*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost costs which implies that in case your choice doesn’t run within the race for no matter cause – you’ll lose your stake underneath conventional Antepost guidelines
Paddy Energy Media’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’ is again as host Tom Nugent picks the brains of the Cheltenham Pageant’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh and well-known journalist and broadcaster Rory Delargy.
On the primary of this yr’s sequence, the gang have appeared on the Champion Hurdle forward of the 2025 Cheltenham Pageant.
Lossiemouth hasn’t finished a complete pile because the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton (when overwhelmed by Structure Hill) and neither has State Man since he was overwhelmed by Brighterdaysahead at Leopardstown.
We’re solely about two weeks after these occasions. They’re each again using out, each appear nice and there’s not a trouble on them.
Lossiemouth simply received an training – that’s what it appeared prefer to me. They jumped and went off rapidly within the Christmas Hurdle. She’s been sauntering as much as the primary hurdle in a few races in Eire over an extended journey however at Kempton, they simply received her on the backfoot from the phrase go.
I believed she jumped the primary very excessive which is in contrast to her and Paul Townend was actually having to roust her alongside away from the stands to leap the third and fourth hurdle. She received on their tails on the third final purely as a result of Burdett Highway in entrance slowed down and Structure Hill was sat in behind him.
They left her once more off the bend however she did hold plugging away behind them. She has to enhance. That run has to have sharpened her up and enhance her. Nonetheless, I don’t essentially know if it should?
Add in King Of Kingsfield going alongside up entrance like he did at Leopardstown and also you’ll have Burdett Highway piling it on from the entrance within the Champion Hurdle too. It may very well be a very strongly-run race.
Lossiemouth should have learnt loads from her Kempton run to make her aggressive within the Champion Hurdle.
Structure Hill
I believed he was excellent when profitable at Kempton. I don’t essentially agree with the proportion figures which can be trotted out that he was 80 per cent or 85 per cent match as nowadays, horses are a lot nearer to a 100 per cent match once they run. However they’re nonetheless not 100 per cent ‘match match’ as with out match apply you possibly can’t be.
Structure Hill could have improved for that first outing shortly, however what he confirmed you thru the primary 14 furlongs was all of the previous Structure Hill stays. The best way he travelled, the best way he jumped, the swagger he had. Now, he didn’t open up then and go and win 12 lengths like he used to – however he was entitled to wish the run slightly bit.
Burdett Highway was onerous match from working on the Flat and after a superb win within the Greatwood Hurdle. Lossiemouth gained the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle however he nonetheless received away from them and nonetheless beat them.
I liked what I noticed.
I simply liked the best way he travelled, there was a superb, even, tempo. I don’t for one minute assume that it was a break-neck gallop, I believed it was a superb strong even gallop and I liked what you noticed about him. He had the proper vibe, hadn’t he?
State Man
You may take the positives out of Lossiemouth’s run at Kempton in that she did hold making an attempt to carry on to the again of them – but it surely took State Man without end to get by King Of Kingsfield. And he nonetheless couldn’t repel Winter Fog.
I do know State Man did attempt to observe or go after the 2 entrance runners mid-race down the again straight and Paul Townend was making an attempt to press to shut the hole – however he was loads nearer to the entrance two going to the second final hurdle, than he was going to the final.
State Man fell in a gap but it surely was a really disappointing efficiency. Each horse is entitled to 1 off day however that was actually off.
Brighterdaysahead
Is Cheltenham is much sufficient away for Gordon Elliott’s mare to get well from her exertions – it undoubtedly is and he or she undoubtedly might. To do it once more on the Dublin Racing Pageant (DRF) can be onerous although.
It was an enormous efficiency, enormous, to win the best way she did at Leopardstown. Galopin Des Champs put in an enormous efficiency at Christmas 2023 however wasn’t pretty much as good on the DRF final yr. Now, he nonetheless gained and he went and gained the Gold Cup however these ‘blow your thoughts’ performances, horses solely have a type of of them a season.
So Brighterdaysahead should have her runs spaced out to place in a repeat efficiency.
My 1-2-3 for the Champion Hurdle:
Structure Hill, Lossiemouth & Brighterdaysahead
*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost costs which implies that in case your choice doesn’t run within the race for no matter cause – you’ll lose your stake underneath conventional Antepost guidelines
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