Thursday 26 Dec (Boxing Day) Daily Thread

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I was aswell, counting my winnings in the home straight! <doh>

I was sitting and admiring Cue Card- I didn't think anything would get to him but Silviniaco stayed on well here when 2nd to Grands Crus in the Feltham (that race was 3 seconds quicker than Kauto Stars race that year) so I fancied he'd respond, but thought he had got too far back.

Some nice compensation for Conti, who looked set for a big race in the Gold Cup last year before slipping up.
 
I am in with Silviano Conti at 9-2 best odds but cannot say I am confident as its a race with so many ponderables.

Dynaste - looked superb last year at Kempton, yet has never delivered when tried at the top.

Cue Card - Best current form and showed can stay 3 miles in the top grade but well beaten in this last year.

Al Ferof - This is the lay horse as it has never run against the best at 3 miles, was beaten 25 lengths off levels last year by Cue Card with no obvious reason it should reverse with that horse. Ran beautifully last time out but a two horse race against a decent handicapper.

Siviniaco Conti - my selection as travels with class yet can make mistakes even when not under pressure which is a worry on a speed course that will demand accuracy.

Long Run - loves the course and has run his best races here but looks regressive overall and seems to have dropped a few pound below the best judged on recent runs. Not out of question that the few pound extra this race brings out of him puts him back in with a big shout. If not however I do not see where he goes and feel they may retire him.

Silviniaco Conti to outstay Cue Card on the run in for me.

I did not have much on Silviniano Conti but did have the straight forcast for fun which made it nicer.
 
Excellent call there BlueSky- panned out as you imagined it might!

My Tent and The New One as expected were closely matched. The NEw One had a nightmare being out there in front so far out. They will both run well in the Champion Hurdle but I expect the spring ground and better pace to give The New One a great chance of reversing form, especially up the Cheltenham hill.

Hurricane Fly and Our Conor fans may have suddenly perked up fancying their chances perhaps?
 
Excellent call there BlueSky- panned out as you imagined it might!

My Tent and The New One as expected were closely matched. The NEw One had a nightmare being out there in front so far out. They will both run well in the Champion Hurdle but I expect the spring ground and better pace to give The New One a great chance of reversing form, especially up the Cheltenham hill.

Hurricane Fly and Our Conor fans may have suddenly perked up fancying their chances perhaps?

I'm prepared to lay Hurricane Fly on the exchanges as he was off the bridle a long way from home before winning 2013 Champion Hurdle, so prefer to back Our Conor in the race. Willie Mullins might run both Hurricane Fly and Un De Sceaux in the race, the latter is unbeaten in five starts and is in the field for the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday. But the trainer also has Hurricane Fly, Thousand Stars, Zaidpour and Annie Power in the race so might not run.
 
SILVINIACO CONTI

Classy, strong traveller, races prominently, rhythmical. He has been aimed at this and will have come on a lot for his Haydock reappearance. He will relish the soft conditions.

MY TENT OR YOURS

He was built to win a Kempton Christmas hurdle. If he cannot beat The New One here, he never will.

Cheltenham will be different, but this should be Tents day.

Awesome double Toppy <applause>
 
It is quite clear to me that My Tent or Yours is a more talented horse than The New One, all you have to do is look how both horses travelled through the race. The New One dug deep and made it a close race, but it always looked as if My Tent Or Yours had him covered, and was always going to get there.

Looking at how far they both pulled clear of the rest, you'd have to say the form is fairly strong, so I don't think HF and Our Conor supporters will be that pleased with what they seen:biggrin:
 
Morning all....... 2 bets for me today..

Kempton 1.25pm - Thunderstorm - 8/1 BPG E.W. Free bet from Bet365 follow Willows Saviours win on Saturday. I am taking a chance with this one and hope its fencing improves to somewhere near its hurdles form. If it does I am expecting a bold show.

Kempton 3.10pm - Al Ferof 4/1 BPG E.W As previously advised really fancy this ones chances today. I am quite happy its not come up heavy and conditions likely to stay dry today and soft going will be fine... Jumps with some exhuberance at times and i just think he will be really fresh for this and would have come on a ton for his display against French Opera latest..(that one has run with credit since). Decent sized each way bet. Its very close between the top 3 and the bookies are having difficulty splitting them i see.

Good luck everyone!

3rd for me so small profit as 5/1.....i ll settle for that
 
One I take out of the race would be Al Ferof- he hardly jumped a twig (I am uneasy with him going right-handed) and he stayed on for 3rd, 14L behind the winner. Better ground, and back at Cheltenham, I fancy him to run a cracking race in a Gold Cup if Paul Nicholls decides to take that route.

The Champion Hurdle looks a cracking renewal in prospect. We know that The New One and My Tent were closely matched in the past, and now they are closely matched again over hurdles. My preference would be TNO when they meet the rising ground, but more things will reveal themselves when Our Conor, Hurricane Fly, and Jezki meet over the weekend.
 
Just pointing out- if anyone is backing MOYLE PARK for the Supreme, as tipped up by ROTO on here- he runs in the future champions at Leopardstown tomorrow. A win there will see his odds halved for the Supreme at Cheltenham, so if you are playing any life-changing antepost multiples, I'd have your pennies on tonight.

He is 7/4 tomorrow- bigger price than I expected.
 
Re The New One in the Champion coming to the last I'd be closing my eyes very tightly if he's in a battle!

Kempton's a speed track but surely the very testing conditions nullified any perceived 'speed' advantage the Tent may have had? Stamina certainly kicked in and perhaps with another year on the Tent's back he may be staying better than he did last year.
 
Much as I like him as a jockey and person (at least from what I've seen on TV) I'm not sure that Sam Twiston-Davis is up to the challenge of riding the favourite in the Champion Hurdle. I think he chose the right tactics today but the horse made a right horlicks of the last and you wonder how much that might have been down to the jockey? He seems to be inventing all these perceived issues instead of just going out and riding the horse to win.

On the Champion Hurdle market, the layers seem to have decided that the form of The New One and MTOY is worth much more than the Irish form - the English pair are 3/1 joint favs whereas the Irish pair are generally double the price. It will be an incredibly informative race at Leopardstown on Sunday. With The Fly currently 4/6 for Sunday's race I think the 6/1 generally available for him to win the Champion Hurdle offers tremendous value.
 
The hype machine for the New One is certainly helping add juice to everything else in the Champion Hurdle market Oddy that's for sure!
 
Just pointing out- if anyone is backing MOYLE PARK for the Supreme, as tipped up by ROTO on here- he runs in the future champions at Leopardstown tomorrow. A win there will see his odds halved for the Supreme at Cheltenham, so if you are playing any life-changing antepost multiples, I'd have your pennies on tonight.

He is 7/4 tomorrow- bigger price than I expected.

Just to add to this Paddy Power are going 12/1 for Moyle Park to win ANY race at Cheltenham festival
 
The New One was a jailcase beat, if he jumps the last he wins, simple as that.

Cue Card, as ive said, is a villain of an animal, he couldnt win the King George because he was fav, and obviously a few jockeys finally had the sense to not give him an easy time in front. Dynaste was very dissappointing.

Felix Yonger beaten by Paparazzi Kid, although have to say he hasnt run up to form, Defy Logic destroys Champagne Fever, I was on at 7/1, what a price in a two horse race, got me out it. Thats why I thought he was a 2s on dog to beat Felix Yonger last time but he wasnt at his best on the day for whatever reason.
 
It is quite clear to me that My Tent or Yours is a more talented horse than The New One, all you have to do is look how both horses travelled through the race. The New One dug deep and made it a close race, but it always looked as if My Tent Or Yours had him covered, and was always going to get there.

Looking at how far they both pulled clear of the rest, you'd have to say the form is fairly strong, so I don't think HF and Our Conor supporters will be that pleased with what they seen:biggrin:

Hi Shergar. How are you?

I have to agree that all through the race My Tent did look the more impressive animal. But I was surprised how well TNO battled, and how, despite a horlicks at the last, he kept his feet and picked up very quickly; that was impressive. I don't know whether the ground favoured either one.
 
SILVINIACO CONTI

Classy, strong traveller, races prominently, rhythmical. He has been aimed at this and will have come on a lot for his Haydock reappearance. He will relish the soft conditions.

MY TENT OR YOURS

He was built to win a Kempton Christmas hurdle. If he cannot beat The New One here, he never will.

Cheltenham will be different, but this should be Tents day.

Top class tipping Toppy.
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again - slipstreaming a horse is so much easier (aerodynamically speaking) than running out in front. I know this from cycling - tanking along at 30 mph is hard work on your own (at least for any length of time) but when you are slipstreaming someone it is SO much easier. It was a cute ride from McCoy and possibly a little naive from Sam, but in reality he had no need to go so soon on TNO. He handed his rival the advantage by doing that, allowing him to slipstream him for so long.
 
Dont think Sam done anything wrong, he had My Tent well beaten going to the last, just unlucky the horse made a horrendous mistake at it, actually done well to still make a race of it after what happened. NTD looked raging after the race but I think that was because they just lost with the best horse rather than the ride.
 
Dont think Sam done anything wrong, he had My Tent well beaten going to the last, just unlucky the horse made a horrendous mistake at it, actually done well to still make a race of it after what happened. NTD looked raging after the race but I think that was because they just lost with the best horse rather than the ride.

Totally agree Ed - he was actually very complimentary of Sam's balance and never said anything negative. The Christmas hurdle and the King George were both cracking races and hopefully we'll see more of the same in March..