Tony Calvin: Pipe horse Kie to unlocking Saturday's Summer Hurdle

Getting definitive running plans from the stable isn't easy - and we could be on a non-runner for all I currently know - but betting is all about risk and reward and I can't let Kie go unbacked at 34.033/1 - he is 25-1 with the Betfair Sportsbook - for the Summer Hurdle at Market Rasen on Saturday.

In years gone by, a horse with this kind of profile from the Pipe yard would have been just about the favourite in ante-post lists, and Kie has the potential to go off about a third of the price at the weekend if given the green light.

And that makes him a bet.

The first thing to re-iterate is that I don't know if he is an intended runner, and the stable, who also have another runner in the race, invariably wait until the last minute before showing their hand. And Kie also has an entry at Newton Abbot on Sunday, so he has options.

But I'll do my best in the following 250 words or so to convince David Pipe that he should be running Kie here.

Owner Allan Stennett has transferred the horse from Donald McCain to Pipe since he last ran over fences in February, and the new stable has inherited a very well-handicapped animal.

After beating Lost Legend by 5 lengths in a 2m4f Worcester handicap chase in June 2014 - just five outings ago - he was rated 145 over fences, and he now races over hurdles off just 129 (8lb lower than his current chase mark). So if Pipe has sweetened the horse up, then we are really in business.

Of course, the horse's recent hurdling form is not too flash, but I'm sure that the new stable would have been working on that at home, having clocked the mark. And, for all that Worcester win came over 2m4f, I think forcing tactics over this shorter trip in a very competitive race will be ideal for this front-runner.

And Stennett will surely be keen to take in this 35k prize, rather than the 12.5k contest a day later. Especially as the owner's horses are invariably well prepared on their debuts for the yard.

His Monetaire was unfortunate not to win at Cheltenham first time up last season - he nearly came down at the first, but made amends at Newbury next time - and Ballynagour made no such mistake when landing a gamble as a stable debutant (the owner had raced him in France previously) at Warwick two seasons ago. Salut Flo also won first time out in the Stennett colours for Pipe in 2010.

And the horse is effective on fast ground and with cut, so the ground won't be an issue either way.

I could be well wide of the mark but I sense a plot. So Mssrs Pipe and Stennett get your money on, and let's rock and roll!

Two more obvious fancies for the race are Hurricane Hollow - he stills looks fairly handicapped despite having gone up 9lb for the Cheltenham win - and Silver Duke.

In fact, I nearly tipped Silver Duke at 19.018/1, too.

He hasn't been seen over hurdles since dotting up at Musselburgh in February but he is fit from the Flat and could still be on a decent mark over hurdles.

In fact, connections were toying with the idea of the Fred Winter after Musselburgh but presumably they shelved that idea because his trainer thinks he is better going right-handed.

I wouldn't put you off him or Hurricane Hollow, but I'll just take the flier with Kie.

The two that interested me in the Irish Oaks on Saturday were Covert Love and Jack Naylor.

But at the bigger price at 13.012/1, I have to go with the latter.

Given the promise of her Irish 1,000 Guineas fourth, I was slightly disappointed by her effort in the Oaks. But there could be excuses for that Epsom run.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad effort at all. She was only beaten just shy of seven lengths into sixth.

But I don't think the track or the stiff 1m4f saw her to best effect there - she hung and dropped away late on, and maybe the race came too soon after her reappearance in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, too - and she can step forward here on this easier track after a break.

Her juvenile form is rock solid, and she is a big player here.

Recommended Bets

Back Kie @ 34.033/1 or bigger in the Summer Hurdle (Saturday)
Back Jack Naylor @ 13.012/1 in the Irish Oaks (Saturday)