Asian Maze

bignialler

Theres talk of a switch for Asian Maze to the champion hurdle to take on Brave Inca if the ground ends up Softish with the decision being made on Sunday after a Leopardstown Gallop.

Have her at 10/1 for the World Hurdle and think she will win but just in case Im taking 50/1 with Paddy Power great E/w Value for the Champion Hurdle.

Morgans

or yuo could back her with one of the bookies that are going non-runner no bet. Bet365, betfred, etc.

fr wishy washy

bignialler wrote:

Theres talk of a switch for Asian Maze to the champion hurdle to take on Brave Inca if the ground ends up Softish with the decision being made on Sunday after a Leopardstown Gallop.

Yeah I read that, Trainer apparently says Jockey availability is going to come into it.

I'm in a similar position with Refinement reagrding not sure which race its running in for sure.

masterK

I would be absolutely sick if she went to the Champion Hurdle. After she won at Aintree last April I said to myself "Theres next years world hurdle winner", so I backed her at 25/1 soon after.

It makes no sense that they are even considering going for a 2 mile race, her record over 2 miles is 0 wins from 4 attempts, her record in excess of 2 miles is 7 wins from 8 races. Surely it's a no brainer. Her latest run behind Macs Joy showed she is no 2 miler, she was tapped for toe turning for him and fell back to last before staying on strongly at the end to finish 2nd. I'd be surprised if she could turn the tables on Macs Joy on any ground over 2 miles.

fr wishy washy

masterK wrote:

I would be absolutely sick if she went to the Champion Hurdle. After she won at Aintree last April I said to myself "Theres next years world hurdle winner", so I backed her at 25/1 soon after.

It makes no sense that they are even considering going for a 2 mile race, her record over 2 miles is 0 wins from 4 attempts, her record in excess of 2 miles is 7 wins from 8 races. Surely it's a no brainer. Her latest run behind Macs Joy showed she is no 2 miler, she was tapped for toe turning for him and fell back to last before staying on strongly at the end to finish 2nd. I'd be surprised if she could turn the tables on Macs Joy on any ground over 2 miles.

Tom Mullins thinks she has the Class to do it.I wouldn't be suprised to see them go for the Champion.I think she could be placed at best in the shorter race.

fr wishy washy

Ruby's taking her for a spin after racing at Leopardstown tommorow evening to help in the decision making process.

masterK

Tom Mullins said she is 70-30 to go for the World Hurdle after her spin at leopardstown yesterday.

Healio

Just heard through a very good source that Tom Mullins is 90% certain to run her in the champion hurdle, due to the forecast of soft ground next week.

fade2black

Been cut from 25s into 20s for it

Healio

Well i wont go into to much detail, something to do with ruby doubting he will get the three miles if it comes up soft.

masterK

Damn it, that's my main ante post bet down the drain. Have a couple of quid on her at 50's for the champion but can't see her having the pace to win it.

She's drifting big time on Betfair, I've layed off most of my bet on her at 11/1.

chump

She's a goner...

PP have cut her to 12/1 for the Champion Hurdle. Betfair market for that is suspended.

Someone quoted the below on the betfair forum

Asian Maze is unlikely to run in next week's ********* World Hurdle - with trainer Tom Mullins eyeing a crack at the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle instead.

The dual Grade One-winning mare is a big fancy for the stayers' race at the Festival but connections are "90% certain" she will go for the two-mile championship on Tuesday.

"We are leaning towards the Champion Hurdle now and I would say she is 90% certain to run in that race," Mullins said.

"The ground has eased and Ruby Walsh is keen to ride her. She is very well and deserves a crack at it."

The seven-year-old impressed as a novice last season with her bold front-running style and has only raced once this season, when flashing home to take second behind Macs Joy in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle last month.

Mullins' charge then completed her Cheltenham preparations when working at Leopardstown last Sunday.

"She worked well and has come out of it fine," added the County Kilkenny trainer.

Don't know where quoted from tbh.

Out to 21 on betfair for the Stayers, but was matched at 80 earlier. D|rifting all the time.

scojones

Aye, they just interviewed the trainer on ATR there. She's in the Champion Hurdle, Paddypower's 12/1 price is a joke.

masterK

I managerd to lay my stake off on her this morning at between 9-11/1. I had €40 on her a 25/1, so I'm mightilly p*****d off. Not so much the money but the fact that I backed her 11 months ago after seeing her at Aintree and saying to anybody who would listen at the time, "Theres next years world hurdle winner".

I stuck €10 each way on her for the Champion a couple of weeks back just in case. I think she might be got out for a bit of speed turning for home but will stay on up the hill giving her place prospects.

The thing that annoys me is that Tom Mullins was saying the world hurdle was the target for best part of the last year, even saying last week she was 80% certain to go for it. These type of things really get to punters.

bignialler

Dissappointing not to see her take her place in the world hurdle to be honest...
Stamina will come into the champion hurdle if it is anyway soft, I read somewhere than Mullins reckoned Brave inca would not jump as quick out of the soft ground..... wouldnt agree with that although I have a couple of quid on the Maze...I will still plough big into the Inca on the day...

Healio

bignialler wrote:

Dissappointing not to see her take her place in the world hurdle to be honest...
Stamina will come into the champion hurdle if it is anyway soft, I read somewhere than Mullins reckoned Brave inca would not jump as quick out of the soft ground..... wouldnt agree with that although I have a couple of quid on the Maze...I will still plough big into the Inca on the day...

in response to that, if you are talking re: tom mullins, he is the best judge of a horse i have ever seen. (those are the words of my father).

look what he did with that donkey who won the oaks, name slips my drunken mind at the moment.

Morgans

Vintage Tipple. You are right healio, very underrated trainer who has been doing lots of good work in the background for years. Asain Maze is another in the list of 2m4f horses that just dont have the stamina for the stayers nor the speed for the champion. Limestone Lad, Solerina, and now Asian Maze.

masterK

I'm not sure it's a fair comparison with Asian Maze to Solerina and Limestone lad or in fact to say she doesn't say, the formbook says she does. 2 efforts over 3 miles and 2 victories including a Grade 1 in which the first and 2nd where 25 lengths clear of the rest of the field. The worry from Tom Mullins seems to be the softer ground that will test her stamina more. There is obviously a concern over 3 miles on softer ground but until she is beaten you can't really say that she doesn't stay.

Personally reading back over some to Mullins comments over the last few months he has always had an eye on the champion hurdle especially after some of the leading contenders withdrew, her last run over 2 miles which was in favour of a 3 mile engagement the next day supports this reasoning.

Morgans

You are right there, my description was inexact. I have doubts about the form of her Aintree win, (the effect of a 3m novice race at Cheltnham has appeared to left its mark on those who fought out the finish) but even taking that run at face value, she probably has more stamina than either Solerina or Limestone Lad (who did also finish second in the stayers) She has never won a Grade 1 at 2 like those two have done and probably lacks the speed and the class to do so, in what is now a strong division. The point I was making is that she is one of those inbetween horses that probably wont have a suitable race at the festival for her.

chump

Really strange market behaviour on betfair.

Still being backed for the Stayers at 17ish...
Around 16s for the CH.

Maybe the weather forecast has changed.

masterK

chump wrote:

Really strange market behaviour on betfair.

Still being backed for the Stayers at 17ish...
Around 16s for the CH.

Maybe the weather forecast has changed.

It doesn't seem to be as bad as was being forecast a couple of days ago.

Morgans

Horses have run in both races in the recent past.

bignialler

Healio wrote:

in response to that, if you are talking re: tom mullins, he is the best judge of a horse i have ever seen. (those are the words of my father).

look what he did with that donkey who won the oaks, name slips my drunken mind at the moment.

Wouldnt doubt that for a second but the point was tryin to make was that the ground that brave inca will be jumping out of on Tues will be nothing like it was say in Fairyhouse in December when he finished third to Solerina

Healio

All is not lost on her yet, she is still in both races at the 5-day declerations, maybe tom is holding out as long as possible??