Karabak may back out of Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival - Horse Racing Updates
Alan King, trainer for Kalabak, has recently revealed to fans and the media, that Karabak is most likely not going to be running against rivals Big Buck’s and Grands Crus in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The decision was made because
King believes that competing in two regular hurdle champions at the same time would not be a very good decision.
The eight-year-old Karabak, who holds odds as big as 12-1 for the World Hurdle, has been entered in and is expected to run in the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday. The fact that the two fixtures are so close together is making trainer
King hesitant to take up both of the Hurdles.
When speaking to reporters, King informed them that although Karabak has already been and still is listed in the entries for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, presently he will run at Fontwell on Sunday in the National Spirit Hurdle which is why he doubts that
the horse will be able to perform in both the races.
King has not yet let his thoughts known to JP McManus and Frank Berry but he has said that he holds the opinion that “taking on both Big Buck’s and Grands Crus would not be wise”. He says that he would personally prefer it if only one of them was a rival
but he sees no benefit in competing against both champion hurdlers.
King went on to add that if the horse runs the Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell, then the Cheltenham World Hurdle would be too much too soon for the horse and he will tire out. Instead, he believes that a better alternative is to get him rested up and in top form
for Aintree or perhaps for Punchestown.
Krabak was placed fourth in last season’s World Hurdle, falling one spot behind Big Buck’s. The horse’s first ever graded victory is recorded to have been at Cheltenham in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle in December, where he defeated Any Given Day.
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