Paul Ferguson has three selections for us on Saturday; including Long Run in the 3.05 at Haydock. Compare odds and bet.
Nicky Henderson enjoyed a treble yesterday and he can repeat the trick this afternoon with an across the card treble in the three feature races.
2011 Gold Cup winner Long Run (3:05) failed to build on his second season in Britain last term, but he was only six when winning his Gold Cup and it could have been that the grueling contest took plenty out of him.
Reported in good shape for his return in this afternoon’s Betfair Chase at Haydock, the seven-year-old ought to relish the testing conditions judged on his French form and he is taken to go one better than when runner-up to the rejuvenated Kauto Star last year.
The selection was trading at 13/8 with Hills overnight and, considering he was around that price when Imperial Commander was still expected to line up this time last week, that price seems fair.
Down at Ascot Henderson unleashes another couple of his ‘big guns’ starting with Finian’s Rainbow (2:10) in the Amlin 1965 Chase and, having won on his seasonal reappearance for each of his four seasons in training, the nine-year-old is fancied to give weight away all round.
The Champion Chase winner looked even better once upped to 2m4f at Aintree on his final start last term, so today’s trip should prove ideal and the selection won a novice hurdle on his only visit to Ascot back in February 2010.
In receipt of 10lbs Captain Chris would be a threat on the pick of his form, while For Non Stop looked really good when winning the Old Roan Chase at Aintree last month, but the selection is a class act and can take this en route to a crack at the King George on Boxing Day.
Three from three when racing right-handed, Barry Geraghty’s mount was trading at 11/10 with Coral and Bet365 on Friday evening.
Oscar Whisky (2:45) took a crashing fall at the last in last year’s Coral Hurdle, when trying to give Overturn 8lbs, and the high-class seven-year-old can makes amends today.
He went on to give today’s main market rival Get Me Out Of Here 8lbs and a beating at Cheltenham in December and, like the season before, he rounded off his season by landing the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.
A winner first time out every year before last year’s fall, soft ground is not ideal but his form figures still read 111 when racing on testing ground and he remains the best two-and-a-half-mile hurdler in training. He can get his season off to the best possible start, despite meeting three in form rivals, and was a best price 5/6 with Hills overnight.
Saturday’s selections:
2:10 Ascot Finian’s Rainbow (evens, Bet365)
2:45 Ascot Oscar Whisky (10/11, Coral)
3:05 Haydock Long Run (7/4, Hills)
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Last Year’s Book Results – Leading Prospects:
- SPRINTER SACRE – Unbeaten – winner at Aintree & Cheltenham
- SIMONSIG – Winner at Aintree & Cheltenham
- CINDERS AND ASHES – 10/1 winner of Supreme Novices Hurdle
- BOBS WORTH – 9/2 winner of the RSA Chase
- MENORAH & SILVINIACO CONTI – Both Aintree Winners
- SIR DES CHAMPS – Unbeaten inc 3/1 Jewson Cheltenham Winner
- FINGAL BAY – Won 4 times inc Challow Hurdle
- RAYA STAR – 10/3 winner at Wetherby, 12/1 Ladbroke Hurdle winner, 15/2 Scottish Champion Hurdle winner
- AMBION WOOD – 14/1 EBF Final Sandown winner
- CHAMPION COURT – 6/1 G2 Dipper Novices Chase winner
- PALACE JESTER – 14/1 winner at FFos Las
- SWINCOMBE FLAME – Hat-trick winner inc Lanzarote Hurdle at 9/2
- TEAFOR THREE – 5/1 NH Cheltenham Chase winner (Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
