The Betfair Handicap Hurdle will be the centre piece of an excellent card at Newbury on Saturday 11th February, weather permitting. This race started off as the Schweppes Gold Trophy and was first run in 1963 at Liverpool. There were 41 runners that day on the tight Liverpool hurdle circuit. At the second flight Stan Mellor…
The BHP Insurance Champion Hurdle will be run this Sunday at Leopardstown in Ireland. A small select field will go to post with Hurricane Fly (pictured) a very warm favourite to add to his Grade 1 successes this season. He has put Solwhit in his place already this season and might have most to fear from…
Day 4 of the Punchestown Festival has the Rabobank Champion Hurdle as the centre piece at 17.30 pm this evening. Punjabi just got home at Cheltenham and is fancied to win here. The forgotton horse is Sizing Europe (pictured) who has had his training problems. His trainer, Henry de Bromhead, states “the horse to be…
Day 3 of the Punchestown Festival has the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle run over 3 miles as the feature race at 17.30 pm this evening. This will be a slog in the the heavy ground and might well suit Brave Inca (pictured) who will be running over the distance for only the second time. He…
Cheltenham’s loss to the racing last Saturday is now Ascot’s gain with them being able to stage the Boylesports International Hurdle and add it to an already excellent card. Binocular (pictured) was antepost favourite to win at Cheltenham and with only four other runners tomorrow, including Katchit, he still looks to have a favourites chance…
Unfortunately I will not be able to get across to Ireland for the Punchestown Festival this year. The Irish hospitality is brillant and the atmosphere is terrific. The entrance fees to the course are much more realistic than the fancy prices at Cheltenham.The race of the meeting looks to be the three mile Champion Stayers…
With Macs Joy a non runner the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle looks as though it will be fought out by the three market leaders. On the softish ground the winner will need to stay two and half miles. For me it is a race to watch and enjoy and not bet on. I do not think…
Macs Joy has dropped out of Cheltenham Champion Hurdle with a pulled muscle so the ante-post bet has been lost. I will now wait until Monday evening to see the state of the going before making another selection. There does not seem to be a great deal of value at the moment.
Now that all the trials have taken place and having listened to the trainers and jockeys opinions it would seem that the favourite Detroit City has the top three Irish Hurdlers to beat.The Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last April could hold the key where Macs Joy beat Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace. If you discount…
