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Takes place next Sunday at Punchestown………..
https://www.racingpost.com/racecards/195/punchestown/2017-11-19/688245
All the talk, quite rightly, will be about Faugheen making his comeback here. One of the best hurdlers of recent times, though off the track for the best part of 2 years. If he’s good and well, he should go close, but at around 4-7, after a good time off, he can’t be bet at that price.
WPM has plenty of other options here, not least Cilaos Emery, Vroum Vroum Mag, and Melon, to name but 3. The one I’ve went for though, is Nichols Canyon.
He’s won the last 2 renewals, which would suggest to me there’s a good chance he could head here again. Although the large number of stablemates who are also entered, would suggest that this is a risky strategy, a multiple Grade 1 Winning Horse, defending the title he’s won for the last 2 seasons, will always appeal to me, and he looks too big at 25’s. Every chance he won’t go, and will make way for one of the young pretenders, but at that price, I’m willing to find out. Melon is far too big at 20’s as well, and I might just risk him as well, but for now, Nichols Canyon for me.
Of the outsiders, I do have a lot of time for Swamp Fox, and Top Ofthe Ra, but I suppose the race would have to cut up a bit first of all.
Nichols Canyon EW 25’s
Just a watching race for me if faugheen shows, wont bother with anything, not sure i feel melon is upto this nor cilaos emery, nichols canyon almost definitely priced this way as there thinking he will swerve this, which i think he will if faugheen comes
NC does look too big, Bobby although he’s in the Hatton’s Grace on Dec 3rd and Mullins said this in his ATR stable tour:
“He will go down the staying hurdle route. He might start off in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse or the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan”
Makes you wonder why he entered him if he’s that definite. I wonder if he’s going o give him a good blow in a pacemaking role? Wouldn’t be Mullins’s style though, would it?
Maybe NC entered as cover in case Faugheen doesn’t make it – I just hope Faugheen still retains all his old ability because if he does he is miles ahead of the current crop, in my opinion his injury problems have robbed us of seeing another triple champion hurdler.
I hope you’re right Bobby, great write up on Nichol’s Canyon and that would be a good result for my 10 to Follow.
I always have a little bet on all of my choices when they run so best of luck…Jac
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...It will be great to see the Machine back in action
hopefully it all goes well between now and then.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Yeah guys, there’s the obvious concern that he’ll go elsewhere, and the stable tour certainly suggests he will, and that’s even without considering the stables other contenders.
I just feel though, that at 25’s, it’s worth a small risk, and a small risk only. I actually think Melon looks arguably better value at 20’s, but NC has won this the last twice, and it hasn’t done him any harm, so if it ain’t broke, why fix it, and worth noting that he beat a fully fit Faugheen in it 2 years back. Not the kind of race I would go mad in anyway, and certainly not with a WPM horse, but happy to chance it.
Nichols Canyon not declared, and that leaves the field as…..
Campeador
Faugheen
Jezki
Swamp Fox
Vroum Vroum MagI’ll probably leave it alone now, though as I said, it was only a small go on NC, but still have an interest in Swamp Fox, as he’s in my Champion Hurdle “book”. All about Faugheen now though of course, and fascinating to see if everything is still in working order.
Thought when he was slashed he would thrn up vtc was 10/1 yest
Vvm over fences next month youd imagine shes been left in as a precautionary that faugheen goes wrong today or tomorrow
Finfers crossed he runs well! Could be a good sunday for me in regards to the ch if he shows! Just happy he is well though
Yeah, always had my doubts he would go Ham, but as the week progressed I had a feeling he would go, but not to be.
Not for 1 second do I think VVM is going to line up against Faugheen.
Campeador has everything to prove that he can compete in this class.
Jezki – I have always thought needs further than 2 miles to be at his best. Seems so odd to me to be watching the horse that had them great battles with hurricane fly, trying to cut it at a mile less, 2 years on.
Swamp Fox – had a long old season already, but would fancy him over the above two.
If Faugheen lines up, I suspect he wins and gets slashed in the champion hurdle market, which I will be quite happy with if it pushes others out as I suspect this will be quite a poor renewal.
Agree Tommy, this doesn’t look the best renewal. Jezki interesting as won very well on seasonal reappearance, though the ground probably magnified the winning margin.
I’m not quite in the Mark Winstanley ‘Campeador for the Champion Hurdle’ camp but I think he’ll win on Sunday.
The prices don’t quite look right to me. Faugheen needed his first runs at the best of times, let alone after a massive absence. Vroum Vroum Mag is running over the wrong trip. Jezki’s resurgent win felt like funky form at the time and has been let down since.
I really think this is a big opportunity for Campeador. Fitness is on his side and a high 150s effort may well be enough here.
Faugheen out to 8/11 is nearly backable for me personally, hes not going to run to 170 odd clearly, but mullins is capable of getting them ready at home and i wouldnt be surprised if he cantered round
I also wouldnt be surprised if he got pulled up though but hes almost at the price where id take the risk though
Im pretty heavily involved for the CH though so hopefully he shows some of his old spark so i can shift some timber on sunday night LOL
If not then hopefully he atleast makes the ch!Ricci was on Luck On Sunday last week and stated about Faugheen that ‘we kept him in the yard longer than the other horses before giving him a shorter break to stop him gaining all that weight and thus making it harder to get him back in shape and that practice has seemed to have worked’.
I think being ring rusty (rather than fitness) might play a bigger part in dertermining whether he can win the race, his jumping has always been prone to bungle the odd few hurdles even when at his best (the 2nd last in the Champion Hurdle a prime example) and that could count against him.
Truly a race to watch rather than bet on.
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