Cheltenham Festival 2009 – World Hurdle Preview
The World Hurdle has been dominated by Inglis Drever for the last few years. He’s won 3 of the last 4 renewals and would probably have made it a clean sweep with the 2006 race had he taken part!
2008 was a Cheltenham of trend busting and Inglis Drever continued this…trend! In winning he became the first horse to land three World Hurdles and cement his place as a Cheltenham Festival legend.
The 2009 World Hurdle could see Inglis Drever make it four victories in the race. There was talk of retirement after win number three but trainer Howard Johnson feels his charge is as good as ever. Currently a 3/1 chance in the ante post market, bookmakers obviously don’t think the horse’s age is catching up with him.
This year’s race saw the very classy Kasbah Bliss make Inglis fight all the way to the line. A Group 3 winner on the flat, Kasbah Bliss holds every chance in the 2009 renewal. He showed a lot of improvement from his 5th place in the 2007 race and is for me the horse to beat at next years festival, especially if he gets a bit better ground. Tranier Francois Doumen certainly knows how to win a World Hurdle, having guided Baracouda to victories in 2002 and 2003. If Inglis dosen’t take part, 3/1 might look big come race day.
It seems like Blazing Bailey has been around forever but he is still only a six year old. He’s just come up short in the race the last couple of years, finishing 3rd in 2007 and 4th in 2008. He is a very frustrating horse because he is capable of winning a World Hurdle as his win in both long distance hurdle races at Aintree and Punchestown, after the Cheltenham Festival, demonstrate. He also beaten Inglis Drever on more than one occasion. I’m sure he’ll win at least one of the big stayer’s hurdle races this season but I doubt it will be the World Hurdle if I’m honest. His quote of 6/1 probably won’t be much different come the Festival.
Kazal put up a career best performance to finish 3rd in this year’s race. While I backed him ante post at big odds last time, I couldn’t recommend him at 12/1 or thereabouts for next year’s race. He just doesn’t look quite up to winning a top quality Grade 1 race for me and that 3rd place World Hurdle finish is likely to be the pinnacle of his career.
While Elusive Dream won five times for Paul Nicholls last season, I never really took to him. His best performance was beating Whiteoak in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree but I don’t think he’s up to winning a World Hurdle. The 12/1 on offer holds no interest for me at all.
Out of last season’s novices possibly having a crack at the World Hurdle, the one I like best is the Nigel Twiston Davies trained Pettifour. He’s won his three starts over hurdles to date and finshed the season in style with victory in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. Pettifour is currently a 16/1 shot which looks a decent price to me and worth an e/w bet.
2009 World Hurdle Betting - Odds on the 2009 World Hurdle.
2009 World Hurdle Trends - World Hurdle statistics and trends.
2009 World Hurdle Tips - Tips for the 2009 World Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Tags: Cheltenham Festival 2009, inglis drever, kasbah bliss, world hurdle 2009