The problem with the phrase "you can only beat what is in front of you" is that it tends to be an excuse for the lack of quality and also an excuse for when a better horse comes along and smashes a horse such as Buveur D'air to pieces

Istabraq beat handicappers on the whole and even got beat by one in Pridwell at Aintree

You make it sound like The New One won 8 Grade 1's, He won 2 from 16 attempts, People for some reason seem to be hung up on one run in The New One's career and don''t want to hear in sheer denial that his career was full of crap races any average horse could win, The Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock was devoid of quality but payed well and that leads into the prize money arguement

He won a million pounds because he won shocking quality races

Why do you think he lost 14 grade 1's?

As for Laurina and your point about Maria's Benefit, You do know Maria's Benefit all but hit the deck last time out and suffered an injury don't you? Hence why she wont be back until next season and Cap Soleil is some handicapper if she has won 3 listed races,

Laurina is rated 155 not 160, But the handicapper doesnt really know what mark to give her as she keeps winning easy, She is easily 10bs higher than that and with a 7lbs Allowence at Cheltenham it will leave Nicky Henderson weeping into his cap when Buveur D'air gets murdered in March!!!!

The New One won a million pounds because he was tough and classy!

Willie put the handicapper Cut the Mustard in that race to spoil MB's chance. Laurina won't be afforded that luxury in the CH.

Cap Soleil won mares listed races which are basically decent handicaps.

160 was the racing post rating Laurina got after Sandown. For me she would have to be as good as the brilliant Annie Power to beat Buveur D'air and I just don't think she is. It sounds like you're very confident and you've had a good bet on her? Good luck with that.

I had my first Ante Post last week..... I've backed Faugheen for the stayers. I still think he has another big one in him and I'm certain he would have picked Apples Jade up last time out but for that crunching fall. I'm hoping the fall hasn't left a mark on him? He needs 3 miles these days and the stayers hurdles division isn't the strongest. Also he's getting on a bit but he's only had 20 races in his life so you could say he's still lightly raced I got a bit of 10s NRNB and I really think that's excellent value.

We will have to agree to disagree about The New One, I have never ever rated him!!

Faugheen is one of my Favourite horses, He for me is one of the best modern time Champion Hurdlers and was given the nickname "The Machine" because at his best he was just that, It was the first time he hit the deck on his last run but he has always had a slightly odd way of jumping, Clearly Faugheen has lost a lot of pace and i think anyone will agree with that statement

Would he of beaten Apple's Jade?, I tend not to venture into analysing races where a horse has fallen simply because you can go on forever and still never get a certain answer

As for his chances in the Stayers Hurdle, I hate to say it but i don't think he has much of a chance, Something just seems to have broken with Faugheen and even Willie Mullins the genius that he is could very well be close to calling it time with him

We can hark on about his bolt from the blue performance at Punchestown but that horse just didn't show up again on the runs after that and i would much prefer to go with Penhill

Penhill is a strange horse in the fact that he doesn't like to do his job much, I backed him last year to win the Stayers and he made me 2k, I know he has a lot to find with Faugheen on the Punchestown run but i have never truly felt that Penhill likes Punchestown, He seems to really come alive at Cheltenham, Two years running he has cruised into his race there and found plenty, The Stayers Division is still pretty weak and if the usual no run plan before the festival for Penhill goes well then i think he will go very close!!!

Faugheen 1 of the great champion hurdles. Nope not for me, he won 1 champion hurdle. Which included the not so good The New One, Arctic Fire is he any different to MTOY always seems to finish 2nd, an 11yo Hurricane Fly, Jezki but he's obviously not very good because he only beat MTOY's by a neck and The New One by 2 1/2. Bertimont, Kitten Rock and Vaniteux. My Point being its easy to pick faults in form now.

The New One was a good horse but for me he was running over the wrong trip, every jockey that got off him suggested running him over further but Nigel always knew better.

At this rate Peter we have never agree on anything!!!!, Lol

Gone in again on Faugheen at 8s NRNB. I have no doubt he would have picked up Apples Jade last time out but for falling. Now that horse is fav for the Champion Hurdle! At worse Faugheen would have been a close 2nd to her so hardly the sign of a horse who's "broken". He's always been a 3 miler for me and its just because he has such a great engine that they dropped him to 2 miles. Of course, he's getting on a bit and he's lost a bit of pace but he still has an engine (I will say it again, he WOULD have beat the CH fav LTO, have no doubt about that!)

I won't stop backing him right up to the Monday before Chelters, having a bit more on every few days, scattering it around a bit!

No bolt from the blue performance....recorded a better RPR rating than Penhill did when winning the Stayers, beat his own RPR rating for winning the CH.
Also when a novice over 2m5f at the Festival....a rating of 155 for a Novice. He's always wanted 3 miles!


6. Faugheen (IRE) 6/4F
R Walsh
W P Mullins
6 117 152 138 155 –
Prominent, tracked leader after 6th, not fluent next, led and mistake 3 out, drew clear before last, ridden out (tchd 13/8)