AIG Champion Hurdle

midger

It's all about BRAVE INCA today,I'm heading to Leopardstown and I cant see any horse to beat BRAVE INCA,imo the most versatile thoroughbred horse in the last 10 years Ireland has ever produced.I will also double it up with SCHINDLERS HUNT,I reckon it's the nearest thing to a certainty we'll see for a long time.Anyone agree/disagree??.....

rag2gar

I pretty much agree, altho you had to go and say the "certainty" word which is always bad luck!!

Tush

It will be very interesting to see how HIDE THE EVIDENCE gets on in this company,I think he might be a good E/W price to small stakes.18/1 with Corals.

gamb1or

Brave Inca.

00dyel

Lounaos

chump

Ik... turrible

keepitquiet

ive neva cheered a horse louder than i would have if the horse i backed would have won. wat a gr8 day for racing hardy showing hes still got it in him.:D

chump

mighty impressive alright. incredible stuff

gamb1or

The flat season can't come soon enough...

fade2black

gamb1or wrote:

The flat season can't come soon enough...

wtf?

mdwexford

gamb1or wrote:

The flat season can't come soon enough...

seconded

WTF?????

CiaranC

gamb1or wrote:

The flat season can't come soon enough...

Youre off your nut

Sizzler

I didnt fancy Brave Inca today I have to say so went with Hardy, he lost nothing in defeat against Detroit City last time out so I figured he had the freshness to do the biz today, just got that feeling Inca was going to get turned over.

Couldnt believe Hardy was 9/1, Im just sorry I didnt have a proper few quid on him

gamb1or

It was a great race, not for my wallet though...

decies

gamb1or wrote:

The flat season can't come soon enough...

Ban this gent for two months and fifty lashes i say :eek: :eek:

Tush

gamb1or wrote:

The flat season can't come soon enough...

Good Man Gamb1or.:D Roll on the Flat.

Sizzler

Tush wrote:

Good Man Gamb1or.:D Roll on the Flat.

Are tush and Gamblor one of the same

Tush

Sizzler wrote:

Are tush and Gamblor one of the same

Cant beat the Flat Siz,my auld ticker is not up to the jumpin lark.:eek:

scojones

Sizzler wrote:

Im just sorry I didnt have a proper few quid on him

Aye, I took the 7s that was available at the opening. Some performance and 9/1 was unbelievable value. Top performance, found an extra gear after the last obstacle - just when I thought Brave Inca was getting back on terms. One of the races of the year. Macs Joy did very well after such an absence and is a big player now for March. Still, it's hard to see past Hardy now. Fade, that antepost you got is very appealing now!!

wb

Can't believe people are saying 'Bring on the Flat' after the AIG yesterday.

I've made it known that I prefer the flat too - and I had backed Brave Inca yesterday, but that was a fantastic race. Maybe the comments are tongue in cheek and I'm reading it wrong, but If people can't appreciate a race like that (win or lose) they probably shouldn't be following the sport.

Corben Dallas

agrees with Mr Bailey, what a crackin race with quality entries top to bottom, with a grind out battle at the end. AP really wanted to win that one, u could see the disapointment in his race being interviewed afterwards.

If u dont 'get' this, pls take up supporting cricket (or something) :P

scojones

I love the flat. I think was mainly due to me picking more winners on the flat than the NH season, but I have to say my attitude has changed over the last few months. I absolutely love the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree, and that Champion Hurdle race at Leopardstown yesterday was one of the best races I have seen in a long time. I'd definitely say that my opinion is changing in favour of the NH racing. I dunno, like obviously it's just a personal preference but I find it more exciting than flat racing.

ChuckProphet

sjones wrote:

I love the flat. I think was mainly due to me picking more winners on the flat than the NH season, but I have to say my attitude has changed over the last few months. I absolutely love the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree, and that Champion Hurdle race at Leopardstown yesterday was one of the best races I have seen in a long time. I'd definitely say that my opinion is changing in favour of the NH racing. I dunno, like obviously it's just a personal preference but I find it more exciting than flat racing.

Any word on Iktitaf afterwards? what a crap run. he's 20-1 for march now!!

wb

ChuckProphet wrote:

Any word on Iktitaf afterwards? what a crap run. he's 20-1 for march now!!

I'm convinced that there was something wrong. I'm not saying he would have won, in fact I'm sure he would not have caught hardy, but he was tailed in last, and looked very poorly to me.

masterK

A sad postscript to the race is the decline of Asian Maze, she was never traveling yesterday and looks a shadow of the horse we seen win at Aintree last year. I thought she was destined for big things this year but it doesn't look like happening.

scojones

masterK wrote:

A sad postscript to the race is the decline of Asian Maze, she was never traveling yesterday and looks a shadow of the horse we seen win at Aintree last year. I thought she was destined for big things this year but it doesn't look like happening.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that just yet masterK. I've no idea why she was entered. We were told during the week if the ground was bad that she wouldn't run. It was soft - but I still think she shouldn't have ran in that race. She was always lengths behind and it was clear that the race did not suit her at all. A major player last year at Aintree who romped home, it remains to be seen if she is still destined for big things, but to me that is a blatant case of bad management.
Cheltenham was heavy over the weekend and didn't suit her either, but having her in the AIG Champion Hurdle will have done nothing positive for the horse. I hope you're wrong and she gets her form back, but it remains to be seen.

cociembe

Well, what a race!! and hardy has obviously jumped in everyone's estimation. Would love to see him go on and win in cheltenham, even though my only large ante-post plunder has been on Asian Maze @ 20's. My problem now is do i go and back her again @ 33's!! I am disregarding the AIG, as there is no way in hell she was even attempting to win as ruby dropped her straight out the back which is the last place u would expect to see her!! and then she seemed to rally from 2 out. bit conflustered!!
Did anyone hear ruby or tom mullins after the race, would be intrested in any comments as that was not the horse we seen in either aintree or punchestown last year. I think she is a real spring horse and obviously not her favoured ground or is Mr. T Mullins pulling one of strokes of the year. As long as he dont now go for the stayers, now that BJK showed he aint invincible!

mdwexford

i agree with sjones, i think Mullins is doing a terrible job with Azian Maze and it reminds me of Solerina a couple of years ago. she has no place in a 2 mile hurdle race or on heavy ground. waste of a very good horse. running her in the champion hurdle is a complete waste of time. save her for the martel hurdle and punchestown.

Tush

I also think C Byrnes made a big mistake running Cailin Alainn in that race on saturday.

Collie D

Tush wrote:

I also think C Byrnes made a big mistake running Cailin Alainn in that race on saturday.

Why you think that? She was travelling well enough when she fell, doubt she'd have won but definitely in for a place and might even have given the winner a fright

Tush

Just feel that he could have found a better race for her (ie Novice class) with a slower pace rather than throw her in at the deep end in a fast run race which could have have destroyed her racing career.This will not do her any favours imo.

mdwexford

Tush wrote:

I also think C Byrnes made a big mistake running Cailin Alainn in that race on saturday.

i completely agree

NEVER RUN YOUR NOVICES AT CHELTENHAM!!!!!!!

when will trainers learn to stop running their novice chasers against experienced horses at prestbury park. it always ends in tears. Beef Or Salmon, Gloria Victis, Therealbandit the list goes on.

scojones

Tush wrote:

I also think C Byrnes made a big mistake running Cailin Alainn in that race on saturday.

I agree completely. Watch the race again lads, she wasn't traveling well at all. Entering her in that race was mental and she wasn't worth looking at on the day.

scojones

mdwexford wrote:

i completely agree

NEVER RUN YOUR NOVICES AT CHELTENHAM!!!!!!!

when will trainers learn to stop running their novice chasers against experienced horses at prestbury park. it always ends in tears. Beef Or Salmon, Gloria Victis, Therealbandit the list goes on.

Total Enjoyment?

Tush

Did you enjoy your day atr sj,good to see you stuck to your guns with Hardy.

goodfela

RE: Cailin Alainn

although i only watched it once i thought she was travelling well enough too and is there not an argument to say this will give her valuable experience and an advantage over the other novices come March?

RE: AIG

What a great race, i was standing right at the rails and i thought brave inca was going to catch hardy but i don't think brave inca likes having to catch another horse after the last, where as if he's in front he's very hard to pass. My ante-post money is on macs joy already at 9-1 so i'm not going to change now but really March is mouth-watering...

Harchibald hopefully to race against detroit city in the agfa hurdle, that will be interesting...

scojones

Tush wrote:

Did you enjoy your day atr sj,good to see you stuck to your guns with Hardy.

Was great craic Tush, ya missed a good day! I only got 7s on Hardy as I placed the bet early but still that matters little. All I can say is thanks to Fade for the heads up!

keepitquiet

i think the test by mullins was to see if asian maze will be in the world hurdle or the champion hurdle. im sure he knew the horse didnt have a chance but how much of an influence the owner had must be asked? the horse should defo be in the world hurdle now, right? 3m the horse killed lasty time out!

keepitquiet

Collie D wrote:

Why you think that? She was travelling well enough when she fell, doubt she'd have won but definitely in for a place and might even have given the winner a fright

she would never have gave exotic dancer a problem. Exotic Dancer would have enjoyed her company tho, probably had a nice chat and a cuppa before trying... however i think that the owner wanted the horse in the race to see whether it would have a chance running in the gold cup. yes a mistake but not by the trainer by the owner. remember lads its trials days i think the owners take that wording to literally :rolleyes: was the horse actually entered in the gold cup tho?
its not now but exotic dancer isnt entered into the champion chase now if it wasnt then im as baffled as all

knighted

sjones wrote:

Total Enjoyment?

total enjoyment wasnt a novice chaser-

agree about novice CHASERS at cheltenham but second season novices seem to have an excellent record at cheltenham -war of attriciation, best mate kicking king,looks like trouble all won the gold cup as 2nd season novices

exotic dancer ? fits the bill this year

scojones

knighted wrote:

total enjoyment wasnt a novice chaser-

I know, I was talking about it being a novice. It died before it proved itself at chasing or hurdling level.

It's a bold statement, but I can't see Exotic Dancer being beat this year if Kauto doesn't jump. If Kauto has sorted out its jumping then yeah, it will be beat, but if it hasn't then I can't see it losing. Maybe I'm getting carried away because I love the horse, but, think about this. The mistakes Kauto made at Kempton - it would not get away with at Cheltenham, and 8 lengths is absolutely nothing when Kauto makes a mistake at Cheltenham. Proven course winner, and will obviously get the distance now, for racing sake I'd love to see the two of these neck and neck going over the last, with WOA in the distance. Even at that stage I would favour Exotic Dancer. Just look at how it flew up the hill in its three victories since November. Exotic Dancer has everything in its terms.

Tush

sjones wrote:

Was great craic Tush, ya missed a good day! I only got 7s on Hardy as I placed the bet early but still that matters little. All I can say is thanks to Fade for the heads up!

Picture no sound:) ,you know yourself,maybe next time.

knighted

was just pointing out exotic is 2nd season to follow a trend but he wont be carrying my money i still cant see past war of attrician -i think he will win he will burn off exotic dancer from the last with ruby and kauto walking off the course in the distance after falling on the first circuit lol-i would fear exotic more than kauto but we might still see an outsider with improvement filling the places -we all seem to be focussing on the big three or four -interested to hear comments from people on the rest of the field -any views ?

scojones

Tush wrote:

Picture no sound:) ,you know yourself,maybe next time.

Haha, I know the story.

keepitquiet

sjones wrote:

It's a bold statement, but I can't see Exotic Dancer being beat this year if Kauto doesn't jump.

i would think this too but my fear is that war of attrition was in one second of the record last yr! cheltenham specialist aswell? i guess they both are, they say its an 'average race' this yr but it is by no means not. if kauto jumps well which i cant see happening it could break the record if pushed. if not it all depends on whether woa can produce wat it did last yr. do you reckon that if woa runs the same as last yr exotic dancer would beat it? id say no.

keepitquiet

feathard lady has been ruled out:( not suprised as it would have been alot for her, has someone already mentioned this? it came out a few days ago but i havent seen anything on it http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0127/feathardaldy.html