News 
/ Timeform / 06 February 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Zarkandar will make his seasonal reappearance at Newbury.
"Zarkandar could well go and win and looks well-handicapped but whatever happens, win, lose or draw, there will be a lot to come and he has been trained with the Champion Hurdle in mind..."
Paul Nicholls concedes Zarkandar has not been trained with Saturday's Betfair Hurdle as his highest priority - although he could still easily turn out to be good enough to win the prestigious Newbury handicap...
Last year's Triumph Hurdle winner, who will now be ridden by Ruby Walsh, is not far off being second favourite for the Champion Hurdle itself, and the first Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival is when Nicholls wants him at his peak.
Just a five-year-old, Zarkandar won all three starts as a juvenile in Britain, taking the Triumph on the second of those and following up at Aintree but will only be appearing in the second half of the season again, as he has not raced in public since Liverpool.
"Zarkandar could well go and win and looks well-handicapped but whatever happens, win, lose or draw, there will be a lot to come and he has been trained with the Champion Hurdle in mind," said Nicholls.
"He's a hell of a horse to know if he has improved. At home he's workmanlike but on the track he's different. He's been working OK but is obviously better on the track.
"He's had a racecourse gallop and has done plenty but I'm in the dark as much as anyone. He could win and be a good thing, unless he needs the run more than we thought, but he's done enough work. Saturday will tell us a lot more."
Zarkandar currently heads the market for the Betfair Hurdle at [4.4].
Brampour, the winner of the Greatwood Hurdle, is also pencilled in for Nicholls' Champion team along with Rock On Ruby and potentially Celestial Halo.
The trainer went on: "I ran him a bit quick at Christmas after a good run behind Grandouet and this is his prep for the Champion.
"Harry takes 7lb off and I know this stops the weight going up for the others, but I think it is probably better for everyone else too. He could run a nice race."
The third member of the squad is Sir Alex Ferguson's Empire Levant.
The grey is also returning from a break, having been brushed aside by Rock On Ruby at the Hennessy meeting.
Nicholls said: "He's definitely not without a chance and I think he's a great each-way bet.
"He had a couple of problems over Christmas and he will probably run here and then go for the County Hurdle. He loves a big galloping track like Newbury."
Raya Star could bid for another major handicap prize for Alan King after his success at Ascot, while Darlan and Get Me Out Of Here are two major contenders for leading owner JP McManus.
There are two potential Irish challengers in the Willie Mullins-trained Final Approach and Sailors Warn from the Edward O'Grady stable.
Sire De Grugy, Soldatino, Ubi Ace, Olofi and Third Intention are others who remain in the mix.
Newbury clerk of the course Richard Osgood said the ground was currently good to soft, soft in places.
"We've kept a whole lot of fresh ground for the meeting," he said.
"With the rain and snow, we had around 11 millimetres in the last week and the fleeces covering the track absorb the moisture so it steadily drips through.
"We will leave the covers on until Saturday."
Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Long Run could face up to 10 rivals as he bids to get off the mark for the season in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury......
A healthy 397 entries have been made for the US Triple Crown, with a smattering of British and Irish-trained horses in the mix, including two from Ballydoyle......
Owner Dai Walters believes Oscar Whisky could head straight for a mouth-watering clash with Bug Buck's in the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival......
No comments:
Post a Comment