9:42am Tuesday 16th March 2010
ZAYNAR may have fluffed his lines when being turned over at very skinny odds on his final start before Cheltenham but he can show that running to be all wrong in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.
Winner of the Triumph Hurdle at the meeting last year, the five-year-old looked to have the world at his feet when winning the Ascot Hurdle on his seasonal bow.
That impression was further underlined as he powered home in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham last December, coming back on the bridle once he had taken the lead to beat some admittedly average rivals in style.
Plenty of punters duly showed their support and Zaynar sat at the head of the betting until he turned out for a final prep run at Kelso last month.
The Morebattle Hurdle would hardly have been trainer Nicky Henderson’s first choice to put the finishing touches to his build-up but despite conceding 8lb all round, the general feeling was that he could not be beaten.
Sent off the 1-14 on desperate ground, Zaynar was evidently in trouble turning for home and he could not find his usual change of pace to shake off Quwetwo, eventually going down by a length.
He evidently needed the run and he was reported to have had a good blow afterwards which can only have brought him on.
Henderson reapplies the cheekpieces in which he won the Triumph and although the perceived third string from the Seven Barrows team, Zaynar still has much to offer in an open year for the feature event.
Dunguib is a red-hot favourite for the Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but Jonjo O’Neill’s Get Me Out Of Here can spoil the party.
Unbeaten in four starts over hurdles, Get Me Out Of Here showed just how good he is when claiming the ultra-competitive totesport Trophy at Newbury last month.
With question marks over Dunguib’s jumping, Get Me Out Of Here has yet to make a serious mistake over obstacles and having won the totesport Trophy, he will be able to handle the hurly-burly of the usual bumper field.
Somersby can bring back the glory days for Henrietta Knight in the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy.
The Wantage trainer enjoyed three great Gold Cups with Best Mate and this horse looked a star of the future when not beaten far at long odds in last year’s Supreme.
He is two from two over fences this year and although he has not been seen since winning a Sandown Grade Two last December, his wily trainer is more than capable of readying a winner off a break.
Ogee was a shock 25-1 winner at Aintree last year and looks well treated in the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase.
Although a novice taking on some experience rivals, the seven-year-old boasts Grade One form over hurdles and has barely put a foot wrong over fences.
There was little disgrace in finishing third behind Long Run in the Feltham, although he was beaten a long way, but a bloodless success at Southwell last time will have built his confidence again.
The Cheltenham ground will certainly play to his strengths and it should be noted trainer Renee Robeson has opted to tackle this race rather than stick to novice company.
It is difficult to look beyond the Enda Bolger brigade in the cross-country chase and while Garde Champetre as won this race for the last two years, preference is for his stablemate L’Ami.
Quevega was simply awesome in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle 12 months ago and it would take a brave man to bet against her repeating the dose.
Meanwhile, clerk of the course Simon Claisse is happy with the condition of the track after the taps were turned on at Prestbury Park last week after a dry spell in Gloucestershire.
With the Old Course used for the first two days of the Festival, the ground will ride as nature intended from now on.
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