Good Evening ,
The Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday could be hugely significant in the context of the Cheltenham Festival. The even money favourite is Angels Breath who is a leading contender for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle which is the first race of the Festival. The horse was due to have a final prep race earlier this month but was a victim of the cancellation of racing due to the outbreak of equine flu. The Dovecote has a history of providing pointers to the novice hurdle contests at Cheltenham.
The Festival dominated National Hunt racing like no other single event in a sport. It’s the Olympics of the jumps season but the great thing is that there is a Festival every March and we don’t have to wait four years for the next one. When Angels Breath and the rest of the field begin racing in the openor there will be a huge roar from the crowd because the greatest race meeting in the world has begun. In next to no time the four days have gone and we start looking forward to the next Festival.
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Angels Breath is owned by Dai Walters, the man behind the relatively new track at Ffos Las. He also owns Al Dancer who after winning the Betfair Hurdle with something in hand is the favourite for the Supreme. The two horses come from different stables and Nicky Henderson and Nigel Twiston-Davies will want the best for their businesses. Its rare for two horse in the same ownership but with different trainers to have live chances to win a championship race at Cheltenham.
On ratings and form Angels Breath looks a good thing at Kempton but will struggle to beat Al Dancer at the Festival. The importance of the meeting to the betting industry is indicated by the list of top 40 races by turnover from last year. Cash bets placed during the flat and jumps season have been used to compile the list. Of the 40 races on the list 26 were run at the Cheltenham Festival. The Grand National is the biggest betting race of the year and the five Classics on the Flat are in the top 40 but all but 14 of the highest staking races take place at Cheltenham in March.
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The Adonis Juvenile Hurdle has identified a number of leading contenders for the Triumph Hurdle in the past. In fact five of the winners of the race at Kempton on Saturday have gone on to win the juvenile championship since 1999. It will take an impressive winner of the Adonis to usurp Sir Erec as the favourite for the Triumph Hurdle. The horse was good enough on the Flat to finish third in the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot last October. No other potential runner has come close to that level in a Flat race and Sir Erec has taken to jumping.
The Festival begins just 17 days after Saturday’s meeting at Kempton. That leaves enough time for a horse to run well in one of the two novice hurdle races and become a leading contender for similar races at the huge sporting occasion in Gloucestershire which can’t come quick enough for fans of jumps racing.
Best Wishes,
BetFan
