Home / Horse Racing / Triumph Hurdle Winner Zarkandar Takes On Grandouet Again

Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle Odds: Zarkandar hot favourite in the betting

Click here for the latest odds and betting preview for the 2012 Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle.

Thursday'sAnniversary 4-year-old Juvenile Hurdle is the second race on the opening day of the Aintree meeting and has so often attracted the leading contenders from the previous month's Triumph Hurdle. And so it has proven again this year as Triumph winner Zarkandar is 5/6 odds on favourite with Stan James bookmakers for the Grade One race, as he renews his battle with Grandouet, whilst several other also rans from Cheltenham are amongst the ten entries.

There was a surprise last year when 40/1 shot Orsippus eased to victory over the 2 mile and 110 yard trip at the Aintree Meeting, but Paul Nicholls' Zarkandar is well fancied to justify favouritism this year. The French import cruised to victory in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival as the gelding stayed on impressively to beat Unaccompanied by two and a quarter lengths. He dominated the final run-in and it made it two wins from two over hurdles after his Grade Two Adonis Juvenile Hurdle win at Kempton in February, where he beat fellow Aintree contender Kumbeshwar.

Nicholls' classy performer is very much the one to beat on Thursday and has never finished out of the places in rules races. Grandouet, priced at odds of 3/1 by Stan James, looks to be the most likely challenger after finishing third in the Triumph, although he has five lengths to make up on Zarkandar from that race. A confidence boosting win on the flat at Curragh on Sunday will have pleased trainer Nicky Henderson and he should be right in the mix after securing three wins and four places in eight over hurdles.

Alan King's Kumbeshwar comes to Aintree from a slightly different route after finishing a narrow runner up in the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham. He lost out by a neck to What A Charm after staying on impressively and can be backed at odds of 12/1 this week. One win and three places in four over hurdles points to a consistent performer who could well contend, but a third place behind Zarkandar in the Adonis in February suggests he still has some work to do to beat the ante-post favourite - particularly as there was seventeen and a quarter lengths between the two at Kempton.

Colin Tizzard's Third Intention is available at 12/1 was an also ran in the Triumph after a mistake at the first left the gelding too much to make up, eventually finishing seventh. He doesn't boast the best of records against Thursday's runners as he has lost out to Houblon Des Obeaux, at Haydock in February, and Local Hero, at Cheltenham in January, this year.

Houblon Des Obeaux could be a decent each way punt at 20/1 with StanJames.com, despite finishing sixteenth in the Triumph. He had been prominent early on in the race before weakening badly, but a second place in a Grade One at Chepstow in January and a win at Haydock in February suggests Cheltenham was a blip and we fancy he could be a decent punt this week.

Elsewhere, 20/1 shot Local Hero started his career over hurdles impressively by winning his first three races before struggling in the two since - finishing fourth behind Houblon Des Obeaux at Haydock in February and eighth in the Triumph Hurdle.

Another who has had an impressive start to their career is John Quinn's Palawi, who was a winner at Sedgefield and Stratford on his last two outings. A tenth in a Grade Two at Cheltenham in November does raise some doubts about his ability against top class opposition, but he could represent a decent each way punt at 20/1.

Latest Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle Odds

5/6 Zarkandar
3/1 Grandouet
12/1 Kumbeshwar
12/1 Third Intention
20/1 Local Hero
20/1 Houblon Des Obeaux
20/1 Palawi
25/1 Launchpad
25/1 Oriental Cat
100/1 Maoi Chinn Tire

Odds supplied by StanJames.com, who provide a comprehensive betting service for the Aintree Meeting this week.

Posted: Wednesday, 6th April 2011
Author: Chris James
Tags: grand national, aintree meeting, zarkandar, grandouet, stan james,

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