Monksland Can Answer Your Prayers In Wide Open World Hurdle

Better Ground Conditions Can Help Noel Meade Runner See Off Rivals

It looks as though Zarkander could go off favourite in this year’s World Hurdle and it has to be said the 9/2 chance has never really lived up to the early hype.

Whether a horse that has been beaten in 9 of his last 10 starts deserves to be favourite for a race like this, even if it has cut up a little, is certainly open to debate and there don’t seem to be too many reasons why he should improve on his 4th in this contest last year.

Perhaps not being held up so far back will help but he still looks vulnerable.

 

Saphir De Reu is next best at 5/1 and perhaps he could be the next Big Bucks having abandoned a chase campaign following a fall in order to come here instead.

He won his last start over hurdles, over this course and distance, but he only got up by a neck against Reve De Sivola who was giving him 4lbs.

The fact that Reve De Sivola is an 18/1 shot in this race therefore makes little sense, even when you take into account that the ground would have suited Reve De Sivola far more when they met.

 

Lieutenant Colonel 8/1 is interesting having won his last two starts at Grade 1 level but not only has he run poorly on his only start here, he’s also been beaten on all three runs on good ground.

His form ties in closely with Jetson 14/1 who looks better on a flatter track and also Monksland who could be very interesting at 12/1.

He hadn’t run for 2 years when less than 6 lengths behind Lieutenant Colonel at Leopardstown and the ground was unsuitably soft on that occasion.

Worries about the 8 year old’s ability to handle racing were cast aside when he was relatively quickly turned out 4 weeks later.

He was beaten again but he only went down a short head, again on unsuitably soft ground. 

His conqueror on that occasion, Dedigout, franked that form next time out.

 

Others to consider include Whisper at 9/1 who would be a contender on last season’s form but one run this season over fences doesn’t look ideal preparation.

There is also Un Temps Pour Tout at 9/1 who ran well against Saphir De Reu and Reve De Sivola on his latest start but he comes here after one run all season and perhaps Aintree will be the time to back him.

 

It’s Saphir De Reu who has the potential to be the star in this division over the next few years but he’s relatively short in the betting.

Reve De Sivola would be a better value bet each way but potentially the best bet of the race is Monksland, who can make up for lost time with the biggest win of his career.