WEIGHTS are unveiled today for the £155,000 Group 3 Betfair Hurdle, Britain's richest handicap hurdle, run at Newbury Racecourse on Betfair Super Saturday, February 10th, 2018.
Heading the weights for the Betfair Hurdle, which is staged over two miles and 69 yards, is Defi Du Seuil (Philip Hobbs, 11st 12lb, 14/1 with Betfair), who went through last season unbeaten in seven starts, including Group 1 victories at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals.
The J.P. McManus-owned five-year-old disappointed on his only start so far in the current campaign, when fourth in the G2 Ascot Hurdle in November. Hobbs recently reported that Defi Du Seuil scoped badly after his run at Ascot but is now back on track.
Betfair's 9/1 favourite is Lalor (Richard Woollacott, 10st 6lb). A top-class bumper performer last season, when successful in Group 2 company at Aintree, the six-year-old has yet to win in three starts over hurdles but has placed in three very strong novices' contests.
He was runner-up on his latest start at Cheltenham on December 15th, when he had subsequent G1 Tolworth Hurdle victor Summerville Boy behind him in third.
The 11 Irish-trained entries include Bleu Et Rouge (Willie Mullins, 11st 1lb, 14/1), fourth at Ascot on December 23rd, and Campeador (Gordon Elliott, 11st 6lb, 20/1), who was third in a Group 1 contest at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Also prominent in the ante-post market with Betfair is Kayf Grace (10st 9lb, 10/1), one of nine entries for Nicky Henderson, who has saddled a record five winners of the Betfair Hurdle.
Kayf Grace, a Group 2 bumper winner back in 2016, was an eye-catching winner at Kempton Park over Christmas. If successful on February 10th, she would become only the third mare to win the Betfair Hurdle after Mysilv (1995) and Spirit Leader (2003).
The entries from Seven Barrows also include Lough Derg Spirit (10st 7lb, 10/1), second in the G2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last time out, and Diese Des Bieffes (10st 6lb, 12/1), a close fifth to stablemate William Henry (11st 6lb, 14/1) in the Listed Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton Park last weekend.
Call Me Lord (11st 7lb, 14/1) scored impressively at Sandown Park on January 6th, while Jenkins (10st 12lb, 14/1) got back to winning ways at Kempton Park on January 13th.
Other leading contenders include Lostintranslation (Colin Tizzard, 10st 3lb, 12/1), winner over the course and distance last time out in a novices' hurdle on December 1, and Silver Streak (Evan Williams, 10st 2lb, 12/1), who was runner-up in a G3 contest at Ascot on December 23rd.
High Bridge (Ben Pauling, 11st 3lb, 14/1) is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles at Newbury including on his latest appearance on December 2nd, while Elgin (Alan King, 11st 6lb) has already scooped valuable prizes at Ascot and Cheltenham so far this season.
Gary Moore, successful three times in the Betfair Hurdle, has two entries headed by Knocknanuss (10st 4lb, 16/1). The eight-year-old was impressive when landing a handicap hurdle under top-weight at Fontwell on Boxing Day.
The other highlights on Betfair Super Saturday are the £50,000 G2 Betfair Denman Chase, a leading trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the £50,000 G2 Betfair Exchange Chase over an extended two miles, won by the Nicky Henderson-trained superstars Sprinter Sacre and Altior in recent years.
Last year's winner Native River (Colin Tizzard), King George VI Chase winner Might Bite (Nicky Henderson) are both possible starters in the Betfair Denman Chase while connections have revealed that Politologue (Paul Nicholls) is being aimed at the Betfair Exchange Chase.
Betfair Hurdle, Betfair bet:
9/1 Lalor; 10/1 Kayf Grace, Lough Derg Spirit; 12/1 Diese Des Bieffes, Lostintranslation, Silver Streak; 14/1 Bleu Et Rouge, Call Me Lord, Defi Du Seuil, High Bridge, Jenkins, Kalashnikov, William Henry; 16/1 Charli Parcs, Elgin, Knocknanuss, Misterton, Pingshou, Poppy Kay, Verdana Blue; 20/1 Campeador, Coeur Blimey, Irish Roe, Lagostovegas, Moon Racer, William H Bonney; 25/1 Ben Dundee, Cliffs of Dover, Dame Rose, Divin Bere, Dolciano Dici, Duca De Thaix, Magic Dancer, Meri Devie, Mont Des Avaloirs, Spiritofthegames, Waterlord, Wishfull Dreaming.
The Betfair Hurdle
Grade 3 handicap hurdle, £155,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.35pm, Saturday, February 10, 2018. For four-year-olds and upwards, two miles and half a furlong (2m 69yds). Penalties: after January 14th, a winner of a hurdle 5lb, a winner of two hurdles 8lb, no penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed January 9th, entries revealed January 10th (59 entries), weights revealed January 17th. Scratchings deadline January 23rd, five-day confirmation stage February 5th, final declaration stage 10.00am, February 8th. Maximum field 24 runners plus two reserves.
Horse Age Wgt Owner Trainer
DEFI DU SEUIL (FR) 5 11-12 J P McManus Philip Hobbs
CALL ME LORD (FR) 5 11-07 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
CAMPEADOR (FR) 6 11-06 J P McManus Gordon Elliott IRE
ELGIN 6 11-06 Elite Racing Club Alan King
WILLIAM HENRY (IRE) 8 11-06 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Nicky Henderson
IRVING 10 11-04 Axom XLIX Paul Nicholls
PINGSHOU (IRE) 8 11-03 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Colin Tizzard
HIGH BRIDGE 7 11-03 Margaret Ferguson Ben Pauling
LAGOSTOVEGAS (IRE) 6 11-02 John Donohue Willie Mullins IRE
MISTER MIYAGI (IRE) 9 11-02 Ben Turner & Jay Tabb Dan Skelton
BLEU ET ROUGE (FR) 7 11-01 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE
VERDANA BLUE (IRE) 6 11-00 Crimbourne Stud Nicky Henderson
VOIX DU REVE (FR) 6 11-00 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
CLIFFS OF DOVER 5 11-00 John & Barbara Cotton Paul Nicholls
CHARLI PARCS (FR) 5 11-00 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
DIVIN BERE (FR) 5 10-13 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls
JENKINS (IRE) 6 10-12 Pump & Plant Services Ltd Nicky Henderson
MOON RACER (IRE) 9 10-11 Prof Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew David Pipe
MISTERTON 7 10-11 Wilkin, Orr, Boileau & Sim Harry Fry
CHTI BALKO (FR) 6 10-11 D G Carrington Donald McCain
KALASHNIKOV (IRE) 5 10-10 Paul Murphy Amy Murphy
MONT DES AVALOIRS (FR) 5 10-10 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls
PROJECT BLUEBOOK (FR) 5 10-10 J P McManus John Quinn
DAME ROSE (FR) 5 10-09 Carl Hinchy Richard Hobson
EL TERREMOTO (FR) 6 10-09 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
KARALEE (FR) 7 10-09 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
KAYF GRACE 8 10-09 James and Jean Potter Nicky Henderson
GWAFA (IRE) 7 10-09 Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar Paul Webber
BEN DUNDEE (IRE) 6 10-08 CJones Gordon Elliott IRE
REMILUC (FR) 9 10-08 Gilbert & Gamble Chris Gordon
MERI DEVIE (FR) 5 10-08 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
SPIRITOFTHEGAMES (IRE) 6 10-08 N W Lake Dan Skelton
LOUGH DERG SPIRIT (IRE) 6 10-07 Grech & Parkin Nicky Henderson
DIESE DES BIEFFES (FR) 5 10-06 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Nicky Henderson
POPPY KAY 8 10-06 Aiden Murphy & Alan Peterson Philip Hobbs
LALOR (GER) 6 10-06 D G Staddon Richard Woollacott
CHARMING ZEN (FR) 6 10-05 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Nicky Henderson
KNOCKNANUSS (IRE) 8 10-04 Hail Sargent Evans Gary Moore
WATERLORD 7 10-04 Matthew Taylor Donald McCain
LOSTINTRANSLATION (IRE) 6 10-03 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
WILLIAM H BONNEY 7 10-03 Mr & Mrs R Scott Alan King
IRISH ROE (IRE) 7 10-03 Peter Atkinson Peter Atkinson
MASTER OF IRONY (IRE) 6 10-02 Highfield Racing 6 John Quinn
SILVER STREAK (IRE) 5 10-02 L Fell Evan Williams
NIETZSCHE 5 10-01 D Gilbert, M Lawrence, A Bruce, G Wills Brian Ellison
NIGHT OF SIN (FR) 5 10-01 Simon Brown & Ron Watts Nick Williams
COEUR BLIMEY (IRE) 7 10-01 Keith Harris & Tom Gardner Susan Gardner
ZALVADOS (FR) 5 9-12 D C Mercer Oliver Greenall
VEINARD (FR) 9 9-11 T D Howley Jnr/J N O'Brien Gordon Elliott IRE
WISHFULL DREAMING 7 9-08 Mrs Diana L Whateley Olly Murphy
BIDOUREY (FR) 7 9-08 Brocade Racing David Pipe
MAGIC DANCER 6 9-07 Mark E Smith & The Magic Partnership Kerry Lee
MAN OF PLENTY 9 9-06 G Thompson Sophie Leech
BIRCH HILL (IRE) 8 9-03 G Thompson Sophie Leech
MAQUISARD (FR) 6 9-03 M K George Gary Moore
CANYON CITY 5 nq A Whyte, J Bone, D Nott & B Smith Neil King
59 entries
11 Irish-trained
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