Monday, December 28, 2009

The rescheduled Long Walk Hurdle

There's a very good card at Newbury tomorrow with the highlight being the rescheduled Long Walk Hurdle at 2.40. The press has built this up into a match between Big Buck's and Diamond Harry but we can expect improvement from Karabak (who, according to John Francome, nearly blew the stands down after finishing six lengths behind Zaynar in the Coral Ascot Hurdle some six weeks ago) while Fair Along has been known to sulk on occasions in the past but is good on his day. On official ratings Fair Along is the third best horse in this eight runner race, needing to find just three pounds with Diamond Harry, yet Paddy Power offer 25/1 this evening - that has to be worth an each-way dabble with the stable in such good form, provided of course the eight make it to the start. The same layers go 12/1 Karabak which also looks tempting each-way value if you fancy that one. I expect all those taking on the current holder of the World Hurdle title here would have preferred to have done so at Ascot as Big Buck's has never raced right-handed - the snow stopped that taking place.

The Graduation Chase (1.00) looks trappy enough and should prove useful for future reference. At the weights Roll Along should beat these but he disappointed on his first run for Twiston-Davies when an even money favourite at Carlisle. I harbour a suspicion he may just prefer better ground than he's likely to encounter tomorrow.

In the Challow Finian's Rainbow went into many notebooks when winning here by fifteen lengths last month. He has another five furlongs to travel tomorrow but the last time he didn't give the impression that would cause a problem. Others worth a mention include Reve De Sivola, Manyriverstocross and Duke Of Lucca while Kennel Hill ran a stormer at odds of 100/1 when second to Tell Massini in the Albert Bartlett Bristol Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham just over a fortnight ago.

2 comments:

Noel Bell said...

GeeDee, probably wise to seek big prices in the Long Walk!!!

GeeDee said...

Noel, I know - sometimes I just can't help it... ;)

Well, with the fall of Lough Derg at the fourth, Fair Along (28/1) led to two out but the game was up there and then as the principals took over; Fair Along finished a distant fifth. Those who took the
Karabak each-way option (14/1) fared slightly better as that one chased home Big Buck's in second with Diamond Harry (11/4) third. After the race connections indicated they may take the novice chasing route with their charge. This evening Paddy Power quote DH 12/1 for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham while Big Buck's is 4/6 favourite for the World Hurdle in March; Ladbrokes go 10/1 joint second favourites Karabak, Mr Thriller and Diamond Harry.
Carruthers (5/4f) was back to form, leading them all a merry dance in the Graduation Chase while the first four finished in a heap in the Challow, Reve De Sivola (15/8 second favourite) beating Restless Harry (40/1) Finian's Rainbow (13/8f - looked a tad green) and Kennel Hill (22/1) by little more than a length.
I admit to being intrigued by Kennel Hill, described again in commentary as 'a strapping sort'; this shorter trip didn't appear right up his street and it'll be intersting to see where connections go now with this point-to-point winner.