/ Editor / 12 March 2007 / Leave a Comment

The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham 15:15) might be lacking in numbers relative to previous renewals, but what race lacks in quantity in more than makes up for in quality.

Detroit City has been a solid ante-post favourite for a long time and remains unbeaten in his last eight races; seven high class events over hurdles and his major flat race success, when justifying favouritism to land the Cesarewitch. Philip Hobbs' grey flies the flag for the home team and judging by comments made by his handler, (not one to normally blow his own trumpet) connections believe that he comes into the race better than ever and that it will take a great horse to lower his colours.

Richard Johnson, who has partnered the grey to his last six hurdles wins, invariably likes to set the pace on last year's Triumph Hurdle winner, and much of the tactical interest in the event will be to see if either defending champion Brave Inca, or former dual champion Hardy Eustace, decide to take him on and get him off the bridle. If they do, then Detroit City could have a real fight on his hands and in-play backers and layers will have to judge for themselves whether or not Johnson's mount can come through his stiffest test to date.

There is very little to choose between Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace, the latter coming out on top in their most recent clash in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. With more miles on the clock, many layers will doubtless be prepared to chance their arm that Hardy Eustace could be the first of the pair to capitulate, as it is rare indeed for a former champion to regain his title.

Brave Inca has proved a tenacious battler over the years and has gone tremendously well for Tony McCoy (claimed to ride Straw Bear) and some judges believe that Ruby Walsh's quieter style might not prove quite so effective in this event. Nonetheless, Brave Inca will prove a very tough nut to crack and whatever beats him will know they've been in a fight.

Straw Bear bounced back to form last time beating Afsoun at Wincanton, but has something to find with Detroit City on their running at Sandown last month. The soft ground will play to his strengths though and he could well attract money in the place market.

The rest of the field all have something to find to get into the shake-up. Afsoun and Acambo along with Kawagino and French raider Marble Garden look below the required standard, whilst Iktitaf ran a shocker on his most recent start and is hard to recommend unless serious money comes in for him. Sublimity ran well at this meeting last year but is another with a few pounds to find.

If the front three go off hammer and tongs then possibly Asian Maze could be the surprise package as she stays well, handles the ground and could run into a place. She looks sure to come from off the pace so may well represent better value for backers in play than pre-race.

Fair Along to rule in the Arkle?

With a surprising lack of entries from Ireland this year, the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy Chase (Cheltenham 14:35) looks almost certain to stay on home soil with some-top notch novice chasers going head-to-head.

My Way de Solzen is a fascinating contender, having landed last year's World Hurdle over three miles and been directed to this event ahead of a crack at the Ryanair Chase over what, on paper, would appear a more suitable trip.

Trainer Alan King has made it clear that he believes My Way de Solzen will be equally effective over the minimum trip, but it is noticeable that the horse's last two wins have come over the extended two-and-a-half miles after his defeat at two miles at the hands of Fair Along at Sandown in December.

The testing ground should bring King's charge's stamina into play, but in Fair Along he faces a formidable opponent at this trip and many layers will look to oppose last season's leading staying hurdler both pre-race and in play.

For his part, Fair Along has already proved himself the pick of the crop at two miles, but also stays further (won over 14 furlongs on the flat at Salisbury last August) and acts on most surfaces. The chink in his armour is that he has yet to be really tested on very soft ground and once again in-play backers and layers will be monitoring every move to assess whether or not he is running up to his best on what is sure to be tiring ground. Overnight rain might see Richard Johnson's mount drift in the pre-race betting.

Lennon has rattled up a hat-trick of wins over fences but has yet to face anything out of the top drawer and was rated miles behind the market principals over hurdles. The balance of his form suggests he would prefer a sounder surface and he could be one to lay in both the win and place markets.

Don't Push It has run two very good races at Cheltenham and clearly appreciates this undulating circuit. A reproduction of his first effort on the course when chasing home the high class Denman would entitle him to go well and with Tony McCoy on board many punters might latch onto him as the value in the contest. He could represent better value in early trading than nearer the 'off'.

Faasel, runner-up in the 2005 Triumph Hurdle, won a modest heat last time out to break his duck over fences and doesn't look up to the task, but Buena Vista has yet to run a bad race in two previous visits to the Festival and could appeal to backers in the place market.

The dark horse in the race is Jonathan Jay's Tidal Fury, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles in France and successful in three of his four novice chases in Britain this term. He relishes testing ground and has invariably jumped well and could be a lively outsider coming from a relatively unfashionable yard.

Jack The Giant looks one for layers as his trainer (Nicky Henderson) has made it clear that he is a better horse on a sounder surface.

Gaspara bids to land bonus in Cheltenham finale

Everybody wants to win at the Cheltenham Festival, but there will be few horses trying more desperately than David Pipe's Gaspara, who would earn connections a £75,000 bonus if he prevails in the closing Fred Winter Juvenile Novice's Handicap hurdle (17:20).

The French-bred gelding bolted up in Saturday's Imperial Cup, loves testing ground and clearly goes well in a big field, so there is a significant chance that he will go very close to landing the bonus under his 4lb penalty.

Pipe's father Martin landed the bonus with both Olympian and Blowing Wind in the 1990's so connections know exactly what is required to pocket the cash. Should results earlier in the day go against the bookies there could be a dramatic shortening in Gaspara's price, so those wanting to support four-year-old filly might be best to do so earlier on in the day.

Pancake is another who revels in heavy ground and he duly trotted up when odds-on in similar conditions last time out. Philip Hobbs is reported as believing the gelding represents one of his best chances in a handicap at the meeting and Richard Johnson's mount is another that could carry substantial public support, especially if both Fair Along and Detroit City prevail earlier in the day.

Alan King saddles four runners: top-weight Zilcash, King's Revenge, Pouvoir and Risk Runner, and early market moves could well signal which of the quartet is best fancied. With stable jockey Robert Thornton electing to ride Pouvoir he may well prove the pick of the bunch, although he does have some improvement to find on bare form and has only raced in single figure fields since arriving from France.

The ultra-competitive handicap events are often long-range targets of the Irish contingent and overnight or early morning money for anything from the Emerald Isle very often proves highly significant.

Eddie O' Grady is represented by both Belord and Shazand, with the former of particular interest in first-time blinkers. Still a maiden over hurdles and running for the first time in a handicap, Belord's recent close second to Duty at Gowran Park has been franked time and again, the winner going on to land a Grade 3 event next time out, whilst the third and fourth home both trotted up in subsequent outings. Belord could prove great value in both the win and place markets.