We look at which horses have been popular with Oddschecker punters over the last 90 days
Apples Shakira – 33.6% of all ante-post bets on the market
She arrived on these shores with quite the reputation and her trainer Nicky Henderson did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm by describing her as ‘gorgeous’ in his early season stable tours. She certainly lived up to expectations when destroying the early season leading light Gumball at Cheltenham by 17 lengths on her first start for her new connections. She followed that with a second course success this time at 1/10 in December to make it three wins from her three career starts. Her undoubted talent has her prominent in the betting in no fewer than three ante-post markets including the Supreme (7/1 NRNB), Mares Novice Hurdle (2/1 NRNB) and the Triumph Hurdle (3/1 NRB). Her Festival target remains up in the air with her trainer having fellow Triumph hopeful We Have A Dream (11/2) and her owner responsible for Espoir D’allen (7/1) both towards the top of the market with the Mares Novice hurdle looking the easiest of the three options.
We Have A Dream - 17.58%
A deciding factor on which race Apple’s Shakira will run in, We Have A Dream is another French recruit who has hit the ground running for the Sevenbarrows handler. Three from three including an eye-catching win in a Grade 1 last time out, the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede-owned four-year-old also has options when it comes to which race to run in. Market leader at 8/1 for the Fred Winter, he’s best price 11/2 NRNB for the Triumph having been available at 33’s at the start of the season.
The Grade 1 Coral Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle goes the way of We Have A Dream who toughs it out at @Chepstow_Racing: pic.twitter.com/4fxFS5F1st
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 6, 2018
Espoir D’Allen – 11.8%
Another exciting juvenile in the green and gold of JP McManus, Gavin Cronwell’s gelding has racked up four wins already over hurdles, including Grade 3 and 2 successes on his last two starts. Visually impressive on each of those stars, he’s progressed with each run too, showing a strong cruising speed and nimble jumping throughout. In fact, nothing has managed to get him off the bridle yet! 33’s at the start of the season, he’s now best price 7/1 NRNB but is another who could turn up in the Supreme (8/1 NRNB) or the Fred Winter (14/1 NRNB).
Class horse - yet to taste defeat, Espoir D'Allen makes it four from four over hurdles with victory in the Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at @LeopardstownRC: pic.twitter.com/hEs52m812a
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 26, 2017
Stormy Ireland - 8.26%
Finally a Willie Mullins runner. Surprisingly the Irish champion trainer hasn’t won the race since 2002 and at 12/1 the French import rates his best chance of breaking that run according to the bookmakers. A winner by an incredible 58 lengths on her first start for connections, she has been well supported again in recent days having been as big as 16/1 at the start of the year. Now best price 12/1 NRNB, she is yet another who has other possibilities at Prestbury Park come March. Best price 10/1 NRNB for the Mares Novices Hurdle and 16/1 NRNB for the Albert Bartlett, the problem is it is futile to second-guess where Mullins will place his Cheltenham team!
"She's an incredible filly. I gave her a little break and within a few days she bucked off her rider” - Stormy Ireland could be set for the G1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at @LeopardstownRC’s Dublin Racing Festival...
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 17, 2018
pic.twitter.com/3GloeMTWJz
Redicean - 5.4%
Useful enough on the flat for David O’Meara – a two-time winner rated 86 – he’s won his two hurdle starts for Alan King by a combined 20 lengths. The form of those wins is questionable but any horse capable of winning by 10 lengths pretty much on the bridle deserves respect. A winner at up to 1m6f on the flat, stamina shouldn’t be an issue and it will be intriguing to see how he performs away from Kempton where he has registered those two impressive victories. Now best price 10/1 NRNB, he was as big as 25/1 before his latest demolition job.
