Ulck Du Lin expected to bounce back in John Smith´s Novices´ Hurdle at Chepstow
Despite Ulck Du Lin’s below par performance last time out, the bookmakers have declared him favourite for the Class 4 John Smith´s Novices´ Hurdle, taking place at Chepstow on Saturday, April 14th.
The four-year-old performed outstandingly at the start of his career, but was not impressive in his last two appearances. After staying out of action for more than five months, the bay gelding made his seasonal return on March 14th.
His connections were expecting him to resume his journey on a winning note, but Paul Nicholls’ trainee could not live up to the expectations.
He was unable to run well and as a result, finished 12th in the Grade 3 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.
Without a shadow of doubt, the Mrs Johnny de la Hey-owned is a talented runner, and despite the fact that he was below par in his last appearance, no one can afford to take him lightly.
Considering his enormous talent, the bookies are expected to give him the highest starting price. If he manages to perform to his utmost, it would be an easy win for the Nicholls-trained.
The 2m110y event is set to begin at 14:35 GMT. The contestants will compete for a cash prize of £2,014.
Among the confirmed entries are: Ulck Du Lin, Tell Me Y, Top Wood, Duaiseoir, Uncle Johnny, Soundbyte, Fearless Leader, Fitandproperjob, Hamilton Hill, Out Of Nothing, Commander Jet, Armagnac Rebel, Effectsmenone, Just Watch Ollie and Chase The Space.
Among Ulck Du Lin’s opposition, Tell Me Y looks the biggest threat. The five-year-old failed to make a winning debut in February, but he quickly improved his work to seal an emphatic win in the Bridgestone "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle last month.
Top Wood was not impressive on his seasonal return in January. After failing to shine on his debut, the David Pipe-trained registered three back to back wins last year.
According to our calculations, Ulck Du Lin would find this race a lot easier than running at the Cheltenham Festival. Tell Me Y and Top Wood, both are capable of springing up a surprise, but Nicholls’ trainee is most likely to bag the winning prize.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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