Rachel Dowley | Contributing writer
Thursday’s feature, the Ladbroke’s World Hurdle, is without the early market leader Big Bucks. Connections of the four time victor had hoped to see him make it five in a row, but it now looks likely that either Reve de Sivola, who currently leads the betting, or Oscar Whisky will be first up the hill. The former, running for Nick William’s stable, shows exceptional acceleration for a staying hurdler and is in good form having won three grade ones over the three mile distance this season. These victories leave the punters in no doubt that he can stay the trip, which cannot be said for his ante post rival, Oscar Whisky. Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty have been defending him at numerous preview nights in the run up to this week’s festival, and only time will tell if their faith is well placed.
Other entrants worth keeping in mind include Quevega and Smad Place. The Alan King trained Smad Place is in good form, according to King’s injured stable jockey Choc Thornton, and was third in this race last year. He doesn’t like heavy ground, but is better when the going is good to soft, which is looking likely. At around 15/1, he looks like a good each way prospect. Quevega will only run in this race if circumstances prevent her from making another attempt on the David Nicholson Mare’s Hurdle, but should that occur she would give the market leaders a run for their money, and might be a worth a “no runner, no bet”.
The other grade one contest on Thursday is the two mile five furlong Ryanair Chase, for which the Mouse Morris trained First Lieutenant, leads the betting. Speaking at a preview night last week, jockey Davy Russell says he will run if there is sufficient rain. Champion Chase entrant Sizing Europe is also entered in this, and although Henry de Bromhead said he was leaning towards the race this horse won in 2011 in the preview at Westmanstown Centre, he remains undecided. Last year’s victor Riverside Theatre is aiming to defend his title for trainer of the moment Nicky Henderson, while many of the commentators, including Jessica Harrington, look no further than Colin Tizzard’s contestant Cue Card, who is still available at odds of 7/2.
Nicky Henderson can look forward to another strong contender on Thursday’s card, in the form of Captain Conan in the first race of the day, the Jewson Novices Chase. Jockey Barry Geraghty was very positive about him at the preview in the Louis Fitzgerald hotel, and says he didn’t show his form on his last outing.
Paul Nicholl’s prospects for the coming festival are looking decidedly weaker than previous years, but the favourite for the Pertemps Final handicap hurdle, Sam Winner, is one to watch from his yard. Both Ruby Walsh and Dan Skelton are optimistic about the chances of this serious juvenile hurdler. An Irish raider, in the form of Holywell from Jonjo O Neill’s yard, is also looking good for this, having finished second three times this season, at Aintree, Haydock and Warwick. The bookies normally come off better than the punters in this race, with every winner since 2003 being priced in double figures, so with current odds of 14/1 on offer, Holywell could be a good bet.
Ballynagour is currently leading the market for the grade three Byrne Group Plate. Trainer David Pipe won this race last year with Salut Flo, so will be looking to make it a double, and to say the horse looked impressive when winning by nineteen lengths at Warwick last month is an understatement. Hunt Ball is close behind Ballynagour in the betting, at odds of 6/1, and he has plenty of Cheltenham experience having won here last year. While it would be a popular victory both for the horse and for his dairy farmer owner Anthony Knott, this is another race that doesn’t favour short-priced runners, with last year’s winner running at 18/1. Walkon, from Alan King’s stable is an interesting prospect, currently priced at 12/1 with Paddy Power, and having had two good runs around Cheltenham before Christmas.
Donald McCain’s Super Duty is the favourite for the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, a race for amateur riders over a distance of three mile and one furlong, while the final race of the day is the St. Patrick’s Derby. A charity race run on the flat, it is contested by Irish and English riders, and has raised over £650,000 for Cancer Research UK in the last two years. Irish challenger Grainne Loughnane has the ride on Newmill, a veteran of Cheltenham who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2006. On the English side, Andrew Croskery, a member of Paul Nicholls team, is looking forward to raising money for Cancer Research, having recovered from cancer of the salivary gland himself.
