Racing Round-up: Legendary Hurricane Fly proves there’s more to give
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What a weekend it was! Cheltenham Trials Day provided plenty of excitement ahead of the Festival, now just six weeks away. Elsewhere Doncaster chipped in with some useful performances, while a legend was in full flight at Leopardstown.
You can hear all the reaction and our take on the movers and shakers in the antepost markets ahead of the four-day March showpiece in Ladbrokes’ latest racing podcast.
Here’s a quick a word on some of those that certainly staked their claim on a prize at the home of jumps racing.
Gold Cup
Hennessy Gold Cup winner Many Clouds showed he is a true Cheltenham Gold Cup contender, grinding out a hard-fought victory in the Betbright Cup Chase.
He is now a 8/1 joint-second favourite for the big one, while runner-up Smad Place was cut from 33/1 into 14/1, after running Oliver Sherwood’s charge all the way to the line.
Champion Hurdle
Five Irish Champion Hurdle wins and now 10 from 10 at Leopardstown, oh and the little matter of a 22nd Grade One win, Hurricane Fly really is a legend.
Willie Mullins’ charge looked in trouble turning in, but he put his head down and ground out another victory over old adversary Jezki, with stable-mate Arctic Fire splitting the pair.
The Fly was cut into 7/1 for a third Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, while defending champ Jezki is now 6/1 (from 9/2).
Arkle
Hurricane Fly might be a relative old-timer, but Willie Mullins has another potential superstar on his hands in the form of Un De Sceaux.
On his third start over the larger obstacles, the seven-year-old jumped with aplomb and left his more than capable rivals Clarcam and Gilgamboa toiling from a way out.
His 15l, eased-down win saw his Arkle odds crash into 4/6 to become the first odds-on antepost prospect at this year’s Festival.
Triumph Hurdle
If Barry Geraghty can get Peace and Co to settle in the early stages of his races, he could have an absolute monster underneath him.
Despite pulling like a train for the early part of the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Prestbury Park on Saturday, Nicky Henderson’s charge won as he liked, going away from the useful Karezak at the line.
He was giving him 3lbs this weekend, and at level weights at the Festival, the now-2/1 shot will take all the beating in Friday’s opener.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
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