Sportingbet Long Distance Hurdle 2011

2.35 Newbury

Sportingbet Long Distance Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1)  (4YO plus)

Winner £17,085

Advice: 3 pts Sparky May w/o Big Bucks (15/8 Hills), 1 pt Sparky May to beat Pettifour (8/11 Ladbrokes)

Big Buck’s: Unbeaten on all 11 starts since switching back to hurdles, having won this race twice and taken just about every single major staying hurdle inbetween; Made easy work of beating inferior rivals in the Long Walk Hurdle but absolutely superb when beating Grands Crus at Cheltenham and Liverpool, winning well both times; Shouldn’t be beaten.

Sparky May: Took off over hurdles last season, winning at this meeting by 27 lengths before impressive Grade 2 win at Ascot; Lost no caste in defeat (very keen both times) against Quevega and when beaten in Grade 1 Novice Hurdle as favourite at Aintree, and should be second best here.

 

Cerium: Beaten in many top class races and should be the same again.

Duc De Regniere: Classy hurdler (palced behind Big Bucks on a few occasions, including last season in this race before running well below par in Long Walk Hurdle; Since moved to new yard but no reason why he can’t run a respectable race.

Five Dream: Ran his best race for some time when second to stablemate at Exeter on soft ground last time out, but that against far ineferior rivals than this. 

Pettifour: Formerly useful hurdler (once rated 155, Grade 1 winner and then second in Grade 1 hurdle at Punchestown) who made excellent return from year off with injury to when second, beaten just a head, in Cheltenham handicap hurdle; Interesting if coming back to his best.

VERDICT: Sparky May looks like the only horse in the field with the talent to bustle up Big Bucks but even then he’ll need to be some way below par for the race to be close. Thankfully, there’s a market in betting without the favourite, which makes her a strong selection to beat Pettifour and Duc De Reginere.