The five-day entries for the opening day of the Festival were released yesterday with Annie Power and Lil Rockerfeller both supplemented for the Champions Hurdle. The former heads the market at 2/1 with BetVictor and remember we are Non Runner No Bet on all 28 races at next week's Festival.
The big Festival market mover of the last 24 hours has been the gamble on Yorkhill (9/2 from 6s at BetVictor) for the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle with long time antepost favourite Min on the drift and out to 9/4 (7/4) with the money arriving for his stablemate.
The ground is sure to be extremely testing at Carlisle and I hope to see an improved show from Baraka De Thaix (2.00) who makes the long journey north from Devon for David Pipe dropping back in trip having looked a non-stayer at Exeter last time. The Pipe yard have had eight winners in the last fortnight and the grey has been dropped 3lbs for his latest run when he travelled well for much of the race.
The feature race is the extended 3m Handicap Hurdle and Cloudy Copper (3.05) reverts to timber having disappointed over the larger obstacles so far this term; the grey won his sole start when partnered by jockey Richie McLernon previously and he is taken to out-stay the talented Gevrey Chambertin another who makes the long journey north from his base in Nicholshayne for David Pipe.
Runswick Relax (3.40) drops back in trip having been collared close home at Catterick (3m 1f) last time when he jumped and travelled well for much of the race. The 10-year-old has been raised just 1lb for that effort and he must go close in a decent little race.
Irish raider One Cool Clarkson hasn't appeared to be getting home over 3m in points in Ireland but he has bits of form (8L second to ill-fated You Must Know Me) which suggests he could be leniently treated off a mark of 93.
Sean Ban (4.15) is only 4lbs higher than when making most over C&D last month and he looks sure to give a bold account from the front now that connections have found the best way to ride the horse. There are a couple of well-handicapped rivals in the field but they may want better ground and this, hopefully, will be a winner for the Donald McCain yard.
Swing Hard (4.50) was backed off the boards when winning over C&D last month and a 3lbs rise looks fair especially when you consider he jumped left on occasions. One would like to think that the Sue Smith yard have taken steps to alleviate that strait and he has won right-handed prior to his latest win. He is taken to fend off the progressive Verko who did well to overcome a bad blunder when winning at Sedgefield last time.
At Chelmsford this evening David Probert takes over on Red Rose Riot (6.20) for the filly's second start having shaped with promise when third at Lingfield on debut. I'm slightly surprised that the 3-y-old drops back a furlong from debut but this is a weak race and likely favourite Grecian King looks vulnerable although the step up to 6f will suit.
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