It’s a competitive renewal of the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday, with two intriguing horses leading the market.
Dysart Enos and Burdett Road are the pair in question, both appearing potentially well-treated off marks in the low 130s.
It’s no surprise they dominate the betting. Either one could win impressively, but with just three hurdles starts each, they may lack the experience needed in the challenging environment of a Greatwood.
In such a race, a bit more savvy can make a significant difference.
Dan Skelton’s record in these types of races is impressive, and his Be Aware is another strong contender with four hurdles runs under his belt.
However, my preference is for Ben Pauling’s Fiercely Proud, who I believe could improve significantly when tracking a strong gallop in a large field.
Fiercely Proud was a respectable novice hurdler last season, finishing third behind Jeriko Du Reponet and Lump Sum in a Grade 2 at Doncaster.
But it was his reappearance at Ascot that truly caught the eye. After being withdrawn at Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting due to unseating his jockey at the start, he made a delayed return in the Lavazza Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on November 2.
He was running a big race when he fell at the second last, which was particularly impressive given he had pulled fiercely from the start. That he was still competitive at the business end speaks volumes about his ability.
He seems to have benefited from another summer of development, but he wasn’t a consistent hard puller last season.
His keen running at Ascot might have been due to freshness. Either way, he could settle much better under Ben Jones in a faster-paced Cheltenham race, loves the ground, and has the capability to be competitive off a mark of 129.
Odds of around 14/1 or better seem fair, with most bookmakers offering five places. If you’re willing to accept a slight reduction in price, Sky Bet is offering six places.
I also can’t resist an each-way bet on Royal Way for Gary & Josh Moore at 33/1, which looks generously priced.
The Moore yard’s runners are always worth considering in valuable handicap hurdles, and Royal Way had a promising run around the course in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle on his seasonal reappearance.
He was a bit keen and wasn’t helped by the omitted obstacles, stumbling at what was effectively the last hurdle, yet he still finished strongly against three higher-rated horses.
That race was a tough assignment on paper, but it should have set him up nicely for this event.
He appears well-suited to a return to handicap company off a mark of 124.
Notably, in his last handicap hurdle, he defeated Tony Martin’s Hamsiyann, who won decisively at Cheltenham on Saturday. The nature of this race should play to his strengths.
Earlier on the card, Abuffalo soldier, trained by Warren Greatrex, could pose a bold front-running challenge in the Holland Cooper Handicap Chase.
Importantly, there doesn’t appear to be much pace pressure on paper, which could allow Sean Bowen to control the race on the seven-year-old.
Abuffalo soldier made a strong return after a six-month break with a solid performance at Exeter last month, nearly leading throughout and battling back when headed to finish close behind Jupiter Allen.
This horse has a great attitude, and the first-time cheek pieces brought out even more when he won at Newbury in January. The return of this headgear looks like a positive move.
A sound jumper who handles the ground well, he might have too much speed for some of the more stamina-focused rivals over this nearly three-and-a-half-mile trip given the conditions.
