WORLD HURDLE 2015 Initial Thoughts

With BIG BUCKS having given his best it is good-bye to a true champion, although he often went off at bigger odds than he really should of and in hindsight should have been the subject of much bigger wagers then he was from this quarter. Going into the race I was caught up in the BIG BUCKS v ANNIE POWER debate and was firmly in the ANNIE POWER camp. As should always be regarded as a very loud warning signal I was feeling quite smug having got 3/1 NRNB about the mare. I was pretty sure she would beat Big Bucks and did not think At Fishers Cross was quite good enough. I did not consider MORE OF THAT a real challenger as the stable had been talking down his participation for reasons of his inexperience and with only 4 races behind him I fully agreed, (the previous 14 champions had at least 6 hurdle races behind them). On top of that Tony McCoy had nailed his colours to JP's more proven stayer AT FISHERS CROSS. Not for the first time that week Barry Geraghty rode Tony's reject and JP's second string to victory, but this time I had no money on him! MORE OF THAT can only improve and it is difficlt to see what can trouble him if he gets there fit and well next year. Solwhit won a below average renewal in 2013, and Willie Mullins accepted that Annie Power was beaten by a better horse. Once again I am sure Willie Mullins will have a number of possible younger horses coming through that he may target at this race but as I have no idea who they might be, (Briar Hill?), I will watch the market with interest. WHISPER won the Coral cup at the festival and went on to beat AT FISHERS CROSS and Zarkandar at Aintree, putting him within 5lbs of MORE OF THAT and although more exposed than More of That has to be on any shortlist being a proven festival performer. The World Hurdle has some pretty clear trial races and I will be watching these for any new challengers or any of those named showing improved form. These races include LONG DISTANCE HURDLE, Newbury November, THE LONG WALK HURDLE Ascot December, and CLEEVE HURDLE Cheltenham January MORE OF THAT WHISPER AT FISHERS CROSS WILLIE MULLINS SELECTED