New champion must step forward
“We’d all love to get the horses to Cheltenham that we want to run but things, sadly, go wrong, and we know some won’t get there,” he said.
The master of Seven Barrows will have had few more jolting setbacks that the Sunday morning confirmation that Binocular wouldn’t be able to defend his Stan James Champion Hurdle crown.
Menorah is now favourite, and in many people’s opinion (mine included) deservedly so.
What’s not to like? Last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner is two from two at Cheltenham this year, lumping a big weight to victory in the Greatwood Hurdle and lowering the colours of Cue Card in the International a month later. What struck me most about his performance in the latter was the way he put the race to bed in two or three strides. It oozed class.
He’ll need to be every bit as good as he looked though.
Hurricane Fly has carried all before him in Ireland this season and it’s hardly his fault that he’s beaten Solwhit in his last three starts. Decent ground will suit, he travels well and seems to have the requisite stamina. All boxes ticked.
Peddlers Cross brings the only unbeaten record and he’ll be looking to draw his rivals’ sting from some way out but will he be able to run the finish out of all the closers?
Henderson still has a live one in Oscar Whisky, who wasn’t far behind Menorah in the Supreme Novices’ last term.
Dunguib was one place ahead of him (two behind the winner) that day. A subsequent failure pitched in against the big boys at Punchestown was a low-key way to end his campaign and this term has hardly gone according to plan.
Small setbacks delayed his return to the fray until Gowran last month and he was only workmanlike in beating a reliable but limited yardstick.
He needs to take a huge step forward from that form but 12 months ago he arrived at Cheltenham with the hurdling world at his feet. He can’t have fallen so far, so soon, surely?
Mille Chief’s homework has had Alan King excited for two years. Today he has to deliver.
