Owner, Dai Walters, not making any hasty decisions for Oscar Whisky in the World Hurdle
Kauto Star’s retirement from the National Hunt racing has opened up venues for many horses to try their luck in the King George VI Chase. At the top of the list is the Nicky Henderson stable with, Long Run, Riverside Theatre and Finian's Rainbow. In the same way, representing Paul Nicholls now is Kauto Stone as Al Ferof had to be withdrawn due to an injury.
In the same way, the ruling out of Big Buck’s from the National Hurdle along with other targets, has made the World Hurdle an attraction for all those stables that kept their representation annulled due to the champion, Big Buck’s, who has won the Hurdle four times already.
However, one owner who does not want to make any hasty decision just because the mighty Paul Nicholls’ trained is not in the frame is, Dai Walters.
There are bookmakers who have gone as far as announcing the Nicky Henderson trained, Long Run and Quevega trained by, Willie Mullins, joint favourites for the Hurdle challenge.
Oscar Whisky’s connections are keeping their end decision to race or not to race low-profile right now. The seven-year-old Irish bay gelding is unbeaten in the two starts of the campaign.
He cracked open the season with success in the Coral Hurdle on 24th November, 2012 at Ascot over two miles and 3 ½ furlongs. The favourite entry defeated Raya Star by 8 lengths.
Oscar’s bay gelding then extended his impressive form in the Grade 2 Osborne House Relkeel on 15th December, 2012 at Cheltenham over two miles and 4 ½ furlongs.
Entered as the most popular entry once again, he set Crack Away Jack into the second slot by the margin of nineteen lengths.
"It's too soon to say which way we'll be going, though. The way we came up the hill last week you wouldn't believe he didn't stay three miles in March.”
"He'll certainly have an entry for the World Hurdle, anyway, but if the ground was like it was at the weekend in March he'd run in the Champion Hurdle. We don't want to ask him to race over three miles if he's not a three-miler. Not many horses win the Aintree Hurdle three times and we'd be quite happy doing that.”
"I'm really sorry for Andy Stewart (owner of Big Buck's) though, he's a friend of mine."
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