Race Conditions
The JCB Triumph Hurdle (2:00pm) is a Class A Grade 1 hurdle run over two miles and a furlong. It is only open to four year old novices.
Recent Winners
The final day of the Festival gets underway with the cavalry charge that is the Triumph Hurdle. The race always attracts a large field, which means that luck in running is critical.
All the runners are four year olds and so inexperience has also tended to be a problem in the past. However, it seems to be less so these days with more horses coming to the juvenile ranks straight from lengthy careers on the Flat.
Because they are so much more battle hardened than their more traditionally jumps bred counterparts, it is becoming almost impossible to win the race with anything other than either a decent recruit from the Flat or a French bred runner – racehorses in France begin schooling and racing over obstacles much earlier than British or Irish horses.
Key Races
Franchoek was the impressive winner of the Coral Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle Grade 1 in December.
One of the most useful form guides is actually to look at the runners flat form. Detroit City, Penzance and Katchit, who have won the last three runnings, were all rated highly on the flat.
Last time out winners is a key form trend with 12 of the last 13 winners having won their final prep race.
Stamina is also key for the race with horses proven over a mile and half warranting close attention.
Celestial Halo was beaten just 3.25 lengths in the 2007 St Ledger - cheltenham-betting.co.uk
Key Trends
12 of the last 13 winners won last time out.
Only 2 favorites in the last 13 runnings have obliged.
Alan King horses won the race in 2005 & 2007.
9 of the last 14 winners started in the first 4 in the betting.
- cheltenhamreview.net
9TH FEB
Don't write off CELESTIAL HALO, I still expect him to be thereabouts in the Triumph - P. Nicholls.
CELESTIAL HALO was much higher rated on the flat, he ran off a mark of 100 when beaten just under 4 lengths by LUCARNO in the St. Leger - R. Dunwoody.
FRANCHOEK - The only concern with the horse is the ground, as there is some doubt how he will go if the ground firms up. He does have a pronounced knee-action which suggests he is happier with a bit of cut in the ground. - R. Dunwoody.
4TH FEB update
CELESTIAL HALO beaten on Saturday by SENTRY DUTY (6yo) so not the end of the world, the point was made in Sundays Racing Post, the horse is open to improvement and it is very unlikely that the horse was fully wound up 4 weeks BEFORE its Cheltenham target.
Another tricky race, so lets concentrate on what we know ??
CELESTIAL HALO - P. Nicholls main hope, won lto.
Galileo gelding.
Finished 7th in 2007 St. Leger btn 3 lengths
"Could be very special" - A. Stewart (owner)
BINOCULAR - Placed in listed company in FRANCE, won on Hdl debut, Plenty of form on soft ground. Different class to FRANCHOEK on flat (Both owned by JP Mc Manus).
I think at this point a lot of the value has gone in regard to Ante-post betting, so at the moment NO BET is the recommendation on this race.
27 Jan - update
sportinglife - Franchoek has been cut into 7/2 from 5s for the Triumph Hurdle by Betfred after he romped to victory at Cheltenham.
Robert Thornton never had to ask Alan King's star hurdler a question as he kicked clear off the home turn and jumped the last in fantastic style to easily dispose of Serabad.
"In my opinion that was the best race that Franchoek has run," said Betfred's Dave Metcalf.
"He has all the right attributes for a Triumph Hurdle candidate, and it will take a real good one to lower his colours in March.
"If anything does beat him they will certainly know they have been in a battle!" added Metcalf.
"However it will be interesting to see which one of JP McManus' Tony McCoy will ride, as Binocular oozed class when winning on his debut at Sandown and Nicky Henderson is very bullish about his chances in the Triumph, for which we go 8/1."
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