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I think mullins will wait and see how state man and Lossiemouth do at the drf. If they don’t impress anzadam, probably will be in the champion hurdle. He may need another year to strengthen up but I hope he goes to the champion hurdle. You can never second guess mullins though so it’s just a case of wait and see.
Madness not to run him in the Champion hurdle imo. 5yo’s are perfectly capable of winning it if good enough.
I’m still pissed at him for not running Un De Sceaux back in 2014. He was 6yo at the time and absolutely destroying fields. I think he’d have blitzed them that year (Make A Stand style) and honestly believe Mullins didn’t run him to give his precious Hurricane Fly a better shot at the 3rd Champion Hurdle.
Was any reason given for State Man no show last time ? , while I want Lossiemouth to run champion I get the feeling it’ll be the mares , Mullins as usual being as clear as a muddy puddle on a foggy night , he’s a terrific trainer but we are getting the usual festival shenanigans
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Agree GM23, Annie Power was also rerouted to the stayers, to give The Fly a better chance. Would have been close between Annie and UDS
The weekend has emphasised that ther are too many graded races. Good horse need to be incentivised to run against each other or take part in handicaps. Arkle, Dessie, Monsfield, Night Nurse, all built their legend by shouldering big weights in handicaps.
I think the problem in this division is there aren’t any good horses in the context of a Grade 1 or Grade 2 bar those trained by either Henderson or Mullins, Brighterdaysahead an exception. Making it a handicap (it would be a limited handicap probably fwiw) wouldn’t make much difference when there simply isn’t the horse population in the UK at 2m over hurdles. You can speculate why but a big factor is probably the presence of too many in the same owner or trainer setup which makes them look at the novice chase scene instead (Sir Gino, Majborough, Ballyburn etc).
This race has moved from the December meeting, to ‘Trials Day’ to try to get better fields…….
As already said, the simple fact is there aren’t very many decent 2m hurdlers around. The top novices are going straight to fences, and what’s left tend to be too slow…..
Decent Flat horses are no longer being tried; apart from the Gredley’s who I hope will be rewarded for having a go.
Anything half decent from flat is now hoovered up for good money by Australia , Middle East or Hong Kong so that leaves mimimal numbers of good level horses go from flat to hurdles .
“Frightening”…. Looked like a normal peace of work. Just too many superlatives surrounding daily routine.
Compared to how his last Kempton gallop went this was clearly very welcomed by connections but lets not go too crazy about it because both his workmates are currently rated 126, so you would be rather worried and looking for the panic button if he didn’t do exactly what he did do to them today.
” lets not go too crazy about it because both his workmates are currently rated 126, so you would be rather worried and looking for the panic button if he didn’t do exactly what he did do to them today.”
Aston Martini and That’s Nice probably going to take a while to get over today if they were carrying 13st each
but it doesn’t matter as Aston Martini is too low get into the Martin Pipe for which she is entered, and That’s Nice was considered too slow to get an entry the mares’ novice at the festival.They were going to work him with Mister Coffey but having tried MC over every type of fence and failing to break his chase maiden to give his trainer a first Grand National, and suffering a gallant defeat over the XC fences, they were probably afraid of him gaining his first win in nearly four and a half years against wonder boy on the Kempton sand.
Just a few scary/terrifying/pertrifying/ trouser soiling hops over some schooling hurdles next week and we’re nearly there. Thankfully.
Brighterdaysahead to take on Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle, Gordon Elliot has told the Racing Post, this morning.
It shouldn’t even be a story; the top 2m hurdlers have one aim in March – The Champion Hurdle. That there is so much discussion about which race she takes part in tells us everything wrong with the current programme.
The Mares Hurdle should be held at another time so they can run in both.
but it doesn’t matter as Aston Martini is too low get into the Martin Pipe for which she is entered, and That’s Nice was considered too slow to get an entry the mares’ novice at the festival.
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