OK. Mistake mentioning those 2 ; I wanted to quote more than one. I bet you'd have a job comparing with Persian War though. I'd be surprised if there is anything here up to winning the Ch Hurdle, even if Faugheen doesn't run. I really like Neon Wolf and I think he would have a better chance than any of these. Pity he wasn't entered in this.
Just 20 left in now after the 5 day declarations. Can't help wondering what Renneti has done to deserve top weight.
He has been very harsh on Renneti but probably immaterial Beefy as I reckon Consul du Thaix could be a 155+ horse, looks at least a stone well in here.
Be interesting to see who Barry picks. Wouldn't surprise me to see a JP 1-2. I have already pinned my flag but i think you are right about this 1 being well in also.
Surely Ballyandy wants a trip Toppy? Memories of backing Thistlecrack in the Imperial Cup come flooding back.
With that school of thought surely therefore you'd have to make BRAIN POWER close enough to being the one to beat in this years 'Champion'!
With the defections I think he could go close but I guess he will find one or two too good - hopefully Petit Mouchoir. I just thin CDT is VERY unexposed (5YO and only 5 runs), whereas Brain Power is probably at a level and will stay there.
Possibly in the future and certainly when he sees a fence. But a race run at a right old clip (like the Bumper) should suit and off that weight he is a right danger. He was last off the bridle at Sandown and the winner looks a good yardstick. I wouldn't lay him at 9/2 that's for sure.
I have backed BALLYANDY too TC. I think he is very well treated and they will go a proper pace for him to use his obvious stamina.
... and to quote Matt Chapman on Saturday "...........and he didn't". He said about one outsider "For this horse to have any chance of winning he would have had to start at the same time yesterday ...............and he didn't"
William h Bonney looks well in to me. I was impressed with him at HQ last week, due to go up 5 . Could be a plot for the festival.
One chap with an awful record in this race is Bill Mullins. He’s had 12 runners in the last 10 years (including 23% of the field and the favourite last term) and not one, I say one, has been placed! I’d never heard of the fellow before reading this stat and is it any wonder given the fact that this record is hardly headline making now is it, pilgrims?!?
Mr Henderson's Consul De Thaix won't run. Slightly under the weather and on medication - Consul De Thaix that is not Mr Henderson.
Very fair point made in yesterday’s ‘Weekender’ re this race which it hinted was close to borderline dross this term. That is, I think, hardly the issue as all races have good terms and bad terms (as indeed do all humans come to that). Anyway the interesting point was that even at the 5 day stage the race had failed to achieve maximum capacity – 24 can run in the race but only 20 entered (this should be even lower later this morn as I’m sure all 20 won’t be declared). It really comes to something when you can say this about the richest handicap hurdle in Europe and seems to be another race that owners are somewhat ignoring preferring instead to target Cheltenham seeing it as the be all and end all. The alternative race at Cheltenham for most of the probable ‘Betfair’ contenders is, of course, the 'County Hurdle'. But the valid remark made re that heat and Newbury’s prize is the Festival race will be oversubscribed many times over which is financial madness when you consider that if you add up the first 5 places at Cheltenham it is less than what the winner alone collects at Newbury! Dappiness with a capital ‘D’ from some connections but Cheltenham these days seems to be having this effect on a lot of races, unfortunately.
Conversely, Barney, i doubt many get involved in NH racing so they can win the Betfair Hurdle, be it the richest handicap hurdle in Europe or not. We can't say that about winning a race at Cheltenham.
