Champion Hurdle, 13-03-12

Hills go 5/4 - your going mad & I smell a rat.

hucklebuck wrote: »

There is one on Pearse Street opposite the Padraig Pearse pub.

Super thanks hucklebuck.

UrbanSea wrote: »

Hills have changed to Boylesports in Ireland. Are you sure that one is still a Hills hucklebuck? The one on Dame Street was changed to Boyles at Christmas time

As far as I know they were all supposed to change but I'm not sure if this has happened, hence why I asked the question.

tomdillon2012 wrote: »

Binocular to win dont think Hurricane Fly is suited to Chelt track, Binocular a course specialist. I think the Fly is underpriced @ odds on. Surely Sizing europe represents better value if you want something @ that price. Binocular e/w for me

If you watch last years Champion Hurdle you'll see Hurricane Fly pulled very hard from the start yet still had enough left in the tank to battle a tough Peddlers up the hill. In fact, Mullins has since stated he was disappointed with last years winning run!

Now to this year... Mullins says The Fly's most recent win was he best ever! Why? Crucially, Mullins noted that they were fearful for the horse's chances that day (hence the alarming drift) as he didn't have the usual "boldness" beforehand. He would, with hindsight given the exhibition that followed, later suggest that this may simply be because the horse has matured and settles better.


Binocular's run against Celestial Halo, while impressive, doesn't hold up to The Fly's equally devastating showing against much better quality in Oscars Well, Thousand Stars and Unaccompanied.


Conclusion: While Binocular is definitely worth an each-way bet, The Fly is proven at Cheltenham, will settle better this year and have more left in the tank to power up the hill. Only one winner I'm afraid!

UrbanSea wrote: »

I remember reading before though that Ruby never really rated Zarkandar

And it seems he still doesn't when it's up against proven CH class in The Fly and Binocular! Paul Nicholls has been tipping it up as a brilliant each way bet at the Festival but it screams out to me why a superb race judge such as Ruby hasn't done likewise given he's rode the horse and the horse has done absolutely everything asked of him. It's obvious from the Betfair Hurdle at least that Zarkander is the type of horse who keeps finding and finding but I don't think Ruby feels it has the class to be a CH contender.

mdwexford wrote: »

Foolish to write off an unbeaten horse.

Nobody knows how much Zarkandar has left in the locker, not even Ruby.

I do think he'll need to travel much sweeter than he did at Newbury but after the cough and being out for so long who knows how straight he was that day.

Well if anyone knows I'm pretty sure it's Ruby! Given his Cheltenham record, I can rarely remember Ruby choosing the wrong mount in a big race, bar choosing his beloved Kauto over Denham when beaten occasionally.

handsomecake wrote: »

he under rated zarkandar in last years triumph;)

OOPS...I stand corrected, apologies! :P

Why not just back Thousand Stars at the 4/1 or 5/1 to place you'll probably get on the machine?