Stuart Williams takes an in-depth look at the runners for the International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.
- Goshen heads the market at 11/4
- Song For Someone catches the eye
- Last year's winner Call Me Lord is a 12/1 shot
International Hurdle Preview & Runners Guide
Nicky Henderson has won this race six times since the turn of the century including the last three renewals with My Tent Or Yours, Brain Power and Call Me Lord. The latter will attempt to double-up on Saturday and will be joined by his Grade 1 winning stablemate Verdana Blue.
Nigel Twiston-Davies is the second most prolific trainer in that same time period, most notably due of the exploits the recently departed The New One, who landed this Grade 2 prize in 2013, 2014 and 2016. The locally based handler will saddle last year's runner-up Ballyandy on Saturday, who has looked as good as ever in the early exchanges this autumn.
Without further ado, let's take a deeper dive into all 10 contenders who will go to post at Prestbury Park on Saturday.
International Hurdle Runners
Goshen
Last year's leading juvenile hurdler Goshen will make his belated seasonal reappearance in this sphere after missing engagements at Wincanton, Ascot and Newcastle in recent weeks, however, he should not be found wanting for fitness following a brace of outings on the flat this summer, when beaten at odds of 2/5 and even money respectively.
Gary Moore's charge carried all before him last winter and was desperately unlucky not to land the Triumph Hurdle in March, when Goshen's hind shoe got stuck in his fore, unceremoniously ejecting Jamie Moore from the saddle.
But for that freak incident at the final flight of hurdles, when already ten lengths clear, we would be talking about an unbeaten hurdler with any amount of untapped potential. While his unbeaten status is clearly gone forever, the latter statement still rings true and those clutching antepost slips adorned with fancy prices for the Champion Hurdle will be hopeful for that Goshen can carry the weight of expectation home in front in the Cotswolds this Saturday.
The bay son of Authorzied won his first three starts over timber by a combined distance of 68 lengths, culminating in a smooth 11 lengths success over subsequent easy handicap scorer Nordano over two miles at Ascot, when sluicing through the heavy ground like a hot knife through butter.
Clearly Goshen possesses plenty of ability and he could easily turn this race into a procession if on song. However, the racing archives are littered with top class juvenile's who failed to live-up to expectations in their second season over hurdles, and more often than not it pays to oppose them on their first outing in open company.
Interestingly, you have to go back to Courtywide Flame in 2012 to find the last Triumph Hurdle winner (obviously Goshen isn't technically a Triumph Hurdle winner) who was successfull on their first foray into open company, and he beat that year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero Cinders And Ashes, who never hit the heights of his novice campaign and failed to win another race of any kind.
Furthermore, Defi Du Seuil was 7-7 in his juvenile hurdle campaign including Grade 1 victories at Chepstow, Cheltenham, and Aintree before placing fourth of five on his seasonal reappearance in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot. He too was sent off a short priced favourite (10/11) and only made one further appearance that season as the Hobbs horses endured a troublesome winter, demonstrating that any number of things can go wrong both on and off the track.
Heartbreak for Jamie Moore on Goshen. #CheltenhamFestival
— oddschecker Racing (@oddsRacing) March 13, 2020
@itvracing pic.twitter.com/H4TzIVEHqk
That said, Goshen will compete on favourable terms this weekend given that he will receive weight from all bar 3 of his rivals, and connections are clearly happy that he is ready for this contest, which naturally filters optimism.
We know that he is effective over this course and distance by virtue of his outing in the Triumph Hurdle, and he could prove tough to peg back if granted an easy lead from flag fall. However, it is also worth noting that although he won on good ground on the flat in June 2019, all of his victories last season came on soft or heavy ground, and he could only finish sixth of six on good ground at Haydock in September. Therefore rain would certainly aid his prospects.
Sceau Royal
Sceau Royal has certainly made hay while the sun shone this autumn having scooped both the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las and the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton prior to chasing home reigning champion hurdler Epatante in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle two weeks ago.
Alan King's good ground loving eight-year-old is better know for his exploits over fences in recent years but has clearly been lit up by a spell over timber, and although it's highly unlikely that he would have been able to defeat a hugely talented Epatante under any circumstances at Newcastle, he was definitely inconvenienced by being left in front following the departures of Not So Sleepy and Silver Streak after the first two flights of hurdles.
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's battle-hardened campaigner has been a frequent visitor to Cheltenham since his days as a juvenile hurdler achieving form-figures of 10162135, with his peak effort arguably being a third placed finish in the 2019 Champion Chase, when beaten just three-and-a-half-lengths by multiple Grade 1 winners Altior and Politologue on unsuitably soft ground.
Sceau Royal, who possesses a genuine turn of foot when granted his ideal conditions, is the joint highest rated horse in this field and is clearly flourishing at present. Therefore his position in the market is most certainly warranted and he rates a very big player if the ground is decent.
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Ch'tibello
Cheltenham Festival winner Ch'tibello ran a fine race to place third behind Call Me Lord and Ballyandy in this contest 12 months ago, and he will meet those rivals on 10lbs better terms this weekend.
Dan Skelton's experienced nine-year-old landed the 2019 County Hurdle over this course and distance and also placed fourth on his only other previous outing in this contest in 2017, therefore it is fair to say that he is well suited by both the track and trip on Saturday.
The classy son of Segeburg returned to action with a solid runner-up effort behind the reopposing Summerville Boy, who proved half a length too good over two-and-a-half-miles at Aintree and will again have to concede 6lbs as a result of his Grade 2 success in January.
Dropping back in trip is clearly no issue and he is perfectly at home on any terrain that isn't rattling quick, therefore there are no concerns in those departments and another bold effort seems likely.
Song For Someone
Tom Symonds has been enjoying a real purple patch in recent weeks and Song For Someone played his role when running out a convincing winner of the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at Ascot three-weeks-ago, when proving 5 lengths too good for last years winner of this contest Call Me Lord.
This promising son of Medicean picked up from where he left off in February, when landing the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton against vastly more experienced rivals on a track that arguably wouldn't play to his strengths, and the manner of his Ascot success very much suggested that he remains on an upward trajectory.
Indeed, Song For Someone came on leaps and bounds over the course of last season, following up a facile Fontwell success with a rock-solid third placed effort behind two very well handicapped rivals - namely Mack The Man and Protektorat - who received lumps of weight at Sandown, climbing 17lbs in the ratings whilst announcing his arrival in graded company.
I was particularly taken with how slick, quick and nimble Song For Someone was over his hurdles at Ascot, which is invariably the trait of a classy 2 mile hurdler. And, given that Goshen will almost certainly ensure that this is a truly run race, and given that he was a Grade 2 scorer over this trip in February, Tom Symonds chestnut gelding should not be inconvenienced by dropping back in trip on course that puts an increased emphasis on stamina regardless of the distance.
Still only five, Song For Someone is one of few horses in this contest who still possesses the potential to improve past his current rating. He won on good to soft ground at Kempton last season but is arguably seen to best effect when the mud is flying, therefore any rainfall will only further boost his prospects.
Silver Streak
Backers of Silver Streak were left bemoaning their luck when the talented grey fell victim to the riderless Not So Sleepy in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle two weeks ago, as there was nothing that jockey Tom O'Brien could do to prevent his mount from being being carried-out on the approach to the second flight of hurdles.
Evan Williams' seven-year-old has more than earned his stripes by virtue of a string of solid efforts in graded company in recent years. However, his most prestigious success to date remains his Grade 3 victory in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock, swiftly followed by his triumph in the 2018 Welsh Champion Hurdle and brace of Listed contests at Kempton - latterly on seasonal reappearance in October.
Third in the 2019 Champion Hurdle, all seven of Silver Streak's previous career victories have been achieved on decent ground and he arrives here fit following his successful outing in October, but fresh as a result his early departure at Newcastle. Therefore there is plenty to like should the rain stay away.
Indeed, he should be well suited by how this race will be run and his string of narrow defeats includes the Grade 3 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in 2018, when attempting to concede 26lbs to the winner and going down by just a neck.
The Dark Angel gelding looked as good as ever at Kempton and he is undoubtedly a leading contender for major honours on Saturday.
Ballyandy
The term tough-as-teak was created for horses like the gallant Ballyandy, who will attempt to go one place better than last year and record what would be a remarkable fifth success in this race in the last 12 years for local trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies.
Eighth behind Epatante in the Champion Hurdle in March, Ballyandy chased home subsequent Grade 2 Elite Hurdle scorer Sceau Royal, whom received 4lbs, in the Welsh Champion Hurdle before running a mighty race to place second in the ultra-competitive Grade 3 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, when conceding 26lbs to the winner and 29lbs to the third.
Those efforts clearly confirm that Ballyandy remains at the peak of his powers in spite of his succession of barnstorming battles on the racetrack, and his sheer consistency suggests that he can be a factor once more this weekend.
The ever-popular nine-year-old further demonstrated his ability to operate at this level when landing the Grade 2 The New One Unibet Hurdle at Haydock in January, and he is equally effective on both decent and testing ground. Therefore another bold seems likely.
Call Me Lord
Call Me Lord will look to emulate his success of 12 months ago by winning this race following a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at Ascot. However, his two outings this autumn suggest that he might not be in the same kind of form this year, and he will need to bounce back to his very best in order to double up on Saturday.
Fourth beaten a shade under 8 lengths on his seasonal reappearance at Aintree, Call Me Lord was no match for the reopposing Song For Someone at Ascot last month and indeed looked a shadow of the horse that went down all guns blazing against a previous Grade 1 winner - namely If The Cap Fits - in the same race 13 months ago, which rather tempers enthusiasm.
Furthermore, a third run in the space of 5 weeks is far from ideal for a horse who tends to perform better when given time between his races, and he will carry 6lbs more this year following his success in this race 12 months ago, which doesn't make his job any easier.
Summerville Boy
2018 Supreme Novices' Hurdle scorer Summerville Boy had Ch'Tibello and Call Me Lord in behind when making a successful seasonal reappearance at Aintree last month, and he was far from disgraced when placing fourth in a strong renewal of the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury subsequently.
It's interesting that connections have elected to drop all the way back to 2 miles after that outing, however, with Goshen in the field the race should be run at a fair clip and that could well bring Summerville Boy's stamina into play.
Tom George's eight-year-old landed the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and was only beaten one-and-a-half-lengths behind Paisley Park in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle on Cheltenham Trials Day, therefore we know that he can perform to a high level at Prestbury Park and he should not be completely overlooked.
Verdana Blue
2018 Christmas Hurdle heroine Verdana Blue was comfortably held by Silver Streak at Kempton in October and was disappointing when failing to get the better of a 140 rated rival, when in receipt of 2lbs, in Listed Mares company on her only subsequent start.
The winner of that contest had won three of her four previous starts and is clearly no mug herself. However, Verdana Blue had 24lbs in hand on official ratings and although she would not have been in love with the soft underfoot conditions, it is clearly disappointing that she couldn't make her class tell in such company.
Nicky Henderson's mare is winless since landing the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in April 2019 and she now has questions to answer. However, she did place second at Royal Ascot and third in the Ebor Handicap at York this summer, therefore she is clearly still more than capable if on a going day.
Good ground is clearly important and she will obviously receive a 7lbs mares allowance, which would make her competitive if bouncing back to form.
Stormy Ireland
Runner-up in the Grade 1 Mares' Hurdle at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, Stormy Ireland was transferred to Paul Nicholls' during the summer and has placed second on both of her visits to the racetrack this autumn in competitive novice chases.
Firstly behind subsequent Cheltenham Grade 2 scorer Eldorado Allen at Newton Abbot in October, the Sullivan Bloodstock owned mare filled the same position in a Listed Mares' contest at Bangor last month, and connections have swiftly decided to revert to hurdling this weekend.
3-3 in Ireland last season, including the Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas in January, Stormy Ireland could only place fifth in the Mares' Hurdle in March and she had something to find with many of her rivals on Saturday, even factoring in his 7lbs mares allowance.
Although she settled much better in her races last winter, the daughter of Motivator has often blitzed off in front and made the best of her way home. Therefore she could easily attempt to battle for supremacy with Goshen this weekend, which wouldn't aid either of their prospects.
International Hurdle Tips
The verdict
Both Ballyandy and Silver Streak rarely run a bad race and seem to be as good as ever this season, therefore they are very likely to be there or thereabouts when push comes to shove. The same can be said of Ch'Tibello, who is 10lbs better off with the former on last year's running and could easily go close for team Skelton. However, all three have reached their peak and are solid performers at this level, while Goshen, who could easily develop into a genuine Champion Hurdle contender this season, and SONG FOR SOMEONE, who was impressive when landing a second Grade 2 prize at Ascot last month, both possess the scope to progress further this winter. Preference would be for the latter, who jumps quickly and slickly as a 2 miler should and whom may get a nice tow into the race courtesy of the keen going Goshen, who should make this race a test of stamina as well as speed.
Tingle Creek Entries
- Goshen
- Song For Someone
- Sceau Royal
- Ch'tbello
- Silver Streak
- Ballyandy
- Call Me Lord
- Verdana Blue
- Summerville Boy
- Stormy Ireland
