Solwhit Worry

8 March 2010

In midwinter, the Irish challenge for the Champion Hurdle looked very strong, but now with Sublimity out, Dunguib reasserted as Supreme Hurdle bound, Monday’s news of a “bad scope” for second-favourite Solwhit, leaves it pretty much Go Native against the world, well at least the English.

It would be galling should Solwhit miss out after his fine wins this season at Punchestown and Leopardstown, but connections will have a tense few days before the final verdict on participation is confirmed or otherwise.

Having had Hurricane Fly ruled out early in the piece, there were two more “potentials” falling by the wayside. The classy mares Voler la Vedette, who easily beat Go Native on his return in the autumn and Quevega will clash in the mares’ race won by the latter last year.

There is still scope for some of the longer-priced Irish hurdlers to step up, but most have a wide gulf to bridge. Uncertainty has not been confined to the visitors, with Binocular’s one-time defection, now less of a certainty, and Zaynar’s frustrating first jumps defeat at muddy, gluey Kelso behind admittedly promising Quewetoo.

After a series of what we used to call open winters, Nicky Henderson, who trains the latter pair, has been frustrated by ill-timed snow falls for the last two years, most recently forcing Zaynar into unplanned waters and reigning champ Punjabi being frustrated by the loss of the Kingwell Hurdle to a frozen, white course.

Just as last year’s defeat in that race was just the thing to get Punjabi back on track and fit for the big race, so that later abandonment was probably fortuitous as Barry Geraghty was freed up to ride him a week later at Kempton. Many felt he needed to win as he did to maintain his repeat claim, but anything more emphatic would have been surreal.

With the wet and frosts (nearly) a memory, Cheltenham’s over-efficient draining system will rule out fears of heavy ground, a fact that will please connections of the million-seeking Go Native, as well as Khyber Kim, Celestial Halo, Medermit and the Henderson trio.

Binocular’s participation now looks a possibility, with bookmakers getting down to around 10-1 after the weekend. The guess is that if he runs and Geraghty rides Punjabi, as his owner Ray Tooth hopes, there will be a tasty spare ride on once-beaten Zaynar available.

So, much of the Irish threat numerically has evaporated, but good luck to Go Native in his quest for the WBX Hurdling Triple Crown and the £1 million bonus that Punjabi just missed last year. As to which I like, you have to say the one to beat remains our horse, even if Medermit and Khyber Kim both have verdicts over him this winter.

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