Horse Racing: Big Guns makes it to International Hurdle
The StanJames.com International Hurdle will be taking place on Saturday at Cheltenham and will be featuring some of the most talented racehorses. Amongst the field of nine competitors, the Colt Menorah is being considered the favourite
of the race sponsors, meanwhile the other significant contenders include the names of Silviniaco Conti and Cue Card. Menorah, the winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, will be sent out as a 13-8 favourite.
The winner of the Champion Bumper, Cue Card, who claimed two spectacular hurdle victories in this racing season, is being sent out as a 15-8 favourite, next to Menorah, meanwhile the Paul Nicholls trainee Silviniaco Conti is available
at 5-2.
The aforementioned three participants have anticipated the event for quite some time, as it is their long-standing target. Apart from these three, the winner of the Open meeting, Clerk’s Choice is also in the limelight. He was
an impressive hurdler in the last term and worked hard in the Haydock four-year-old hurdle event that took place in November. He will be sent out in the International Hurdle at a price of 9-1.
Astracad and Liberty Seeker will be completing the field of nine competitors. The former horse trains under the care of Nigel Twiston; meanwhile, the latter is a John Harris trainee. The Irish raider Der Spieler will also be participating
in the event.
Apart from Menorah, the famed trainer Philip Hobbs is also making his trainee Nicene Creed a part of the much-anticipated event at Cheltenham. The colt is the last time out winner.
What makes this meeting particularly interesting for the fans of the sport and those involved in the horse business is the participation of the French hurdler Cristal Bonus. He will be taking part in an event under the supervision
of trainer Evan Williams. The four-year-old champion ran in the Grade 1 Prix Renaud Du Vivier that was held at Auteil. This was the last race that the he contended under the care of his former trainer Christophe Aubert. The Prix Renaud Du Vivier took place
in mid-November.
Since most of the fixtures in Britain and Ireland have been called off due to the big freeze, the racing fans and trainers are looking forward to the hurdle event this weekend. Some of the most recent postponements include those
at the Punchestown racecourse, Hexam and Ludlow.
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