Ole Hendo has let the world know that Conny Hill won't be running at the festival...!!! Constitution Hill ruled out of Champion Hurdle defence Bloody awful news...!!
Yes bad news indeed for the sport. The Champion Hurdle will likely have more than 5 runners now. Watch them all come out of the woodwork
Is the tide slowly turning for the organisers in terms of who they are trying to attract? I havent been for a few years now and no interest in joining the melee this year. However if I wanted to go i can still get tickets for everyday on the website. I’m sure in years gone by that Tues and Fri would have been sold out by now. Also a few weeks ago the Ivy Grower in his daily blog was organising a Cheltenham day at his yard for his owners who want to watch the racing with like minded folk but no longer are attracted to actually attending the event.
Could well be something in that Chan. It’s been a few years since I’ve had the „kid on the night before Christmas“ expectation and I don’t really know what to expect this year. Ref the Champion Hurdle we had a 1-4 fav and now we have a 2-5 fav. Same difference really.
I am not sure, I still really enjoy going to the festival, albeit with the caveat that I go nowhere near the Guinness Village, Centaur or the Sales Ring area during the week, especially the Friday. I know they have had real issues with ticket sales this year, and I am quite glad of that. They seem to be pricing everyone out of going, including those going for a drinking session. I think as long as I stay within the sections of the course I like (Parade, Pre-Parade, Members Bar, Members Steps) for the majority of the meeting, I will have a great time. Not sure I should have to do that though!
Yeah I’m not sure State Man will be scaring others off though like CH did. He did after all finish 9 lengths behind CH in 2023. I’ve seen reported that Ricci has not ruled out the Champ Hurdle for Lossiemouth now. I suspect Mullins/Townend favour the easy option but if I was the owner I’d be reminded them who paid the bills.
Now let’s see how ambitious owners and trainers are, especially the Ricci family and Willie Mullins. They both showed no ambition In not running Benie Des Dieux , nor Annie Power the year before she won it. So what will happen with Lossiemouth? Will Willie Mullins still want to stick to his policy of “aiming for the easier race” (Mare’s Hurdle)- especially since State Man is in different ownership? Or will Ricci have guts and ambition- and run Lossiemouth in the Champion, especially with her weight concession? Personally I think she’d beat State Man, but that’s irrelevant to the point I’m making.
I hope the owner calls the shots here. Mullins justification for not aiming Lossiemouth at the Champion Hurdle was she wasnt ready to take on Constitution Hill. I know Ricci doesnt need the money but £67k for the Mares or £253k for the blue riband hurdle race. Easy decision really.
I think it is pretty clear that Mullins calls the shots and if the owners don’t like it they can go elsewhere. His aim is to win as many races as possible at the Cheltenham festival and he sends his horses to the races where they have the best chance of winning. He knows he has a long odds on fav in the Champion Hurdle and won’t send Lossiemouth there because he wants to win the mares race with her. EOS.
Oddy, the Mares Hurdle does not compare with the special nature of the Champion Hurdle. People remember Dawn Run and Flakey Dove far more than any Mares winner. Both Mullins and De Bromhead got their fingers burnt by taking on each other in the Mares Hurdle- and letting another mare, Epatante, win the Champion. As for Mullins calling the shots, I can’t have that on any level. He certainly wouldn’t be training my horse if I owned say, Lossiemouth, and he insisted on the Mares Hurdle.
So what would you do with Constitution Hill when he recovers from his runny nose? If he was mine I’d be telling his handler it’s Aintree Hurdle in April, Punchy Champion Hurdle in May and the Ascot Gold Cup (assuming there isn’t some qualification criteria he doesn’t meet) in June. Then put him away until the Fighting Fifth in November. Simple this training malarkey.
Has to be Aintree and Punchestown. Then plan something more ambitious next season that sees him on the track more and maybe taking in the Betfair hurdle - CH with 12 stone the rest of them 10 stone. That would be worth watching. But of course they won’t, if will be Newcastle, Kempton, Cheltenham, Aintree.
