Hurricane Fly cruised home in the Irish Champion Hurdle and he’s now 11/4 with the sponsors for the StanJames Champion Hurdle in March.
Rory Jiwani of StanJames.com told betrescue.com, “Hurricane Fly won convincingly yet again and we’ve cut him from 7/2 to 11/4 for the big race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. You could gripe about the quality of the opposition and we didn’t learn a great deal today, but there’s no doubt he will be popular after that display as he bids to regain his StanJames Champion Hurdle crown.
“Binocular is unchanged at 20/1 after being edged out for second by Thousand Stars who remains 50/1 for the Champion Hurdle and 16/1 for the World Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s 2010 Champion Hurdler should come on for the run but he didn’t do enough to warrant us cutting his odds for Cheltenham.
“Pont Alexandre is the new favourite for the Neptune after winning the Grade 2 novice hurdle in impressive style. Willie Mullins’ five-year-old stretched clear of his rivals with the minimum of fuss and he’s now 4/1 from 6/1 for the Neptune ahead of 9/2 shot The New One. Pont Alexandre is also 4/1 joint-favourite for the Albert Bartlett with yesterday’s Cheltenham winner At Fishers Cross but the Neptune appears to be the aim.”
StanJames Champion Hurdle antepost (1/4 1,2,3): 11/4 Hurricane Fly 4 Darlan 6 Grandouet 7 Zarkandar 8 Rock On Ruby 16 Countrywide Flame 18 Cinders And Ashes 20 Binocular, Oscar Whisky 25 Cotton Mill 28 Grumeti 40 bar
Neptune Novices’ Hurdle antepost (1/4 1,2,3): Stan James prices
4 Pont Alexandre 9/2 The New One 8 At Fishers Cross, Puffin Billy 10 Taquin Du Seuil 12 Rule The World 14 Un Atout, Champagne Fever 16 Melodic Rendezvous, Coneygree, Don Cossack 20 bar
