Baracouda 1-3 for Windsor success

Baracouda has been installed as the red-hot 1-3 favourite by Cashmans to record a fourth success in the Telectronics Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor on Saturday.

The brilliant French horse will face a maximum of nine rivals in the Grade One showpiece, which will be run at the Thames-side track for the first time with regular venue Ascot under rubble as it continues a multi-million pound redevelopment.

“Baracouda will definitely run at Windsor,” trainer Francois Doumen said yesterday. “He’s come out of his run at Newbury in superb form and I’m very happy with him.”

The nine-year-old had champion jockey Tony McCoy on board for the first time when he made his seasonal debut in the Long Distance Hurdle last month.

He had three-quarters of a length to spare over Alan King’s Crystal D’Ainay that day, with the runner-up set to reoppose at the weekend.