Race Of The Week - Long Walk Hurdle

[BillyHills]

Saturday 17th December

Ascot 2.25: JLT Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) (3m97y)

The focus is on the hurdlers this week with the stamina test of the Long Walk Hurdle taking centre stage at Ascot.

We have only had 3 different winners in the last 7 renewals, Big Bucks won it three times on the bounce from 2009 and then Reve De Sivola did likewise after that. Last year Thistlecrack won this before going on to win the World Hurdle, the 7th since 1971 to do the double.

 

Final decs

 

 

[BillyHills]

Previous Winners

 

Trends

7/10 Winners were favourites.

9/10 Winners were French Bred.

9/10 Winners last run was less than 35 days ago.

9/10 Winners placed last time out.

7/10 Winners were rate 160 or more.

All previous 10 winners had won over 2m5f+.

 

[Jimmy2shoes]

Looks a cracker G' and a nice warm up for the King Geordie, ''The Prawn Cocktail'' before the main, Roast Spuds, touch of Mash, Yorkshire Pudding lashings of the brown stuff, Ahhhh Bisto.

Never been a stats man myself but they are always worth considering and Richard Johnson does have a good record in this event, I've been following Ballyoptic so will just be sticking with that duo.

He still has something to find regarding uknowhatimeanharry but I'll take that chance, it's horse racing and anything can happen, Ballyoptic is a fair price and N.T.D might just have him a little bit more polished for this, if So he'll be much closer to the Jolly and if they jump the last alongside each other R.J could take a little sweat revenge.

Ballyoptic playing Safe E/w

[Trotter]

I like Lil Rockefeller

Very reminiscent of an old warhorse who won this a few years ago in Lough Derg ............always considered a bit of a journeyman horse but had lots of guts and never gave up

A real trier if not as talented as some others

 

[BillyHills]

From the Sat thread;

 

Unowhatimeanharry 11/8 Skybet

The Long Walk Hurdle, a Grade 1 contest and a decent renewal with 10 runners going to post. Previous winners of this race have been World Hurdle standard and immediately that leads us towards Unowhatimeanharry. He's rated 165 which fits into the profile perfectly and is improving with every run, he's hard to oppose here although i do like Lil Rockerfeller as an alternative.

Lil Rockerfeller has yet to prove he wants 3 miles but is tough and genuine and wouldn't count him out of the places if he stays.

 

[waynecoyne]

i'll try alex de larredya 6/1l

 

top class form at auteuil lto with ptit zig

jock has been over to france to school and was impressed (over british style hurdles)

[BillyHills]