Forum Replies Created
- Posts
Darlan is a completely false price compared to what he has achieved. He will have no chance whatsoever against an in form Hurricane Fly.
It wouldn’t surprise me if McCoy rides Binocular instead anyway, as after his schooling session behind Hurricane Fly the other day, and gets another run beforehand, he will be much more of champion hurdle horse come March than Darlan will be. I reckon you will be able to get 10/1 or bigger about Darlan come the day if McCoy deserts him.
Grandouet and Zarkandar are both the same price yet Zarkandar has beaten him twice at Cheltenham. Zarkandar (not quite right) was behind Rock on Ruby, (Hurricane Fly probably not quite right either) give mixed formlines all over the place. Binocular beat Rock on Ruby in the Christmas hurdle also.
My assumption on the big race is that it will probably be fought out by the three previous champions.No doubt Darlan will hose up now!!
I like Petit Robin for the Grand Annual too. What would his chase mark be after such a lay off? Obviously has done well over hurdles this year, but his chase mark must be a lot lower than his current hurdles rating…
With the champion hurdle, I think it’s very much stick with the proven, and stick with horses who come back time and again. Istabraq, Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca etc etc… Sadly for race fans, the two previous winners who hadn’t previously clashed in the big race, forgot there were other horses in the race. Again back to Walsh and McCoy not being at their best. Binocular won in 2010 with no Hurricane Fly. Hurricane Fly won in 2011 with no Binocular. Last year should have seen the two of them fighting it out, yet were both ridden poorly, and perhaps Hurricane Fly wasn’t at his best. As Hurricane Fly is favourite again this year, I can see him being bang there, but again, at the prices, Binocular surely will be bang there as well, and represents better value. Wouldn’t surprise me if this was the forecast, with Rock on Ruby another champion back in third.
Roll on March!After looking at last year’s race a few times now, I think the one to take from it has to be Binocular. Some may think I’m mad, but he had already beaten Rock On Ruby in the Christmas hurdle, albeit only just. Then in the CH itself, I think we saw two of the worst rides we’ve seem from the two best jump jockeys of all time in Walsh and McCoy. Walsh thought he was on the best horse in the race and would win easily, yet let the winner slip too far out. And it was plainly obvious that McCoy’s thoughts were to shadow Hurricane Fly throughout and pounce late. They both got it terribly wrong on the day. Coming to the last they still had loads of ground to make up, and if Binocular hadn’t smashed through the last hurdle he may well have got a lot closer to the winner than the four lengths imply. If Binocular is ridden more positively or in similar fashion to when he won the race back in 2010, he must have a major chance of confirming the form with Rock on Ruby from the Christmas hurdle. With ROR a general 8/1 – 9/1 chance,and many think he can win again, the 25/1 I took on Binocular has to be the value call. (Now 20/1) Obviously with a couple of new faces on the block in Darlan and Grandouet you can’t be sure, but looking back on the runners from last year, I’m certain at the prices, he has to be the value. McCoy has stated he won’t choose between Darlan and Binocular until two days before the race, so he clearly feels the horse still has ability, and the trainer also thinks he still has a champion hurdle left in him. Looking forward to the race!
After looking at last year’s race a few times now, I think the one to take from it has to be Binocular. Some may think I’m mad, but he had already beaten Rock On Ruby in the Christmas hurdle, albeit only just. Then in the CH itself, I think we saw two of the worst rides we’ve seem from the two best jump jockeys of all time in Walsh and McCoy. Walsh thought he was on the best horse in the race and would win easily, yet let the winner slip too far out. And it was plainly obvious that McCoy’s thoughts were to shadow Hurricane Fly throughout and pounce late. They both got it terribly wrong on the day. Coming to the last they still had loads of ground to make up, and if Binocular hadn’t smashed through the last hurdle he may well have got a lot closer to the winner than the four lengths imply. If Binocular is ridden more positively or in similar fashion to when he won the race back in 2010, he must have a major chance of confirming the form with Rock on Ruby from the Christmas hurdle. With ROR a general 8/1 – 9/1 chance,and many think he can win again, the 25/1 I took on Binocular has to be the value call. (Now 20/1) Obviously with a couple of new faces on the block in Darlan and Grandouet you can’t be sure, but looking back on the runners from last year, I’m certain at the prices, he has to be the value. McCoy has stated he won’t choose between Darlan and Binocular until two days before the race, so he clearly feels the horse still has ability, and the trainer also thinks he still has a champion hurdle left in him. Looking forward to the race!
