Zarkandar makes belated return

Zarkandar has managed more than his fair share of waiting and Paul Nicholls’ aspiring star has negotiated another week of delays before he finally gets his season underway in tomorrow’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

Nicholls has maintained last year’s Triumph winner is primarily being prepared for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, but a share of the £152,500 (€183,400) prize money on offer would not be turned away by connections.

Ante-post favourite Zarkandar (Ruby Walsh) spearheads a three-strong team from Nicholls as he is joined by Brampour (Harry Derham) and Empire Levant (Daryl Jacob) in Britain’s richest handicap hurdle, which was quickly rescheduled when last Saturday’s meeting was abandoned due to snow.

Twenty horses have been declared for the re-run.

Nicholls said of Zarkandar: “He was unbeaten last year winning the Adonis, the Triumph and then at Aintree, and he’s on a handicap mark based on what he achieved last season.

“Whether he’s well in or not, we’ll know after this.

“He had a breathing operation in the summer, because he was always making a noise last year, but he had a little setback in October when he was cast in his box and missed two or three weeks work.

“I said to his owners that he wasn’t going to be ready for Christmas, so we should give him one run and go for the Champion Hurdle, which has always been our target.

“He’s done plenty of work and had a racecourse gallop but first and foremost I haven’t trained him just for Newbury. That is his prep race for the Champion Hurdle and that is when I want him at his very best for obvious reasons.

“He could have a nice handicap mark but because they’re well in, it doesn’t always mean that they’re certainties.”

Of Brampour, Nicholls said: “He was beaten only four lengths by Grandouet (in the International Hurdle) and he could run a really nice race and pick up some crumbs in third or fourth.

“He’s done nothing but improve this year, he’s had a break since Christmas and after this he’ll go to the Champion Hurdle with Harry keeping the ride.

“Later on I’d look at something like the Scottish Champion Hurdle. He’ll hopefully keep improving and contest all the good hurdle races next year.”

He added of Empire Levant, who is part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson: “He’s a big, scopey, rangey horse and I’m looking forward to him jumping fences next year.

“He won first time at Newbury off a really nice handicap mark and we ran him again two days later and he was second to Rock On Ruby with Raya Star in third. Raya Star then won the Ladbroke Hurdle so that’s good form.

“He had a couple of problems over Christmas, he had a cold, and we’ll probably go on for the County Hurdle after this. He’s definitely not without a chance - he’ll run really well.”

Owner JP McManus has a strong hand himself with Get Me Out Of Here joined by Darlan.

The former, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, won the event as a novice in 2010 before finishing second to Menorah in the Supreme at Cheltenham.

Very smart on his day, the eight-year-old was only eighth here a year ago but an agonising nose runner-up in the County Hurdle and he chased home Oscar Whisky at Cheltenham last time.

“I just think he needs a bit further now,” said O’Neill.

“He’s very well and I’ll be entering him in races like the Martin Pipe and Coral Cup at Cheltenham. We’ll have to see how he gets on here first.”

McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry, added: “He’s in good form and Jonjo’s happy with him. He’s been there and done it but it is a hard race to win.”

Get Me Out Of Here, who will be tongue-tied, is the mount of promising conditional Maurice Linehan, while the owner’s retained rider Tony McCoy picks the unbeaten and Nicky Henderson-trained Darlan.

He has a very similar profile to that of Get Me Out Of Here two years ago as an unexposed type with three novice hurdle victories to his name.

“This is unknown territory for him,” said Berry.

“It’s his first handicap and this is very competitive.

“He’s done everything right so far and he’s been pleasing Nicky.”

Henderson has two other representatives in the shape of Soldatino, fifth last year but unraced this term, and Ericht.

The latter has run well without winning novice hurdles and is 1lb out of the handicap.

Raya Star, like Soldatino, is owned by Simon Munir but comes from the stable of Alan King.

The consistent performer has not appeared since his Ladbroke victory at Ascot on December 17.

“Obviously Zarkandar looks to be racing off a very lenient mark, but I also think that Raya Star can be competitive off his new rating,” the trainer told www.alankingracing.co.uk.

“He went up 5lb for winning The Ladbroke at Ascot, where the slow pace would not have suited him at all.

“We laid our stall out for this race straight after Ascot, and his preparation has gone like clockwork.

“Whether it was a Schweppes or a Tote Gold Trophy, I can’t remember this race being run previously at anything but a strong pace, so I’d like to think that would help offset our weight rise, and I hope Raya Star will be right there at the finish.”

Tom George’s Olofi will be looking to erase his previous memory of Newbury, as he fell when in with a decent chance in a handicap hurdle on New Year’s Eve.

He had earlier run second to Brampour in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“He’s had a really nice preparation,” said George. “Paddy Brennan came over to school him this week and he jumped very well so we’re all looking forward to it. The week gap hasn’t made any difference to him.”

Final Approach, the MCR and County Hurdle winner, is another sure to be popular in the betting as he represents Willie Mullins, whose Irish team are in rip-roaring form at present.