There will be more Cheltenham Festival clues this weekend at Ascot, particularly in the Grade One JLT Long Walk Hurdle which is normally a stepping stone for those three-mile hurdlers who are looking to take part in the World Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March.
Uknowhatimeanharry goes into the feature race at Ascot (2.25) on the back of his Grade Two success in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance last month. Harry Fry's runner looks a good bet at 7/4 to make the step up in class on Saturday and strengthen his claims for the World Hurdle even further, where he is currently a 5/1 shot for the championship race.
The eight-year-old hurdler won all five of his races last year where he started in handicap company. At the International meeting at Cheltenham, he scored in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle where he justified going off as the 11/10 favourite.
At Haydock, he had to concede weight to all bar one of his rivals when he won the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle over 2m7f on Heavy ground at the Devon-based track.
The highlight of the 2015/16 campaign came at the Cheltenham Festival though in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. He was priced up at 11/1 by the bookmakers in a race which included the well-fancied Barters Hill for trainer Ben Pauling and Shantour Village who headed the betting at 7/2. Fry's runner was held up by jockey Noel Fehily in the early stages of the race and made headway with three hurdles to jump. He was pushed out approaching the penultimate hurdle and although he made a mistake at the last obstacle, he quickened up well in the run-in to the line to get the better of Fagan by just under two lengths.
That win at Cheltenham was no fluke for Uknowhatimeanharry who looks to be improving with each run. With no obvious star contenders for the World Hurdle this season, the eight-year-old could dominate the 3m division starting with a Grade One win in the Long Walk Hurdle on Saturday.
Nichols Canyon is expected to lead the charge from Ireland against Uknowhatimeanharry and the other UK riders. The seven-time Grade One winner won on his opening run of the season last month when he landed the Morgiana Hurdle. Willie Mullins' runner finished third in the Champion Hurdle back in March but could step up to three miles at the meeting in 2017 for a shot at the World Hurdle. If Nichols Canyon is equally as effective over this trip in the Long Walk Hurdle, he could prove to be the big challenger to the favourite.
In the Silver Cup Handicap Chase (3.00) Saphir De Rheu returns to action after falling in the Hennessy Gold Cup which was won by Native River last month. Paul Nicholls was expected to put in a big run at Newbury before he came down at the fourth fence. The seven-year-old normally runs well when fresh at the start of the campaign so he could make up for his error last month by scoring in this valuable handicap at Ascot.
The aim at the end of the season for Saphir De Rheu is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. As long as everything goes well in the lead up to the Blue Riband event at the festival, the Stewart family-owned chaser is expected to take his chance in what could be one of the most open Gold Cups in many years. Djakadam enhanced his claims with a win last weekend in the John Durkan Chase, while Outlander, as highlighted to run well in the oddschecker tips for Punchestown, finished second behind Mullins' mount to prove why he should be in the mix for the biggest prize at Cheltenham this season.
Saphir De Rheu also has an entry in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on December 27. The seven-year-old will only feature in that race though if he goes well at Ascot. The horse has been treated well by the handicapper as many of rivals will need to carry more weight in the 2m7f contest.
The biggest danger to Saphir Du Rheu this weekend could be Vyta Du Roc, who is much further down the card with 10-4. Nicky Henderson's six-year-old is a course and distance winner and open to a lot more improvement. He finished a respectable sixth in the Hennessy Gold Cup and won a Grade One novice chase last season when he got the better of Minella Rocco in a close finish in the Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot.
Arguably the most difficult rave to find the winner of this weekend is the Grade Three Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle (3.35), which is run over the short trip of 1m7f. One of the youngest horses in the race is the French-bred Consul De Thaix who is making just his fourth appearance in the UK on Saturday.
The four-year-old was bought last year by J.P McManus who will be hoping the novice lives up to his high reputation. Consul De Thaix made his debut in the UK earlier this year in January where he came home a respectable third in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham. He kept on well in the closing stages but just found Protek Des Flos too good for him on the day on Heavy ground at Prestbury Park.
Henderson's novice went off at 33/1 for the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival where he looked to get outclassed in a strong field which was won by Ivanovich Gorbatov. Consul De Thaix came home 10th of the 15 runners as he could make no impressive from the fourth last fence.
At Sandown in his seasonal reappearance, the four-year-old went very close to breaking his maiden tag, as he finished second in a Listed race where he was beaten by less than a length. If the hurdler shows further improvement this weekend he could take full advantage of his position in the weights where he only needs to carry 10-6 at Ascot.
At the top of the racecard, Campeador is expected to go off as the favourite for this competitive contest for Irish trainer Gordon Elliott. Those backing this horse do need to bear in mind that he has fallen on both of his last two starts over hurdles. That is a big negative on a horse who is clearly very talented and highly thought of at home.
Campeador was mounting a strong challenge in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival, when he suffered a heavy fall earlier this year. He then went off as the 9/2 favourite at Fairyhouse earlier this month. On that occasion in Ireland he had hit the front and was in command of the race before coming down with Barry Geraghty on his back.
Of course, if Campeador does put in a successful round of jumping at Ascot, he is likely to be in contention in the home straight. However, given he is prone to at least one mistake, especially when the pace quickens up, he is best to be left alone on this occasion.
One of the most experienced runners in this is Jolly's Cracked It for Fry. He has not been seen in 364 days though, as his last appearance in this race was in 2015, when he dead-heated for first place with Sternrubin.
The defending champion has been off the track through injury so it is difficult to know what kind of shape he will be in. If he does return with a win it will be a fantastic training performance from Fry. He may just need the run though and could be a horse to keep an eye out for at the back end of this season if he stays 100% fit.
