2014 Champion Hurdle

hucklebuck

tipster wrote: »

very hard to call.ive limited it to an irish winner at the moment

So you have ruled out The New One?

applehunter

klairondavis wrote: »

Just reading between the lines.

"We'll go anywhere with him if we find the right race but I don't want to take on the Grade 1 horses yet." WP Mullins, 22 Dec 2013

"If things went well there he'll probably go for the Champion Hurdle but he would need to improve a stone to get near Hurricane Fly. I don't think we really learned anymore about him today." WP Mullins, 12 Jan 2014

If he does go to Cheltenham I think he is as likely to take his chance in the County Hurdle under top weight than he is to run in the Champion.

applehunter wrote: »

County Hurdle...:D He will run in the Champion Hurdle.

The owners have backed him to do so.

My bad,

Now hearing that he will go directly to Aintree.

Maybe if HF doesn't run he will go to CH.

Bangor Billy

You may well be right but that seems a bit strange as the Aintree race looks perfect for Annie Power.

Mossey Joe

Aintree?? That's a surprise, not sure a horse as keen as him needs a step up to 2m4f just yet

Gringo180

Un De Sceaux looks a nice prospect but how can he be talked as a Champion Hurdle contender hes beat absolute mules on his last 2 starts

The Mig

UDS entered to run in Sandown this weekend for the Contenders Hurdle

paddy no 11

The Mig wrote: »

UDS entered to run in Sandown this weekend for the Contenders Hurdle

Cant see entries anywhere, whats the opposition like?

BumperD

It's on RP website, first race, Sandown 1245, melodic rendezvous among the entries, the rest look beatable.

NaiveMelodies

BumperD wrote: »

It's on RP website, first race, Sandown 1245, melodic rendezvous among the entries, the rest look beatable.

Nice, that's a proper opponent, if he can beat MR on soft with any comfort we'll know we've a seriously high class animal on our hands.

tipster

dont think he"ll be running there the red mills has always been the plan

jimjamcos

Be brilliant if UDS faced Melodic Rondezvous on Saturday. Scott's horse wouldn't see which way he went and poor ole Willie would be forced to run him in the CH. For that reason, I think it's unlikely he'll travel.

hucklebuck

jimjamcos wrote: »

Be brilliant if UDS faced Melodic Rondezvous on Saturday. Scott's horse wouldn't see which way he went and poor ole Willie would be forced to run him in the CH. For that reason, I think it's unlikely he'll travel.

I would love to see him there, he would murder Melodic Rendezvous even without the 4lbs.

ste2010

Huntley wrote: »

As of two weeks ago Eamonn Leigh was very much of the opinion that McCoy wouldn't be on Jezki in March. It seems the odd racing journalist and writer knew something he didn't.

In any case, Jezki is totally held on every bit of form possible with three of the market principles. Unsurprisingly, there will be something better than him in the Champion Hurdle.

Kevin Blake also mentioned he heard McCoy was to go on jezki after Xmas races on final furlong podcast. Would be surprised either way. At least MTOY might have a chance

ste2010

hucklebuck wrote: »

I would love to see him there, he would murder Melodic Rendezvous even without the 4lbs.

It's amazing to think the first season you haven't been waxing lyrical about zarkandar and he goes and wins the world hurdle

jimjamcos

hucklebuck wrote: »

I would love to see him there, he would murder Melodic Rendezvous even without the 4lbs.

If he was to turn up (ground will be soft) I really think he'll put on a show and a distance between himself and MR! He'll be a 7-8/1 shot after IMO, if he runs. Here's hoping.

Gringo180

jimjamcos wrote: »

If he was to turn up (ground will be soft) I really think he'll put on a show and a distance between himself and MR! He'll be a 7-8/1 shot after IMO, if he runs. Here's hoping.

I'd be wary, Melodic Rendezvous will be on another planet to what he has ever faced before.

jimjamcos

Gringo180 wrote: »

I'd be wary, Melodic Rendezvous will be on another planet to what he has ever faced before.

Obviously. Proof will be in the pudding. Just hope it happens.

hucklebuck

Gringo180 wrote: »

I'd be wary, Melodic Rendezvous will be on another planet to what he has ever faced before.

No need to be wary, I will be having a smash. MR will see him for the last time with 1m3f to run...

mdwexford

People going way over the top about UDS and Annie Power at the moment.

Both have a lot of questions to answer and are unproven in championship races and both are too short in the betting for everything now.

hucklebuck

mdwexford wrote: »

People going way over the top about UDS and Annie Power at the moment.

Both have a lot of questions to answer and are unproven in championship races and both are too short in the betting for everything now.

I am a massive UDS fan and if he lines up in the Champion I would be astonished if he is not at least in the places, he looks to have one of those engines that hardly any are blessed with, to run the times he has run in small fields without being asked for an effort is incredible. Would love to see some of his sectionals if anyone could point me in the right direction. One thing that stands out to me is you know a horse is top class when they are devouring the ground without looking like they are going fast and this guy has it to my eye.

Annie Power looks a very very good mare, its hard to knock the manner in which she has beaten Zarkandar twice, he has solid form lines to TNO, Hurricane Fly, Rock on Ruby, Thousand Stars, Oscar Whiskey, Grandouet and Binocular, I probably missed a few too. To my mind it looks rock solid form. I would still send her to the World Hurdle if she was mine, I think she will prove to be one of the best mares ever and I think it would be madness throwing her into what looks the best CH lineup in many a year for her first trip to the festival and still improving.

jimjamcos

The performance Un De Sceaux put up at the Punchestown festival last season wasn't just good, it hinted at something a bit special. He absolutely pulled the head of himself the whole way round (Ruby gave up trying to settle him in the end) yet still beat a decent yardstick in Moscow Mannon a similar distance to which Annie Power beat the same horse a couple of months earlier, despite it being only his second start in Ireland and not coming of the bridle. He shouldn't have been able to finish that race the way he did given how headstrong he was. He's already showing signs of settling better this season and every time I see Annie Power bolt up against the likes of Zarkander, I think to myself, just how good is Un De Sceaux?

hucklebuck

At the risk of being jumped on, I am going to say it...

I think the makers of Sprinter Sacre's engine made a second one and gave it to UDS!

<Hucklebuck stands infront of a wall and puts on a blindfold>

jimjamcos

hucklebuck wrote: »

At the risk of being jumped on, I am going to say it...

I think the makers of Sprinter Sacre's engine made a second one and gave it to UDS!

<Hucklebuck stands infront of a wall and puts on a blindfold>

Ha, apparently Ruby was very bullish about him on Racinguk today or yesterday too. Prices for weekend: UDS 4/7, MR 15/8.

hucklebuck

jimjamcos wrote: »

Ha, apparently Ruby was very bullish about him on Racinguk today or yesterday too. Prices for weekend: UDS 4/7, MR 15/8.

Hadn't heard that, I have a really strong feeling that he is one of "those" horses.

jimjamcos

hucklebuck wrote: »

Hadn't heard that, I have a really strong feeling that he is one of "those" horses.

Just going by Lydia Hislops tweets about the Half Term Report show. Seems CF, BH and UDS were the three that she got a strong feeling about off him.

Panrich

If UDS puts up a big performance on Saturday then he has to be allowed to take his chance. There is no guarantee that he will be fit and healthy this time next year.

I'm sure if he was owned by Gigginstown, he would have been tested at a higher level already.
I'm not sure how much he will have learned by trashing poor opposition this season.

triggerharvey

uds will be crossing the winning line when melodic rendezvous is jumping the last down the back straight! melodic r would,nt win a champion hurdle if he was there on his own

Backstreet Moyes

Is UDS confirmed to go over to face Melodic Rendezvous yet or will we not know until tomorrow if he is heading over?

ste2010

He'll probably stay and take on imperial shabra and Aklan again

hucklebuck

ste2010 wrote: »

It's amazing to think the first season you haven't been waxing lyrical about zarkandar and he goes and wins the world hurdle

It's amazing to think that you think that Zarkandar will win the World Hurdle with Annie Power probably running!! :cool: