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Stepple: Could well be so but Mr Nicholls has stated that Zarkandar took a slight knock and that has put him behind the majority of his top horses!
Brampour will make em go and at the prices with so many other ifs and buts he looks a decent price to take a chance on.
Been a bit of money around for Zarkandar in the past week or so so expecting to see him out fairly soon.
Zark: According to Mr Nicholls you will not see Zarkandar out until Feb mate, one win and then off to Chelts again nice and fresh
Very strange betting going on then because Paddy Power shortened him yesterday from 12s to 10s, as have most bookies in the past week or so. Down to Hurricane Run’s injury/Binocular’s pathetic effort/Spirit Son not being out until next year, or just working well at Ditcheat? Rather silly just giving him the one run pre-Cheltenham I’d have thought. This isn’t the Triumph Hurdle, he’ll actually be up against good horses – good, fit horses. One run is not going to get him at 100%.
Just gone back and watched all of Grandouet’s UK runs again. This horse is more than capable of winning a Champion Hurdle. Just oozes class. Form working out well from last years races at Cheltenham and Aintree, think he will get there swinging on the bridle.
And then he’ll find sod all getting up the hill. He didn’t in the Triumph, a race that Nicky Henderson specialises in, so I’m not quite sure why he would now.
And then he’ll find sod all getting up the hill. He didn’t in the Triumph, a race that Nicky Henderson specialises in, so I’m not quite sure why he would now.
It seemed to happen with a lot of Henderson horses at Cheltenham last year, Spirit Son, Finians Rainbow did the same.
He was running on again before hitting the last hurdle at Cheltenham and lost momentum. It’s a game of opinions, and at 25s and 20s very pleased!
What camp are you in at this stage?
Well we all know who wins as long as he turns up. Can’t find anybody else I’m particularly mad on.
May well be Grandouet will come there on the bridle like he did in the Triumph. However at Aintree he looked to have the measure of Zakander before being brought down.
It may well be the hill is more than he can cope with but being a big rangy horse it’s more likely he just hadn’t filled out and wasn’t strong enough.
He looks a totally different animal this year far more like the finished article and we’ll find out in the Bula if he can cope or not.
Brings back memories of Binocular when they said he wouldn’t get up the hill because he failed to cope with it in the Supreme.
Horses do improve and strengthen up and while it could be a year to early for Grandouet he looks better than ever and until something beats him he remains my main hope for the Champion Hurdle.
I just watched the Triumph again and, oddly, what struck me was how fresh Zarkandar seemed after the race – still pulling and hauling with his jock and prancing as though the race hadn’t yet started.
Backed him straight after the Triumph last year and am thinking of going in again with a serious bet!
Well we all know who wins as long as he turns up. Can’t find anybody else I’m particularly mad on.
Can you trust him to turn up though? Ante post on alternatives then lump on THE FLY if and when he turns up.
JJM: Totally agree with your sentiments, although worth waiting for the NRNB, at least you get your stake back if glass legs shatter again
I am in the same camp as Steeple, Zarkandar looked very good in the Triumph and one horse i am not worried about is Grandouet. He may well have gone close or beaten Zarkandar at Aintree however Mr Nicholls has stated he wasn’t at his best at Aintree!
The horse that would worry me more is Thousand Stars (should HF not make it) as this is a serious horse over whatever distance they run it! Great race again and lots to discuss all the way up til the off
Grandouet found loads there…
Don’t think he jumped particularly well and he’s beaten a knackered horse, readily exposed at the very top level, and another 4yo who’s just come out of handicaps.
Could be very good at speed tracks, but at Cheltenham? No, absolutely not for me.
Edit – getting 4lbs from Overturn as well! Jesus. Utterly stunned today and yesterday by the drastic shortening of Sprinter Sacre, Join Together and Grandouet.
With all respect the mistake you are making with Grandouet is it would make no difference to him what was in front and around him he’ll still travel better than anything you care to mention.
The Champion Hurdle is run at an amazingly fast pace but you also have to adapt to pace changing and today that was the case here when Overturn tried to slip the field at the 2nd last. Barry had been forced wide and had to ask Grandouet to quicken to get back into the race which he did immediately, made up the ground and was straight back on the bridle again. The ability to do that has Champion Hurdle written all over it
Grandouet has everything needed to win a Champion Hurdle as of course does Hurricane fly. The big question for Grandouet today "Would he get up the hill?" was well and truly answered, so I see no reason to be knocking him..
tbh I’m surprised Grandouet is still as big a price I would have made him around 4/1-9/2 to put the ew punters off. At least until we see what happens with either Binocular, Zarkander or Spirit Son over the next 6 weeks
Menorah was either made fav or vying for favouritism for winning the same race last year which I would say no where near as good.
The main reasons are Hurricane Fly which is a major, major, factor plus Grandouet hasn’t been regarded as Nicky Henderson’s number 3 all winter and it’s a hard pill to swallow that he might just be better than Binocular and Spirit Son.
For me he’s earned his place as 2nd favourite and util something else shows the form he has he is in his rightful position.
I can’t see anything getting Grandouet off the bridle before the last in the Champion Hurdle, he’s an amazing traveller so if Zakander is so fast he can beat Grandouet again by 5 lengths from the last I’d hate to have backed Hurricane Fly.
The International played out exactly as I thought it would (posted on other thread) and Barry rode the absolute perfect race. One thing crucial to the horse imo, is a strong pace and tow into the race. I was hoping Barry would wait and not kick on because I don’t think he does much in front and he did exactly that. In the Triumph he was left in front too soon and had nothing to aim at. I don’t buy into the arguments that he just couldn’t see out the trip. Zarkandar backers will no doubt be excited but you can’t take that form at face value.
Even though I’ve backed him for the CH, he still needs to improve to win which he’s perfectly capable of doing.
What I can’t help thinking when I watch him though, is what a chaser he’d make. I know the plan was to go chasing after Punchestown. He doesn’t look a hurdler, and doesn’t jump like a hurdler. HF is the exact opposite, and he’s still clearly the biggest danger with Zark and Spirit Son yet to play their hands, and Binocular looking exposed.
The whole race revolves around the participation of Hurricane Fly.
Grandouet will no doubt be on the bridle turning in but we all know what happened Go Native when he and Hurricane Fly both came to the last at Leopardstown on the bridle: he was left for dead.
I can’t see how he can beat Hurricane Fly to be honest. It would be a brave man to say he has more speed, and I doubt he stays as well. How do you beat the horse who travels as well as you, jumps impeccably, has more speed than you and stays better? With a stick? (Only 8 times mind).
However, Hurdygurdyman is right that with Hurricane Fly in the race he is rightfully second favorite. He’s been mighty impressive this season and looks to have improved bundles. The onus is now on Spirit Son and Zarkandar to come out and show they’ve done the same. Until then Grandouet is the obvious challenger to the title of Champion Hurdler. If Hurricane Fly misses the race though, I’d think Thousand Stars would be the one to beat.
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