There are nine entries for Saturday's Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr as reigning champion Overturn attempts to defend his title in the 2 mile Grade 2 race. Donald McCain's 7-year-old is second favourite at the moment though at odds of 7/2 with Victor Chandler, as Mille Chief has marginally edged favouritism at 10/3.
The £50,000 hurdle, the richest Scottish hurdle, is part of the same card as Saturday's Scottish Grand National and provides a quality build up to the feature race. McCain's Overturn was a comfortable winner by four and a half lengths last year and is bidding to emulate Sea Pigeon by becoming the first horse to successfully defend the Ayr hurdle since 1978. The 7-year-old tops the weights this year at 11st 10lbs but is well fancied to put up a strong fight as the gelding has proven to be an exceptionally versatile performer.
The gelding went on to win the Northumberland Plate on the flat and the Galway Hurdle, as well as finish second in the Swinton Hurdle, last year and McCain has said he is likely to take a similar route this season. McCain plans to send him to the flat for the Chester Plate after Ayr and despite weighing a stone and three pounds heavier than last year he looks well set to put up a strong performance.
Overturn's biggest opposition is likely to come from ante-post favourite Mille Chief as Alan King's 5-year-old looks to repeat his Kingwell Hurdle winning performance, where he comfortably beat Overturn. His inexperience showed at Cheltenham last month though as the gelding finished last of eleven in the Champion Hurdle after starting 14/1, whilst Overturn managed a very respectable seventh despite being as long as 40/1 in the ante-post odds. Mille Chief is set to carry 11st 8lbs this weekend and could just have the edge in what is a much weaker field than the one at Cheltenham.
Away from the 'big two', Paul Nicholls enters the 2010 Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle winner and 6/1 punt Sanctuaire. Things have not gone quite to plan for the 5-year-old since Cheltenham success as he has finished third, fallen, third and was last seen seventh at Taunton in January. A partnership with Ruby Walsh is likely to attract plenty of backers though. Gary Moore's Via Galilei is also priced 6/1 by VCBet after claiming three wins and three places from six outings over hurdles and could well be in the mix.
Philip Hobbs goes in dual handed with a couple of 7/1 shots as the experienced hurdlers Nearby, third in the County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, and Cockney Trucker, fourth in the same race, make their first appearances at Ayr.
A horse who certainly isn't new to Ayr is David Pipe's Hunterview, as the 5-year-old was an impressive juvenile winner at the same meeting last year and should thrive on the course and ground on offer this weekend. The gelding can be backed at odds of 9/1 with VictorChandler.com, while Bygones of Brid is available at 16/1 following a 10th place finish in last month's Champion Hurdle.
Apartman completes the field at odds of 66/1 as the 6-year-old makes his first appearance since returning to the stables of trainer George Charlton. But all eyes will be on Overturn to see whether he can hold off the challenge of Mille Chief and secure a famous Scottish Champion Hurdle double.
10/3 Mille Chief
7/2 Overturn
6/1 Sanctuaire
6/1 Via Galilei
7/1 Nearby
7/1 Cockney Trucker
9/1 Hunterview
16/1 Bygones Of Brid
66/1 Apartman
Odds supplied by VictorChandler.com bookmakers, offering best odds guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing.
Posted: Friday, 15th April 2011
Author: Chris James
Tags: scottish champion hurdle, overturn, mille chief, victor chandler,
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