am and they got another £100 on ok. Seems pathetic you couldn't get £100 on at that time when I was able to get one on at 11.00am! I read the message on their screens about limiting £100 per customer.
