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Not been too much posted about this race so I thought I’d get it going and show you my madness – let the Daylight bashing begin!!!<br>Sure not to be popular with my views but it would be boring if we all agreed so he’s my views and it would be nice to hear your views.
CHAMPION HURDLE REVIEW
Rhinestone Cowboy 9/4<br>A complete over-hyped horse since his bumper second last year, yes he travels well on the bridle and can quicken but he’s beat bugger-all! Him being favorite is ridiculous and I have been laying him as he WILL drift come Tuesday as the punters with the real big bucks will not put their money on hype horses. I will be very surprised if this one wins and even more so if around the 2/1 mark.<br>One to Lay
Intersky Falcon 7/2<br>Has improved big-time this year and unbeaten this NH season. His form lines with beating In Contrast 11.5 lengths who was also on his seasonal debut and beating Marble Arch (last years runner-up) on MA’s seasonal debut is muddling but he’s beat everything put in front of him impressively. His last race was the one that confirmed his quality for me with a victory after looking beat with some guts to pull back the lead in a field where no excuses could be made for previous Champion Hurdle runners. He’s never tackled Cheltenham and this is the concern for me as it’s a specialist course wouldn’t want to back it at his current price but I wouldn’t discount him as he has proven he has guts. <br>One to watch.
Rooster Booster 6/1<br>A handicapper who has stepped up, renown prior to this season as a horse not capable of going through with it. Only real class horses win the Champion Hurdle aged 9 and I don’t think Rooster has the class. That said he goes well at Cheltenham and will get his ground but surely at place at best is on the cards even though it’s not a real classy field?<br>One to Lay
Like-A-Butterfly 7/1<br>Won last years Supreme Novices and raised the roof, she has the mares allowance and has a huge heart. She’ll go on the course but will need to get her toe in to be fully effective which is always doubtful at Cheltenham. She reportedly won last years SN being "over the top" and she comes here much fresher this year. I think she has a chance of a place and should it rain in sheets between now and Tuesday she would be my main bet.<br>Going = Soft: One to Bet<br>Going = Good (GS in places): One to Watch
<br>Flame Creek 14/1<br>Been running well and Noel Chances likely only festival runner, ran well on New Years day at Cheltenham in heavy ground and is certainly open to improvement from his 3 wins. Trainer is confident the faster the ground the better but HAS to improve so you bet this one more in hope than in reality.<br>One to Avoid.
Hors La Loi III 16/1<br>Bound to run better than everyone expects as he does well at Cheltenham and won the Champion Hurdle last year but has shown hardly anything this year. Definitely capable but 16/1 looks a fair price, you bet him it’s a gamble but it’s not a stupid one!<br>One to include in the Placepot!
<br>Landing Light 18/1<br>Is found wanting and runs in patches, ran well enough last time in a 2.5 length beating by Rooster Booster but always looked beat despite getting a 4Lb turnaround in the Champion Hurdle. The race is sure to be a truly run race and that means his lapse of concentration will cost him dear.<br>One to Avoid
Marble Arch 20/1<br>Needs a true pace and will get it Tuesday! Hasn’t set the world on fire but rarely gets the race run to suit. 20/1 on last years runner up is a very big price and very tempting!<br>One to Bet
<br>Copeland 33/1<br>Has improved considerably but nowhere near good enough surely out of handicaps!<br>Avoid
In Contrast 33/1<br>Poor form this season and liable to a mistake which will cost him any chance if anywhere near good enough which I doubt.<br>Avoid
Santenay 33/1<br>Ran Intersky Falcon to 3 lengths and looked the winner until IF dug deep, this horse has improved considerably and looks over-priced at 33’s, another type where you back him your hoping he’s improved considerably but at 33’s I think it’s worth a small investment as the race in question was run at a true pace!<br>One to Back to small stakes
Westender 33/1<br>A good horse but not a classy horse, should be found out at this level.<br>One to Avoid
Scottish Memories 40/1<br>Like the Scottish football team, should struggle to make it to the 2nd round!<br>One to Avoid
Scolardy 50/1<br>Last years Truimph Hurdle winner but has only had one run this year and that was disappointing by all accounts, unless that was an off day it’s hard to fancy him or make a case for him although the bookies are undecided as the prices available on him range from 16/1 to 50/1<br>One to Watch
Bob What 100/1<br>Flattered by 1.5 length beating of Intersky Falcon on his seasonal debut on ground ideal faster ground for Bob but never the less ran IF close enough and has form in the book, 100/1 looks unfair and hugely over-priced. That said however that one run is the only reason why this horse is entered maybe worth a silly £2 place bet on the Tote!<br>Very small place bet.
Holy Orders 100/1<br>Good horse on the flat but has done nowhere near enough to justify running in this race!<br>Avoid
<br>My thoughts<br>Intersky Falcon appears to be the horse they’ll all have to beat in what looks a pretty poor quality Champion Hurdle and is certainly capable of running these all into the ground! there is little value in the market leaders that all have many questions to answer so I’m going to be placing a big bet on Like a Butterfly if it comes up soft (but so will the whole of Ireland) but realistically the ground is going to be faster so as I’ve missed the good prices on Intersky I’m going for a few longer priced animals who can hopefully fill a few places!
My Sunday night bets:
Hors La Loi III, 2pt win @ 16/1<br>Marble Arch, 2pts Each Way @ 20/1<br>Santenay, 1pt Each Way @ 33/1<br>Bob What, 1pt place @ 100/1
Nice stuff there DL but you look in trouble now seeing that Ian has agreed with you :biggrin:
I can understand why you want to oppose Rhinestone Cowboy but I for one hope he waltz’s in and goes on to become a massive performer for years to come, I know he hasn’t beaten much but his last run was very decent and you can only beat what’s in front of you, if "Cowboy" does drift to around the 3/1 mark then I’ll be on but any less and I’ll have an e/w interest on Landing Light who is better than this seasons form figures suggest.
Hmm.  Not so far different from my own views, except:
Rhinestone Cowboy<br>Could be the best thing since Sliced Bread (aka Istabraq!).  Not confident that he has enough experience, though, and would probably steer clear this time around
Like a Butterfly<br>Sorry, don’t fancy this one at all.
Marble Arch<br>I may be completely bonkers (in fact, there are those who would say I definitely am) but I don’t think MA really, really stays up the Cheltenham hill.  I think there are others that will come past him …
Scolardy<br>Don’t think this one has trained on plus I would still treat anything from the Willie Mullins stable with caution.
I do like Intersky Falcon, don’t like Rooster Booster, think Hors La Loi III will run his best race of the season and agree that Bob What is worth a silly bet, if he runs!
Finally, this could be the crappiest Champion Hurdle in the history of the Universe, or it could turn out to be a real humdinger!
Oh – and I’m not going to make this race the first one I bet on …..
Would that be the last race on wednesday tete?, or are you waiting till Thursday!
Alongside Kingscliff, Rhinestone Cowboy must be the lay of the meeting, has not been tested and I not sure it’ll find much when off the bridle.
I’ll be on Rooster Booster and might have a little each way on Westender
Two horse race for me ,Rhinstone Cowboy and Rooster Booster…..The cowboy yet to face a tough race….The Rooster left it late but knows a fight when he see’s one,Rhinstone for me a lot of potential over experience this time.
Thanks for that, TDK – I shall watch with interest!
Have to say, I certainly wouldn’t ever have labelled him as a dog – I thought he ran a cracking race in last year’s CH.
:laugh: @ form-book judge, Ian, I don’t only go by the form book you know, and who cares if pro punters don’t back Cowboy? you could be made to look very silly after the race as I feel we could have a superstar on our hands but I don’t really need to bet to find that out, racing isn’t all about betting in my opinion and it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest if every pro punter doesn’t bet Cowboy and he bolts in. ;)
TDK, I got a "tip" for Marble Arch in last year race and was on at 40/1 e/w therefor if I hear anything else on this fellow then I’ll post accordingly.
With luck we should get a pointer to the Rhinestone Cowboy form in the Supreme Novices …
I’m not contemplating defeat for Intersky Falcon.<br>*The best horse on form this season.<br>*Will stay up the hill (note battling performances in the Swinton & Christmas hurdles).<br>*Has superb tactical pace which will get him out of trouble and is a necessity at Cheltenham on any ground better than soft. This is significant as only 3 other horses in the field possess a similar attribute in my eyes (The Cowboy, Flame Creek & Marble Arch).<br>*If the Falcon would have run in last years race, he’d have won easily on this year’s form.
7-2/4-1 is a steal;) <br>Lets get it on
Can’t wear your dismissal of Flame Creek and Landing Light, Jim lad; the former, on the basis that Chance seems to be a wizard and 2 points shorter than Hors La Loi seems very suspicious; and Landing Light on the speed he’s shown in the past – according to the RP ratings, the highest of all of them. My own 2 against the field are the Outlaw III and Landing Light.
Jockeys make the worst tipsters but hopefully now I’m an ex-jockey things might get better :biggrin:
1st. Intersky Falcon<br> 2nd. Flame Creek<br> 3rd. Santenay
Interesting write up Daylight, I will be very surpriseed if the race winner is trained by anyone other than Jonjo O’Neill, Intersky Falcon is my choice, but if he doesn’t win I believe Rhinestone Cowboy will. I agree about an outsider having place opportunities as both Like A Butterfly and Rooster Booster, seem bad value to me.
One name you have dismissed that I will throw into the hat is Copeland, this horse defeated Rooster Booster twice last season, giving weight away both times and also defeated Intersky Falcon albeit slightly fortunately. At projected odds of around 33-1 he is definitely interesting, admittedtly backing horses on what they have acheved in the past is a route to the poor house, but if anywhere near that form he Is a screaming good EW bet, I am willing to take that risk. Also do the followers of Rooster Booster think that 100-1 Self Defense (not a spelling mistake by me it’s how it’s spelt:) ) is a good price after all the Rooster only just beat this one last time yet is about 93 points shorter :confused: not a selection from me just an interesting side issue. As a safe EW bet I will put up Marble Arch, 20-1 seems very fair to me as he has not had a race to suit or the going to suit all season he will get that here and I expect he can place again.
One final thought, why is Iberus still declared in the race, does Mr Pipe know something no one else seems to know.
Beax
(Edited by beaker at 1:01 pm on Mar. 10, 2003)
this race belongs to one horse the rhinestone cowboy
they are playing for places to which several enter calculations possibly flame creek,rooster booster and copeland
Flame Creek has th e pace to stay up with them early and to scoot away up the hill,has already won at cheltenham and is unbeaten .<br>1.Flame Creek<br>2.Marble Arch<br>3.Landing Light
This is the best champion hurdle I can remember lol
1. Intersky Falcon<br>2. Like a Butterfly<br>3. Copeland
Like A Butterfly is my pick for the race. A bit of cut in the ground would obviously play more to her liking. I am not over confident, but she is my chioce. I am confident of her running a big race though and she is a sound chioce for my place-pot. I agree with Daylight on Rhinestone Cowboy, i just could not back this horse. He has looked the buisness to date, but i think this is to much to ask of him. Could run a sound race but i dont see him finishing in the first three.
:laugh: @ RichK
You could be right though! There may not be any superstars (like Istabraq) lining up…..yet. But don’t forget there are four winners from last year’s festival in this race (Hors La Loi, Rooster Booster, Scolardy & Like a Butterfly), & another four that were placed at last year’s festial (Rhinestone Cowboy, Westender, In Contrast & Marble Arch). It has certainly got relative strength in depth.
I feel a bit sorry for Intersky Falcon. He’s a brave horse, but he’s going to have to be some horse to get RB, RC & LAB all off the bridle during the race, & then there’s him getting home? I can’t see him winning.
Flame Creek surely can’t win either. He’s got to improve even to beat horses like Westender & In Contrast.
My feeling is Rhinestone Cowboy is the one. Beating Hors La Loi by any easy 15l at Wincanton (a race in which HLL has a cracking record) looks good enough to win this to me. I wouldn’t have minded backing him at 66/1, but won’t be backing him at 2/1.
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