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For me personally this seems to be completely wide open and 4 seems to have really good claims. I can only wipe out two in the field with no chance!
However, the reason this race seems to be so wide open is due to the amount of question marks against all the runners.
Nicky Henderson said in the Post this morning that Punjabi may need this run and that will explain why Punjabi is out to 5/2 this morning in places. If Punjabi is anywhere near his best he could hack up here but going by recent ‘needs the run’ races by Punjabi I’m reluctant to go with him.
Ashkazar is a funny one. The Pipe yard are hitting great form and he has only had one run this year (a long way behind Sentry Duty at Ascot last time out). He loves going right handed though and small patches of form over 17f may be crucial on todays going. He’s also a CD winner.
Takeroc drops back down to hurdles after finishing 3rd behind Master Minded and then disappointing again behind our friend Flipper. The form behind Chomba Womba when Chomba was flying is interesting and the fact that that was over C&D on similar ground is a very tempting piece of form.
Whiteoak enters this race after a long lay off. Mr McCain seemed very upbeat in the press about her comeback progress and I believe I read somewhere this week that she really impressed on a racecourse work out this week. She’s never been out of the front 3 in a hurdles race and with the McCain stable in constant good form her price of 10s or bigger on the exchanges is very tempting. Can she handle the long lay off though? If she wins it’ll be a fantastic training performance.
To summarise, the 2/1 for Whiteoak to place will be my main bet here. I really feel the young McCain can her back to top form here so she will place but the long lay off worries me slightly.
With that in mind, my win bet will be for Ashkazar. The Pipe yard form is at the forefront of my mind for this and I feel this could prove to be the race that Ashkazar becomes a live outsider for the Champion Hurdle in just 3 weeks time.
1pt win – ASHKAZAR 4/1
2pts place – WHITEOAK 2/1A good summary imo.
I fancy Whiteoak, and have had a little nibble for the Champion @ 100’s. However, if Punjabi is anywhere near race fit (which, as you posted, he is probably not 100%), then he should win.
I’ve had a dabble on the forecast, Punjabi to beat Whiteoak.
I was not going to get involved here but to my mind Punjabi probably does not have to be anywhere near his best to win here. Has run well after a break so may not take much getting fit.
Have backed Ashkazar for the Champion (amangst others) but he looked as though something was possibly amiss on reappearance. With both Ashleybrook and Helen’s Vision may not have a soft lead either. Think he at least likes a view of the front.
Takeroc does not always look that hearty and may be better on a sounder surface. Same with Songe.
Whiteoak is having a prep reappearance for the Mares race at Chelters. So will she be fit?
5/2 or 9/4 looks too big for Punjabi.
Mark
Value Is Everything- Total Posts 17716
You couldn’t have done much better, HTH.
That was a taking performance by Whiteoak though – is she a Champion Hurdle contender now?
Well done HTH.
Not sure what to make of Punjabi from that, just didnt seem to like that today.
Well done Halfway, might make up for Coe.
I’m really beginning to enjoy this ante-post game. Got £3 @ 75 for the CH – will cover my expected Blue Bajan loss (I’m beginning to lose the faith).
Actually, I think I might have done Ashkazar for the Schweppes last week – was he in the final field?
Well done Halfway,
No luck to it mate, well done.
I am happy enough with that result with my Champion Hurdle bet looking better now.
Punjabi did look a good price but obviously unfit. Has a lot to make up in little more than a few weeks. Disappointing.
Mark
Value Is EverythingWell done HTH.
Not sure what to make of Punjabi from that, just didnt seem to like that today.
I wouldnt read too much into Punjabi, Gaz.
I’m personally of the opinion he’s a lot better left handed and he did need the run today.
I’m tempted to have a nibble on Punjabi to place on 10th March. 9/2 at the moment for that
Punjabi ran to within a couple of pounds of his best IMO, he was giving weight remember, that was a good run.
Ashkazar goes right into the Champion Hurdle picture for me (if you can trust a Pipe horse) and Whiteoak ran a blinder also.
Well done Halfway,
No luck to it mate, well done.
I am happy enough with that result with my Champion Hurdle bet looking better now.
Punjabi did look a good price but obviously unfit. Has a lot to make up in little more than a few weeks. Disappointing.
Mark
I would have thought Nicky Henderson would be delighted with that run. The horse takes a tremendous amount of work to get ready. The ground was awful and he wasn’t knocked about.
He’ll come on a ton from that and I will be amazed if Pipe’s horse finishes in front of him in the CH.
The actual from of the race isn’t worth much in CH terms though, Whiteoak scraped home by a short head in the David Nicholason last year. Jonjo O’neill’s refinement finished 2nd’giving her 5 lb. She was 2nd to Elusive Dream getting 7lbs a few weeks later
The winner is clearly Pipes second string and the only thing he has going for him is last years CH winner won this race..The similarity in his CH chances ends there I’m afraid.
A good call by HTH. I’m sure Punjabi will come on a bit, but I don’t think today’s race will have Binocular quaking in his boots.
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