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ALL EYES ON BINOCULAR
TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR HORSE RACING FORUM It's great to see Kauto Star running in the totesport Bowl at Aintree on Thursday. This horse is a huge favourite of mine and I thought it was rather sad to see him beaten in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last time where he didn't seem to run up to his very best form. He never fenced with his usual fluency and the writing was on the wall at the top of the hill. Kauto Star was magnificent in defeat though as he battled on courageously having been in trouble so far out. He was actually closing on Denman going to the final fence only to get very weary going up the hill, as he had every right to do. Paul Nicholls' charge takes on his old rival Exotic Dancer again but he was some way behind him in the Gold Cup. Jonjo O'Neill's star has pushed Kauto Star close on a couple of occasions and was a very impressive winner of this race last year but you just get the feeling he has had a rather fragmented campagn this time. You have to expect Kauto Star to confirm his superiority again. Stamina is a major question mark for both Monet's Garden and Our Vic, who struggle to get this trip. The other runner is the Racing Post Chase winner Gungadu, trained like Kauto Star by Paul Nicholls, and there would be several stunned people at Ditcheat if he was to beat his stablemate. It has to be Kauto Star again but he won't be much of a price. Inglis Drever runs in the opening Liverpool Hurdle but his record at Aintree isnt as good as the one he has at Cheltenham. He misses the uphill finish but has run some good races round here. Blazing Bailey is blinkered for the first time but has it to do on the formbook while Ballyfitz is another up against it on the ratings. Coral Cup runner-up Kicks For Free is in good form but it would be a surprise if Inglis Drever failed to follow up his historic World Hurdle win - albeit at a track that isn't ideal for him. The John Smith's 250th Anniversary 4yo Hurdle features an intriguing clash between Binocular and Celestial Halo. The former took on older horses at Cheltenham and finished second to Captain Cee Bee in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, running a blinder. Celestial Halo ran against his own age group and made all the running to win the Triumph Hurdle. It is difficult to bring those strands of form together but I felt Binocular ran particularly well at Cheltenham where i liked the way he jumped and travelled. I take Tony McCoy's mount to edge it. Thursday 3rd April 2008 TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR HORSE RACING FORUM
By Bettingzone.co.uk Used with permission. |
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