Baracouda can make amends
Pipe takes on the dual Bonusprint Stayers’ Hurdle winner with Deano’s Beeno and Mr Cool in a bid to repeat last December’s shock result.
Tony McCoy was at his brilliant best on Deano’s Beeno who made all the running and held Baracouda by a length to inflict what is the French ace’s only defeat in his last 13 races.
Thierry Doumen may have given his mount too much to do but a more realistic interpretation of Baracouda’s ability came at Newbury last month when JP McManus’s eight-year-old slammed Deano’s Beeno by seven lengths.
Baracouda, trained by the jockey’s father Francois Doumen, inflicted a course defeat on Mr Cool over two and a half miles at Ascot last November and is way ahead on official ratings of the three other runners in this Grade One contest over three miles one and a half furlongs.
Albuhera can continue his fine season by beating a strong field for the Scanmoor Construction Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle.
The five-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls, has already chalked up five victories.
Although the latest came in a minor event at Taunton, Albuhera has performed with credit against some of the smartest novice hurdlers around.
He ran one of his best races in defeat when going down by a short head to Self Defense at Cheltenham and has a 7lb pull which can enable him to reverse the form.
Trabolgan has yet to win in four outings but he has shaped with immense promise and his turn should come in the Mitie Group ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old was runner-up in all three of his bumpers last season, culminating in running Liberman to half a length in the champion event at the Cheltenham Festival, a race that has produced a staggering amount of winners.
Trabolgan could have been among them had he not taken a tumble four out when going well on his debut over jumps at Aintree last month, and with a clear round he will take all the beating.
Best bet at Uttoxeter could be the Charlie Mann-trained Keltic Bard, who came within an ace of a debut victory over fences earlier this month, in the St Modwen Properties Beginners’ Chase.
Keltic Bard is one of the better recruits to chasing after a hurdling campaign highlighted by fourth place to Back In Front in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last March, when he finished a neck ahead of Thisthatandtother.
His trainer earmarked him as a potential Arkle Trophy horse for this season immediately afterwards and Keltic Bard came within a short head of beginning the new campaign with a victory, but was just worried out of it by the well-regarded L’Ange Au Ciel at Exeter.
On the all-weather at Southwell, Mi Odds looks the one to be on in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap.
The seven-year-old has been in tip-top form in four outings on the dirt since the beginning of October. His half-length second to the progressive Strong Hand last time was an excellent run and he will appreciate the step up to 12 furlongs today.
