We should have good ground for the Scottish Champion Hurdle, a race we won a couple of year’s back by the re-opposing Ch’tibello, who carries top weight this time and looks very much in the grip of the handicapper.
There must be so many well handicapped good ground horses thanks to this wettest of winter – and distinct lack of spring! – and VERDANA BLUE might just be one of them.
An aborted Champion Hurdle entry on account of the heavy ground who has simply not had her conditions all season, it’s not difficult to argue she should be favourite here off a mark of 145 with quality claimer James Bowen on board.
Comparing her with her stablemate Claimantakinfogan, who finished a staying-on fifth in the Supreme Novices’, it seems pretty obvious who is the fastest of the two and the selection stands out as the better handicapped as well as best suiting this two-mile trip.
The obvious threat is last year’s winner Chesterfield off 2lb lower than last year and arriving off the back of a very good fourth in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
His form is very solid and he looks like he’s been cleverly campaigned with the spring in mind, having dropped 6lb before Christmas, so I’m finding it very hard to find a reason not to bet on him given he’s 13/2.
They may be first and second favourites but they are for good reason, and with fantastic each-way terms of four places at 1/4 odds widely available, I don’t see why we can’t back both at these prices.
1pt each-way Verdana Blue @11/2, 14:55 Ayr, Saturday
1pt each-way Chesterfield @13/2, 14:55 Ayr, Saturday