Cheltenham Results: Whisky wins again at Cheltenham

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World Hurdle: Whisky heading straight to Cheltenham

News / Timeform / 06 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Oscar Whisky could head straight to the Festival.

"I think there's every chance he'll go straight to Cheltenham now and run in the three-mile race..."

Owner Dai Walters believes Oscar Whisky could head straight for a mouth-watering clash with Bug Buck's in the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival...

Walters, the owner of Ffos Las racecourse, had hoped to see his star performer defend his crown in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at the track on Saturday, but the meeting fell victim to the freezing temperatures.

With the race looking unlikely to be rescheduled, Walters believes opportunities to run the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding between now and the Festival are few and far between.

"It was disappointing the meeting had to be abandoned the other day. The reason we decided to have the Welsh Champion Hurdle in February was because it was a good stepping stone to Cheltenham," said Walters.

"Our next Saturday meeting is on March 17, which is the same week at the Festival, so it won't work out the way we wanted.

"I've spoken to Nicky about where we could run Oscar Whisky. There is the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell (February 26), but that is probably too close to Cheltenham.

"I think there's every chance he'll go straight to Cheltenham now and run in the three-mile race."

Oscar Whisky also has a Champion Hurdle entry, a race in which he finished third last year, but he looks set to tackle three-time World Hurdle winner Big Buck's on his first attempt at three miles.

While full of respect for the hot favourite, Walters hopes Oscar Whisky might give him more to think about than anything he has faced so far this season.

"Big Buck's is a great horse, but he hasn't had that many really good horses run against him," Walters added.

"It would be nice to win, but we know it's a difficult task and as we know with horses, anything can happen in the next few weeks.

"I think Oscar Whisky will stay three miles and I'm looking forward to it."

Oscar Whisky, rated 171 by Timeform, is currently trading as the [7.4] second favourite for the World Hurdle behind Big Buck's, who is available at [1.61].

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Weekend Preview: Champion Hurdle tune-ups for Binocular and Oscar Whisky

Weekend Preview/Review / Timeform / 04 February 2011 / Leave a Comment

Binocular: Has his final race before Cheltenham at Sandown on Saturday

"The Champion Hurdle picture promised to become somewhat clearer after Saturday's racing, with Peddlers Cross on track to clash with either Binocular or Oscar Whisky, but now that Donald McCain's unbeaten hurdler has been ruled out of action this weekend, both Binocular and Oscar Whisky face seemingly simple tasks."

Timeform look over the weekend's action...

The Champion Hurdle picture promised to become somewhat clearer after Saturday's racing, with Peddlers Cross on track to clash with either Binocular or Oscar Whisky, but now that Donald McCain's unbeaten hurdler has been ruled out of action this weekend, both Binocular and Oscar Whisky face seemingly simple tasks.

Binocular will face just three others in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown, and though he will meet some useful rivals, he has so much in hand on Timeform ratings that it will be a surprise if he comes off the bridle to land what will surely be very short odds indeed.

Fortunately, the Contenders Hurdle is not typical of the card at Sandown, where the rest of the action looks particularly competitive. The highlight is the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase over two miles, which features a number of realistic Arkle contenders. The mare Nadiya de la Vega comes out top on Timeform ratings in her bid to make it three from three over fences in Britain, though she will face stiff competition from the likes of Medermit, Captain Chris and Rock Noir.

The next most valuable event on the card at Sandown is the two-and-three-quarter-mile Heroes Handicap Hurdle, which features a whole host of upwardly mobile hurdlers, among whom the most interesting pair are arguably Nick Williams' Aflie Spinner and the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Mister Hyde.

Over at Ffos Las, the ratings suggest Oscar Whisky has a bit more on than Binocular as he bids to cement his status as a realistic Champion Hurdle contender in the Welsh equivalent, but even then he is unlikely to be extended if running close to the form he showed at Cheltenham last time.

The best of the other six races on the card at Ffos Las is the three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase in which Blazing Bailey looks the one to beat on the back of his win in a valuable event at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

Saturday's other jumps action in Britain takes place at Wetherby, where the best race is the Grade 2 Towton Novices' Chase over three miles and a furlong. The most exciting runner in that race is Wayward Prince, who is out to make it three from three over fences on what will be his first run since winning a novice chase at Cheltenham's Open Meeting back in November.

There are two further fixtures on Saturday - on the all-weather at Lingfield and over jumps at Naas in Ireland.

As usual, Ireland is also the scene for Sunday's best NH racing, and there are four Grade 1 events set to take place at Leopardstown. The action kicks off with the Spring Juvenile Hurdle for which Paul Nicholls sends over the form pick Indian Daudaie, though there are a host of likely improvers in the line-up, not least the Dermot Weld-trained filly Unaccompanied.

The next Grade 1 is the 18-furlong Deloitte Novice Hurdle, and this year's renewal looks well up to scratch. Oscars Well and Zaidpour are both already Grade 1 winners, and they set an exacting standard, though the likes of Shot From The Hip and Hidden Universe are no forlorn hopes to improve and get in the mix.

The novice chasers get their chance in the 21-furlong Dr P. J. Moriarty Novice Chase, where Mikael d'Haguenet is on something of a recovery mission after disappointing behind Realt Dubh at Leopardstown over Christmas. He still sets the standard judged on the form he was showing prior to falling at the last the time before, though Grade 1 winner Bostons Angel and Dessie Hughes's Magnanimity both look serious contenders too.

The main event at Leopardstown, and the final Grade 1 on the card, is the three-mile Hennessy Gold Cup. The field includes two previous winners of the race in The Listener and Joncol, and they head the ratings along with China Rock. British raider Pride of Dulcote currently head the market, though he does need to improve significantly on anything he has done to date to play a hand.

The day's two meetings in Britain take place at Fontwell and Musselburgh, the latter track hosting one of its better meetings of the NH season, the card there including the Scottish County Hurdle and the Scottish Triumph Hurdle.

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Cheltenham Festival Betting: Will it be bravo Oscar Whisky in Champion Hurdle?

Ante-post / Simon Baker / 29 January 2011 / Leave a Comment

Oscar Whisky look overpriced in the Champion Hurdle market

"The form Oscar Whisky achieved that day is very close to high-class, and entitles him to be tighter to the three that head him in the market than is actually the case."

Timeform's Simon Baker looks through the main contenders for what is shaping up to be the best Champion Hurdle in many seasons...

Of all the ante-post markets at the Festival, the one for the Champion Hurdle is up there among the most perplexing, with four horses currently trading at single-figure prices and at least five others you could give a serious chance to at bigger odds.

Binocular has reclaimed favouritism at [4.3] after his win in the rearranged Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and justifiably so, as he has the best form of all the contenders. Indeed, when winning the Champion Hurdle last season, he recorded the best Timeform rating by a winner of the race since Rooster Booster, and before him Istabraq. Binocular will reportedly run in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown and it's difficult to see him being usurped as favourite between now and the Festival.

Hurricane Fly ([6.0]) was briefly favourite for the race having won both his starts in Ireland this season, on each occasion beating Solwhit in typical strong-travelling fashion. Hurricane Fly is now seven from eight over timber in Ireland, and is firmly established as the best hurdler on those shores. The pick of his form leaves him with a bit to find with Binocular, but it is by no means out of the question that Hurricane Fly is capable of even better, given that he hasn't yet had the opportunity to take on the best Britain has to offer.

Also undefeated this season is Menorah ([6.4]), who completes the trio of horses who have at one point been ante-post favourite for the Champion. Last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner has confirmed his liking for Cheltenham this term, winning the Greatwood there on his return prior to lowering the colours of Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti in the International Hurdle. The better of those two efforts in terms of form was the win under top weight in the Greatwood, though he was visually more impressive in the International, showing a good turn of foot before the last.

The unbeaten Peddlers Cross ([6.6]) is the other horse currently trading at single-figure odds. Peddlers Cross has improved by the run over timber, winning graded novice events at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals last season, and making a seamless transition to open company when beating Starluck and a below-form Binocular in the Fighting Fifth at Newbury on his reappearance. The bare form of the Fighting Fifth is short of what is required to win a Champion (10 lb below what Binocular achieved last year, for instance), but Peddlers Cross is clearly open to further improvement. Peddlers Cross runs in the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial on Saturday, and that is likely to prove a simple task for him given the level of opposition there.

After that quartet there is a gap in the market to Oscar Whisky ([21.0]), who laid down his claims for the Champion when hacking up in a two-and-a-half-mile minor event at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. The form Oscar Whisky achieved that day is very close to high-class, and entitles him to be tighter to the three that head him in the market than is actually the case. He next runs in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las, and a similar performance there could well result in him shortening up again.

Another representative of last year's Supreme form, Dunguib, is next in at [22.0]. Dunguib was the banker of the Festival for many last year, and ran a respectable race in the end for all he failed to land the odds. He hasn't been seen since finishing fourth to Hurricane Fly in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in April, and misses an intended assignment in the Irish Champion Hurdle due to a poor blood test. Dunguib obviously has plenty of ability, as he showed in his bumper campaign and when winning novice hurdles on the bridle in Ireland last term, but he offers pretty poor value at current prices given that his form is about 20 lb short of what is required.

Mille Chief ([26.0]) looks a much better bet than Dunguib at the prices given that he achieved a very smart level of form when winning a valuable Sandown handicap hurdle under top weight at the beginning of the month. Alan King has long held Mille Chief in high regard, and he was prominent in the market for last season's Triumph, only to miss the race with a setback. He will now run in a Champion Hurdle trial, and further improvement will see him right in the mix with the principals on form.

Last year's runner-up Khyber Kim ([40.0]) has taken a major walk in the market after his below-form reappearance, when only fourth to Binocular in the Christmas Hurdle. The likelihood is that Kempton's two-mile track does not present Khyber Kim with a sufficient test of stamina, and he should do better at Cheltenham, though this year's renewal looks stronger than the one he was second in last year, and it could be that Aintree will afford him a better opportunity for success at the top level this term.

Another who has drifted somewhat is Silviniaco Conti ([36.0]), and his price looks on the generous side mindful of his form this year. Indeed, he ran to a Timeform rating of 163 when winning the Ascot Hurdle back in November, which puts him behind only Binocular, Hurricane Fly and Menorah in terms of achievement on the racecourse. Silviniaco Conti finished third, behind Menorah and Cue Card, in the International Hurdle when last seen, though there are several mitigating factors to his performance. Firstly, Silviniaco Conti was conceding 4 lb to the pair that beat him, while he was not ideally suited by the steady pace behind the ignored pacemaker that day. The drift out to [38.0] certainly looks an overreaction judged on form.

The market suggests that the Supreme is by far the more likely Festival target for Cue Card ([50.0]), though that price would look very big if Colin Tizzard did opt to go down the Champion route, as Cue Card is almost certainly capable of better - he'd likely get closer to Menorah than he did in the International granted a stronger pace. Having said that, the Supreme looks at his mercy, and it would be fully understandable if connections head there instead.

The two-mile hurdling division has perhaps lacked a bit of quality in recent seasons, but this year's renewal is shaping up to buck that trend, and it looks incredibly competitive. Binocular rates as the likeliest winner, but it's not particularly likely that either him or the trio that also trade at single-figure odds behind him (Hurricane Fly, Menorah, Peddlers Cross) are going to shorten appreciably between now and the Festival. Given that there isn't obviously much value left in any of their prices, the best approach might well be to side with a couple of up-and-comers in Oscar Whisky and Mille Chief, both of whom have the form to figure, and will get the opportunity to emphasise their credentials between now and the Festival, affording the opportunity to lock in a profit.

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