Grandouet is the ante-post favourite with bookmakers to give trainer Nicky Henderson a third consecutive victory in the two-mile, one-furlong contest and sixth in total, following on from First Bout (1985), Alone Success (1987), Katarino (1999), Zaynar (2009) and Soldatino (2010).
The gelding has won his latest two starts easily at Ascot and Newbury, having failed to live up to his lofty reputation on his first two outings.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Sam Winner handed Grandouet a 15-length defeat when in receipt of 8lb in the Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham’s The Open in November and then defeated the Brendan Powell-trained Pullyourfingerout over the course and distance in December.
Sam Winner was only fourth on his latest outing behind the victorious Brian Ellison trained Marsh Warbler in the Grade One Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow in January, a race in which the Venetia Williams-trained Houblon Des Obeaux was second and the Alan King-trained Smad Place third.
Local Hero emerged as a serious contender when winning the Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial over the course and distance on Festival Trials Day last month. Steve Gollings’ charge held the Colin Tizzard-trained Third Intention, with the Nicholls-trained Indian Daudaie back in third.
Among the Irish entries is the Edward O’Grady-trained Sailors Warn who took the Grade Two Bord Na Mona Fire Magic Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle easily from the Ado McGuinness-trained Fearless Falcon, with the Charles O’Brien-trained Accidental Outlaw third and Grade Three winner Toner D’Oudairies fourth.
The last-named is trained by Gordon Elliott, whose Plan A was third to Sam Winner at The Open and won a Gowran Park maiden hurdle on the bridle last month.
Dermot Weld has engaged easy Punchestown maiden hurdle winner Unaccompanied, while the Pat Flynn-trained Louisville Lip defeated the Noel Meade trained Maxim Gorky on his hurdles debut at Thurles recently, and the Mouse Morris trained Tillahow held Fearless Falcon and third-placed Chaperoned, trained by Jessica Harrington, to land a Grade Three at Punchestown on January 8.
Henderson’s 10-strong entry also includes promising French imports Celtus and Molotof, as well as useful Flat runner Moose Moran, who is yet to debut over hurdles.
The David Pipe-trained Kazzene made a good impression on his first start over hurdles since arriving from France when seeing off the Alison Thorpe-trained Kuilsriver and the Nicholls-trained Brampour.
Nicholls took the prize in 2008 with Celestial Halo and has also entered Doncaster winner Empire Levant, Pau Hurdle winner Tonic Mellysse and Zarkava’s half-brother Zarkandar who is yet to make his bow over hurdles.
The Tim Vaughan-trained First Fandango is unbeaten in two hurdles starts, the Philip Hobbs-trained Tony Star held the Charlie Longsdon-trained Paintball on his hurdles debut, while the Pipe-trained Trop Fort is two from two in French bumpers.
The last French-trained winner was the Francois Doumen-trained Snow Drop in
2000 and the French entry this year is the Guillaume Macaire-trained Tout Rouge, who defeated Sam Winner by a length and a half in an Auteuil maiden hurdle in April and was most recently third in the Grade Two Prix Congress over fences at Auteuil on November 6.
Triumph Hurdle leading contender best-price odds:
This table displays the current best-price available for each horse with odds updated in real-time. To claim a free bet from any of these bookmakers click the links below:
Bet365 £200 free bet | Skybet £35 free bet | Will Hill £25 free bet | 888sport £25 free bet Victor Chandler £25 free bet | Stan James £25 free bet | Paddy Power £50 free bet Sportingbet £50 free bet | Ladbrokes £25 free bet | totesport £10 free bet
For all the latest bookmakers free bets & Cheltenham Festival special offers click here.
Grandouet is favourite for the 2011 Triumph Hurdle
No comments:
Post a Comment