Hi all, might seem a silly one but I wanted clarification on National Hunt racing. We have The Triumph Hurdle, Supreme Novice Hurdle, and the Champion Hurdle. (All round about 2 miles) The Triumph hurdle is for 4 year olds right? Now, can a Triumph hurdle horse then step up next season to be a Supreme Novice? I find it confusing because can a 2nd season hurdler still be a novice? Obviously after Supreme Novice you go into open level company and therefore contest the Champion Hurdle (Or Long Walk hurdle). Apologies but it's something that literally just dawned on me and I'd never realy considered it before.
If a four year old wins in its juvenile season then it cannot be a novice the season afterwards so wouldn't be able to run in the Supreme. However if it hasn't won a race then it is still considered a novice and thus can run in the novice division for a second season, so in theory could place in a Triumph and then win a Supreme.
Toppy: Triumph Hurdle is, as you say, for 4YOs only . The rules on novices are well explained here In summary, a horse is a novice hurdler for the 2012/2013 NH season if it has not won a hurdles race prior to April 29 2012. Same deal for chasers. There is a slight twist though: 7.5 Where, in the period starting on March 1st, 2012 and ending on April 28th, 2012, a horse wins a hurdle race or a steeple chase for the first time, it shall be regarded as a novice and is eligible to run in novice hurdle races or novice steeple chases as the case may be until October 31st, 2012. 7.6 Any additional wins during the period March 1st, 2012 to April 28th, 2012 will not affect the horse's qualification to run in novice hurdle races or novice steeple chases before November 1st, 2012. So Dodging Bullets could run in the Supreme this season as he hasn't yet WON a hurdle race.
It would be the logical choice to send Dodging Bullets the novice route Woolly - 5YOs have a terrible record in the Champion Hurdle ................
Yea shocking record I see, Last winner was Katchit in 2008 and before that See you then in 1985- If he does go in the SN- he will be a pretty warm favourite I would guess!
How many 5 year olds run in the CH though. I don't think they have a terrible record if you consider it more than the bare win results. Sure I read something about this recently.
3 in 2012 - Zarkandar (5th), Brampour (7th) and Kalann (10th) 2 in 2011 - Clerk's Choice (6th) and Mille Chief (11th) 3 in 2010 - Zaynar (3rd), the mighty Starluck (5th) and Jumbo Rio (8th) can't be arsed going further back than that ...............
So in last 8 runners 1 has placed. I guess that is about the average for all age groups based on total runners..... Statistics and all that.
I just think it's a very hard race for a 5YO Nass, takes a lot out of them. I don't think Zarkandar will come back the same horse this season .............
I agree with that, I wouldn't want to run a horse that I want to see as a chaser running in the CH at 5yo.
I still can't get my head around the fact that the one horse who did place, namely Zaynar, now resides with those Pipe's! Cor blimey, from Mr Henderson (via old boy Nick Williams) to those old rogues! What's the poor creature done to deserve that?!?
Cheers all for the input here, crystal clear now Not sure what to make of Zarkandar to be honest, can see him hacking up in a Christmas hurdle with a smooth preparation but cannot see a Champion Hurdle in him.
