Simonsig out of the Cheltenham Festival. Mr Henderson has advised, 'We have taken him out of the Champion Chase because we're simply not going to be ready in time. He's just not going to be ready for Cheltenham, one way or another. We fully intend for him to make an appearance at some point - we don't want another season to go by - so we will have to regroup now. There's still Aintree and Punchestown to come, but we're just not going to make it to Cheltenham. He's good and he's sound, that's the main thing. It's just hard to make up the time we've lost.' Let's hope he makes it to Aintree and/or Punchestown.
Ar Mad out as well. He had a tough assignment in the Arkle but looked the best of the English to me and we all know, no matter how good Douvan is, all of Willies novice chasers love to fall over at some point.
Oddschecker twitter feed reporting that Annie is being well supported for the Mares ahead of her run tomorrow.
That is surely based on her running tomorrow and the fact they said she would need a run before world hurdle and that's what exactly going on! However surely they will keep her in the Mares! Thistlecrack looks a machine at the moment and the build up she had to this year is far from ideal! This is better than an Eastenders Christmas cliffhanger where will she end up (FYI I can't stand Eastenders!!)
Loving all the pocket talk about Annie having to go to the Mares lads She is far, far better than that but I suspect she may still end up there. It depends on a) how she comes out of tomorrow and the real unknown which is b) Just how highly to they rate Vroum Vroum Mag? Interesting that they put the hood on to try to settle her. Always wanted to see her in a Champion Hurdle myself and fancy she might have beat Jezki back in 2014. Instead she had that memorable race with More Of That and the brave Big Bucks who was battling Father Time that day.
Ah but Toppy this is the yard who sent Quevega to the mares hurdle 5 years running when we all wanted to see her in the Champion Hurdle. They are, logically, trying to fire their ammunition to win the most prizes but why oh why send Annie to the mares hurdle last year and not the World Hurdle? You couldn't argue there was a horse as strong as Thistlecrack in last years WH (Saphir De Rheu went off 5/1 fav and Mullins had Zaidpour and Abyssial in the race) so why the change of heart this year? Sending Quevega 5 years running and then Annie Power last year means they want to win the mares hurdle,I cannot see any logical reason for sending Annie Power WH this time around and if they do I hope she enjoys seeing Thistlecrack's arse
what has Thistlecrack beat Deputy Dan, 10yo Reve De Sivola, The Romford Pele 136 was 3rd in the Cleeve, 13yo Knockara Beua 140 in 4rth and Ptit Zig was just running for a clear round, hes hardly a top staying hurdler and Camping Ground didnt stay. Thistlecrack looks the lay of the meeting at 5/4, not saying it cant win because there isnt much about in that divison but if you are a layer you have to be taking it on at that price. Ill be going 2/1 minimum in the specials.
All depends on VVM - if they think they could comfortably win the mares with her then they have that mouthwatering clash with Thistecrack on the table, and they could perhaps argue that even he hasn't really faced a proper high class rival yet, unless we still class Reve De Sivola as any good. It wouldn't half spice up the festival though!
Difference simply is they've a mare this year good enough to win the Mares in VVM which they didn't last year. I think last year they said they wouldn't like to send her first time out in the 3m race fearing she'd be too keen. She did pull hard when More of That beat her. If she had have had a run last year before Cheltenham she would have been in the longer race. Certainly looks more winnable than this years! In saying that at least the World Hurdle isn't the formality it looked now but I'd still say the mares up against it. Interesting stuff!
Boris: What has Min beat? What has Douvan beat? What has Yanworth beat? I'll take your 2/1 all day long, Thistlecrack is bombproof. Dare ye go 5/2? Lay of the festival my arse I am actually astounded by the audacity of the Mullins camp in thinking they can drag Annie off the sickbed and beat this lad. As I said, hopefully it gets me a better price on Thistlecrack
Devil's advocate but if Annie had have settled against More of That she might very well have won. If this hood malarkey works and switches her off she's bound to have more left at the business end. Is Thistlecrack better than More of That? I'd say Tizzard's will be doing a rain dance as if it's any sort of stamina test Annie Power has zilch chance of outstaying him (2014 Champion Hurdle winner, some say!).
Ive got Yorkhill 16/1 against Yanworth if he runs, certainly wouldnt have two bob on Yanworth at the price but no depth in the race, just like the Arkle and the supreme. The World Hurdle is going to be harder to win than those novice races.
If you look critically at Annie Power's form, you have to question her BHA rating. much of which is based around various clashes with Zarkander, a horse who really was on the decline the last 2 years (last victory was in the 2013 Aintree Hurdle). Even her much-vaunted second in the World Hurdle 2014 doesn't stand up to that much scrutiny. I can't have her much above a BHA rating of about 150 (based on defeats of Jennies Jewel and Annalifet the last 2 years at Punchestown) which will be nowhere near good enough to trouble Thistlecrack. She should go Mares Hurdle and get a nice Grade 1. EOS.
Those wins over Jennies Jewel and Analifet were pretty superb, I was at Punchy when she beat Jennies Jewel, she was unextended and won on the bridle easily. She recorded a very fast time the day she beat Analifet too and once more was unextended to win easily. That's the thing, much like Thistlecrack lately, you can question the form but it's the visual impression the horse leaves, winning doing handstands by relative wide margins. I think it would be a very close match between the two were they to meet. Let's hope it happens Great to see the good ones go head to head.
I won't pull the trigger on these until the Monday but this is what I'm thinking of putting in my week long combo bet... Supreme Novice - ALTIOR RSA - BLAKLION World Hurdle - THISTLECRACK Mares Novice - LIMINI Gold Cup - CUE CARD Really interested to see which GOD'S OWN runs in and will no doubt be backing him blind!! Also think that if Harry Fru sends BITOFAPUZZLE back over hurdles, she would have a decent chance in the Mares.
All the odds against re Yanworth and the Neptune now gone. It is no more, no more is it. The best current price is now ‘levels’. Most firms go odds-on for the Wednesday of the meet to start extremely well for the ‘county set’...
