Theatre Diva still the most credible entry for the Forbra Gold Challenge Cup on 1st March at Ludlow
The Class 3 Forbra Gold Challenge Cup (Handicap Chase) is to be staged on Thursday, 1st March at Ludlow over three miles. The £7, 913 purse race has attracted a lineup of nine runners.
Three among the lineup are most vehemently being bet upon, Theatre Diva, Fairoak Lad and Drumbaloo.
Theatre Diva, King’s Theatre’s eleven-year-old bay mare out of mare Rigobertha, broke into the 2012 season on 18th February at Wincanton over two miles and five furlongs in the Country Gentlemen’s Association Veterans’ Handicap Chase. She was
deprived of victory as the 6/4 favourite of the race, Painter Man, won the race by ½ a length’s difference.
On top of that Theatre Diva could not even over ride the next four horses who went through the wire and thus was positioned sixth on a field of thirteen racing.
Without doubt, an unfortunate start of the new season however, she ended the 2011 season quite impressively.
On 10th April 2011, Theatre Diva won the Ludlow Gold Cup Hunters’ Chase at Ludlow over two miles and four furlongs. She was entered as a 7/4 favourite among the lineup of ten.
Her final race of the year was the Abberley Hall Old Boys Association Hunters’ Chase on 21st April at Ludlow over two miles and four furlongs. The 11/10 favourite of the race, Theatre Diva captured the track with a sixteen lengths’ lead.
Keeping her previous endeavours in mind, she is being voted upon heavily despite her fresh defeat. If she wins today then she will record her seasonal debut victory.
Fairoak Lad, Tiraaz’s nine-year-old brown gelding out of mare Flair Dante, will be racing after taking a long break. The last race that he took part was in the F.J Chalke Desert Orchid Handicap Chase on 24th October 2010 at Wincanton. He was sent
as a 4/1 favourite and finished fifth behind the winner on the lineup of seven.
Drumbaloo trained by Evan Williams, raced his seasonal debut on 11th January but could not post a victory through it. He finished the race fourth on a track of nine contestants.
Whether the horse with a long break will excel today or the mare with an overwhelming finishing of the 2011 season will take away the title, is to become news soon.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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