Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post: Triumph Hurdle

Tipping / Timeform / 22 February 2010 / Leave a comment

Edward O'Grady looks to have a good chance of landing his second Triumph Hurdle some 26 years after the first.

Whilst there will be boundless anticipation ahead of Kauto Star's third clash with Denman on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, the action that goes before it is also of the highest order, and the four-year-olds have a chance to strut their stuff in the JCB Triumph Hurdle which gets proceedings underway.

"Alaivan's Flat form allied with the excellent impression he's made on two of his three starts over hurdles suggest he's just about the most likely winner as things stand and is fancied at around [6.8]."

Some naysayers expressed the view that the establishment of the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle would have a detrimental effect on both the quality and competitiveness of the Triumph Hurdle, but those fears haven't come to pass at all. Last year's renewal was, in fact, one of the best in recent memory, and a similarly high-quality race looks in prospect this season. Heading the market is the highly promising Mille Chief, and it's easy to see why when you consider that he's in the expert hands of Alan King (won race twice in last five years) and has looked a class apart in landing the odds on both starts since being brought down on his hurdling debut. That said, the bare form of his two wins falls well short of that achieved by some of the more established contenders and he must be opposed at single-figure odds.

Two who are certainly worth their place towards the head of the betting are the Irish-trained duo Alaivan and Carlito Brigante. Alaivan raced just four times on the Flat for John Oxx and quickly reached a smart level of form, so his credentials for hurdling were excellent, and he duly made a very taking start in winning by a wide margin at Gowran in December. On the face of it he was disappointing when beaten by Carlito Brigante in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown later in the month, but they went no pace and Alaivan refused to settle at the head of affairs. He has since shown that effort to be all wrong with another very easy success, this time at Fairyhouse, and Eddie O'Grady's charge continues to look an exceptionally bright prospect. Alaivan's Leopardstown vanquisher clearly has a leading chance himself. Carlito Brigante showed that win to be no fluke when comprehensively winning the Scottish Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh. The demands of Cheltenham pose a very different test, but what is for sure is that he heads there with very good claims.

Another Irish contender who falls into the 'could be anything' category is the Willie Mullins-trained Secant Star. He's different to most juveniles in that he doesn't possess a Flat background, rather a winner of a bumper on his sole start in France, and he was all set to make a successful start to his career over hurdles when crashing out at the last at Leopardstown over Christmas, an experience he put firmly behind him when sauntering clear in a maiden at Gowran in January. He's rather like Mille Chief in that his relatively short price is based on style more than substance, but the Timeform large 'P' reflects that he could produce marked improvement when required.

A strong Irish challenge is bolstered by Charles Byrnes's unbeaten Pittoni. Like Alaivan, he was a lightly-raced and talented performer on the level for John Oxx and, also like that rival, he's made a seamless transition to timber, quickly establishing himself as one of the leaders in the juvenile division. After winning narrowly on his hurdling bow on New Year's Eve, Pittoni stepped up to win a Grade 3 at Punchestown and then a Grade 1 at Leopardstown. Whilst it's probably that both races were substandard renewals, it's also true that Pittoni won despite not being seen to best effect, and the stronger pace that is inevitable in the Triumph Hurdle will suit him all the better. As such, he's not one to underestimate for all he has a bit to find on the book.

So, bar Mille Chief, where are the British contenders? When it comes to Championship races it's always best to start with Paul Nicholls. As things stand he appears to house three legitimate candidates in the shape of Advisor, Pistolet Noir and Royal Mix; the trouble is that all three have questions of one kind or another hanging over them. Advisor is, admittedly, two from two over hurdles and well worth his place in Graded company. The slight reservations are based on his Flat profile, in which sphere he didn't always deliver on what he promised, so whether the hurly-burly of a big-field race at Cheltenham will suit is open to question. Pistolet Noir made a big impression when winning a Grade 2 at Cheltenham in November for Nick Williams and was subsequently snapped up by big-name owners to join Nicholls. It's fair to say, however, that he was a rather underwhelming second at the same course on his debut for the yard, and he'll certainly need to be more professional if he's to cut any ice in the Triumph. Royal Mix's defeat of subsequent Grade 1 winner Me Voici clearly stands up well, but that he hasn't been seen since that win in November means he represents a risky betting proposition at present.

David Pipe's French import Notus de La Tour is also worthy of close consideration after his six-length defeat of Ranjobaie at Plumpton on his British debut. He looks a horse of considerable potential, though others who have claims on form such as Barizan and Westlin' Winds have probably near enough reached their peak already.

Not since Scolardy was successful for Willie Mullins in 2003 have the Irish returned home with the Triumph Hurdle, but their prospects this year look particularly strong and they probably have the edge on their British counterparts. Alaivan's Flat form, allied with the excellent impression he's made on two of his three starts over hurdles, suggests he's just about the most likely winner as things stand and is fancied at around [6.8]. At the same time, it could well pay to have a saver on his Leopardstown conqueror Carlito Brigante at [8.0].