I'm not convinced that this is true actually. I think it's probably more likely that he just doesn't have the firepower he's used to. Lets face it, he had 1 winner, 3 seconds and 2 thirds. I think you could reasonably argue that his only really disappointing runners were: Zarkandar - bumped into a serious race with HF and RoR, and couldn't cope with it Unioniste - might not be as good as previously thought Sam Winner - lets face it, his price was on potential, not actual achievement Wonderful Charm - was a 149 rated horse in a Championship race, another one purely on potential So I'd go as far as to say that the only one which, with hindsight, was disappointing was Unioniste.
Hmm, I think the New One may not be able to cope with another Rock on Ruby lead Champion Hurdle. Yet to see him up against a really good pace. Looks something of a 'jog and sprint' merchant. That said, I used to think that about Hurricane Fly.
We've got a year to worst about this. My two cents is that Our Connor beat an average Triumph field and the New One beat a very good Neptune. No point backing either yet but if I was it would be the New One. Let's not forget the Fly is in there as well chaps. The pace angle has been put to bed on hat front has it not?
Ill be very surprised personally if there isnt a new winner of the champion hurdle next year. I dont think this years was a particularly strong renewal and there looks like there could be a wealth of new talent coming through next year.
The age stat won't just be against Our Conor, it will also be against Hurricane Fly, as no horse since Sea Pigeon has won the Champion hurdle over the age of 9. Sea Pigeon actually won it at 10 and 11 in 1980 and 1981. Having doubted Hurricane Flys talents, I have to admit now he is the best since Istabraq, and is a well above average winner of the race, so if any horse can do it then he can. At the current antepost prices though, I'd be inclined to give Grandouet another chance at 20/1. It's doubtful wether he would have beaten HF, but he was going well when falling so no one can no for certain. A little like Silviniaco Conti, I'd be prepared to give him another chance in the Gold Cup
Although impressed with both Our Connor and The New One, I would be inclined to see how they perform out of novice company before backing them for the Champ Hurdle this early. Even though he will be 10 next year I'm siding with Hurricane Fly as he has been there done that and we know for sure that the Champ Hurdle will definitely be his target, even at 5/1 I'm willing to take the chance now and have backed him in a double with Bobs Worth 3/1 for next years Gold Cup. I will be topping up this bet throughout the year and will also be putting small amounts on them in a treble with Big Bucks 7/2 for the World Hurdle. Thoughts?
To go with winners The New One and Our Connor I would add that we shouldn't write My Tent Or Yours. He'll have learnt a lot from that race I think. Comparisons to Darlan are all to easy to make but he was 2nd in the Supreme before really kicking on and marking himself as perhaps the leading 2nd season hurdler (CF fans might disagree) this year. MTOY didn't settle well in the Supreme but he lost nothing in defeat to a battle-ready and already very experienced horse in Champagne Fever.
Thought the ground was decent all week aside from Friday....you don't sound like a chap who will be celebrating St Patricks Day with Ste and his countrymen...
Great piece Oddy. The one thing about the Festival is that it remains unsoiled by those who have been destroying flat racing since the mid eighties...long may that continue.
Nah, good luck to them. Cheltenham wouldn't be what it is without the Irish. Also, I was guest of an Irish bookmaker on Wednesday, and still managed to back The New One to fly the flag for the Brits. Still smarting cos my two biggest bets were Dynaste and Silviniaco Conti.
Silvi would have had a hand in finish...no doubt about that...still you collected on The New One..lovely prospect.
please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Courtesy of Angela Lee-Brown, Afghan Hound photographer and friend
It's always a possibility George, but sometimes it's best to be instinctive rather than analyse the hell out of things - I loved what I was seeing, and ok, it helped that my money was down, but that win was beyond impressive. I also thought that about Bob's Worth in the Hennesey, but unlike Brough, I allowed my first impression to be diluted by other forumites' opinions and eventually settled for a Long Run ew bet. There's a long way to go, and yes, there is a chance the form may not be as good as it looked, but I'm happy to take that chance Can I also say that Heis's pork pie hat was THE highlight of the Festival
So that was it then...? The one thing you wait all year for and bamm, its over, finished, gone for another 12 months. But what a week of tip top racing we had, it was worth the wait. I con honestly say that i thought it was one of the best festivals that i can remember as it had everything that you could possibly want... Day 1 and it was cold,very cold but we got Champagne Fever + Ruby Ruby Ruby... A terrific run from Bailey Green to push Simonsig all the way, the disappointment of Overturn... The Tizzards, what a week they would have, who gave us Golden Chieftan to all scratch our heads and say why didnt i spot that one...? Though a few canny ones on the forum did...!!! Then the return of the King to light up what was a bitterly cold day, but that didnt matter for the one and only Hurricane Fly came in to reclaim his crown and stamp his name forever more into a true Cheltenham Festival Legend...!!! Not to be outdone, Queen Quevega sat along side him to proclaim her right to one of the greatest festival runners ever. And how she did win her race will still remain one of the great stories to be told in the future nights... All this on the first day...!!! Day 2 got off to a flyer with the Mullins yard getting the heavily backed Back In Focus another winner to his impressive start for the Trainers title... The much awaited Neptune didnt let us down either. The New One was THE ONE and showed us a very impressive turn of foot to scamper up the hill and leave the much tipped up Pont Alexandre in his wake... We had carried on from yesterday with thrills n spills and got full on racing at his best... Nicholls week was summed up with the top priced Unioniste failing to live up to his billing finishing 4th to the Lord Windermere. It wasnt to be his week, yet... Step forward the very much awaited return to the scene of Sprinter Scare. Oh how he delivered...!!! Imperious, majestic, supreme beauty and with consummate ease he destroyed all by 19 lengths... The crowd got what we wanted, the horse did want he wanted, and the Connections got what they already knew confirmed... Possibly one of the greatest jumpers we may see...!!! Alan King got into the action with a 1-2 of the Coral Cup, the outsider of the 2, 33/1 Medinas taking the spoils... With the 2nd day nearly brought to a end, Gordon Elliot got his name on the board with Flaxen Flare, just leaving Willie Mullins and Ruby on Briar Hill to win the Champion Bumper...Did we all miss the 25/1... Yes we did... Day 3 quickly became known as Black Thursday as a whole host of favourites got turned over and the long shots took control for the day... Dynaste came up short against 20/1 Benefficient in the opening contest the Jewson... Sam Winner, who's 4/1 was more on promise, of which i bought into, came a far back 18th as Holywell gave an emotional Jonjo his first winner of the week. How he deserved this win after the recent times he has had... The RyanAir had a few of us guessing but a few knew who the winner would be, and we were not to be disappointed. By the time the final fence was jumped we were in no doubt who would take this title, the impressive Cue Card. All that talent and belief came out as he showed us what he really could do, and we were all the better for seeing it... Oscar Whisky never looked like picking up the gong in the World Hurdle as Solwhit became the first new name on the title since 2008 with a 2 1/2 length victory over Celestial Halo. The 17/2 winner prevailing over a 40/1 shot didnt speak much for the standard of race with 3 of the top 6 in the market all pulling up... But it still had its drama... And if you wanted to know how the day was going for the bookies then this was confirmed with the 50/1 shot Carrickboy winning the Byrne Plate Handicap... The Kim Muir brought us the winner in Same Difference but it will be undoubtedly be remembered for the fall of jockey JT McManarra. Our thoughts are still with him and his family... The X-Country race, postponed from day one was to be run and was duly won by Big Shu... Day 3 came to a end and i think we all felt a bit battered after that... The big day had arrived, Day 4 and Gold Cup Day. But we had to get through a few races before the big one and this is where we saw the beginning of what could be a very bright future. Our Conor did to the field something that can not be done, from a long way out he never looked in danger and won with ease to record a 15 length victory over Far West... We all await his next challenge...!!! Ted Veale took the Vincent O'Brien hurdle race in a good finish all the way up the hill, winning as he did by a length... At last AP got his festival winner, and what a winner. At Fisher Cross was one of the better looking winners we had all week, not by the massive distance we had seen but in the way that nothing looked like getting past him once he made the front... It was turning out to be a favourites day for the punters of which wouldn't stop in the next... Gold Cup races always bring out the animal instinct in us all and this years race was no different. Probably the ride of the festival came in the biggest race of the festival from Barry Geraghty on Bobs Worth. Just a great example of understanding what horse he had under him, he pushed Bobs Worth up the hill to out climb Sir Des Champs and Long Run to win by 7 lengths. It was a very impressive run. Hail the new King, for he has no contenders for his crown to dethrone him now. He will take all the beating again next year and to be honest you would struggle to make a case against him not winning back to back... The Foxhunter became a procession for Salsify winning as he did by 20 lengths. But this dos not tell the full story as he should have been beaten by Oscar Delta who unseated his rider when starting to go up the hill. Jockey Jane Mangan was gutted, the crowd was stunned and the bookies started crying. Oscar Delta at 20/1 was going to upset a very hot hot favourite until the most unfortunate of circumstances. Most punters were happy but all felt for the poor girl... Paul Nicholls eventually got his festival winner, with Salubrious, and in very emotional scenes at the end. Harry Derham looked drained after he crossed the line, and the weeks strain looked etched on Nicholls face as well. It had been a hard last 2 weeks after the very unfortunate death of 21 year old Dominic Baker, the son of Clifford Baker, and it showed... It all meant we were left with the last race, The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual chase. We started the festival off with one champion, Ruby Walsh, and we ended it with the other champion AP McCoy. He took the lucky last with Alderwood to complete what was a truly great 4 days of racing... The festival has gone but it will live long on in the memory of us all. How long do we have to wait for our fix of the greatest 4 days of equine sport...!!!
I heard whispers of SBC running starkers somewhere if something did/didn't happen at the Festival. No idea what it was, can anyone confirm?
I didn't see it but il have a guess on it being if Henderson wasn't the top trainer, or if Oscar Whisky didn't see out the 3 miles
I believe he said the one/two in the CH would still be running. I can only gauge from his silence that he fulfilled his part of the bargain and is presently in custody awaiting a not 606 bail bond.
