Festival trials

The definitive performances on the first official Cheltenham trials day (26th January) came from two horses already hotly fancied to win their respective Festival targets.

Firstly, Franchoek followed the route so successfully trodden by his stablemate, Kathcit, last season, by registering his fourth win of the season in the Grade 2 Wragge & Co Juvenile Hurdle. As a result, he hardened to 4/1 favourite (from 5/1) with Ladbrokes for the Triumph Hurdle, and his credentials look bullet proof as he bids to give trainer Alan King a third success in the race in the last four years.

He has all the attributes you want from a top class juvenile hurdler – he jumps and stays well, and his front running tactics should ensure he stays clear of any trouble in the inevitable hurly burly of the big race. He also has good Flat form to his name on a quicker surface, so decent ground at the Festival shouldn’t inconvenience him.

It is hard to see any of the horses he has already met reversing the form with him at Cheltenham, and so it is likely to be left to the likes of Celestial Halo and Binocular to try to lower his colours in March.

Just over half an hour later, Inglis Drever stormed to victory in the Cleeve Hurdle to put himself firmly on track for an unprecedented third World Hurdle victory. Howard Johnson’s stable star handed out a five length beating to old rival Blazing Bailey, nearly the same margin by which he had defeated the same horse in last year’s World Hurdle. The novice, Gone To Lunch, was third.

Inglis Drever has already shown himself to be the best stayer since Baracouda, and a victory at Cheltenham in March would see him surpass even the achievements of that great French hurdler. He looks like being one of the bankers of the Festival and it is hard to make a case for opposing him. Surely only Wichita Lineman and, if he gets some better ground to help his stamina, Hardy Eustace, can stop him now.

For those looking for pointer for future races (albeit probably at a lower level than the Festival), three horses took the eye on Saturday.

The previously out of form Chief Dan George put up a much more promising performance behind Inglis Drever, staying on well at the death to finish fourth. Having won at Aintree before, he may be a threat in the big staying race there in April.

Mark of Love was a long way behind Franchoek when finishing fifth in the Wragge & Co Hurdle. However, he has traveled well in all of his races to date and will surely benefit from some better ground in the spring. He has also qualified for a handicap mark.

Finally, Buck The Legend did remarkably well to finish sixth in the closing handicap hurdle, having been brought to a standstill by a faller two out. He stayed on really well up the hill and looks well handicapped. Both he and Mark of Love look sure to win races in the future.