Handicappers’ Corner: Crus making grand strides towards World Hurdle

Handicappers’ Corner
/
Timeform /
06 February 2011 /
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Grands Crus now looks a live danger to Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle

“His [Grands Crus'] speed is the weapon that might enable him to beat the dual World Hurdler in March.

Timeform handicapper Gregg Taylor looks back at the impressive performance of Grands Crus, as well as the principal chases from Festival Trials day at Cheltenham…

Quite a few of the field who lined up for a competitive renewal of the Cleeve Hurdle were looking to advance their claims as a challenger to Big Buck’s, and a strong contender for that role emerged in the shape of Grands Crus (h172p). David Pipe’s six-year-old produced a performance of rare quality, certainly as visually as impressive as any win over hurdles at this level in recent times. The bare form (163) wasn’t much better than the high-class level he’d been showing to land good handicaps in similar fashion, but he took the step up in grade within his stride to win with any amount in hand, soon quickening away from two out. His speed is the weapon that might enable him to beat the dual World Hurdler in March.

The three horses that chased him home all back up the level of the form. Knockara Beau (h149) seemed revitalised by the return to hurdling and ran as well as he ever has, sticking to his task well to just hold second. He might be worth qualifying for the Pertemps Final given his previous efforts at the Festival (fifth in the Baring Bingham as a novice hurdler and fourth in the RSA Chase last season).
Restless Harry (h153) matched the form that had seen him finish third to Big Buck’s in the Long Walk Hurdle last time, typically responding well after getting outpaced, whilst Mobaasher (h149) ran to the same level that had seen him win a Pertemps Qualifier at Warwick a fortnight earlier.

The Cotswold Chase has been a Gold Cup trial in name only in recent seasons, and it’s hard to envisage the quintet that lined up in this year’s renewal playing any more than a supporting role in two month’s time. Neptune Collonges (c164) has twice finished in the frame in the Festival showpiece and he returned to something like his best to defeat the late-finishing Tidal Bay (c160$) by one and a quarter lengths. He got into an excellent rhythm at the head of affairs, though won’t be allowed such an easy lead in the Gold Cup and will be doing well to better his third in the race in 2008.

Tidal Bay ran what is now becoming his customary race, not quite as laboured as he had been in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, but still well adrift before finally finding his stride at the bottom of the hill and motoring home to match the pick of his form. Punchestowns (c159) had met with defeat in a graduation chase at Newbury on his return and has plenty of questions to answer after this performance, on account of his jumping as well as his stamina for this trip.

In the previous race, Wishfull Thinking (c155p) had belied his relative inexperience to land the Grade 3 handicap chase over twenty-one furlongs. The runner-up, Calgary Bay (c146), was well treated on his best form (facile winner at Doncaster last season off a pound lower mark) and that he could be beaten as comprehensively by the unexposed winner, receiving weight, says plenty for the performance of Wishfull Thinking. The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding’s jumping was most assured given his lack of experience compared to his rivals and he’s likely to hold leading claims if taking in the new Grade 2 Centenary Novices’ Chase at the Festival.

Calgary Bay stepped up on his previous season to run just a shade below the bare form of his Doncaster victory last term, travelling smoothly until a mistake two out. Bakbenscher (c132x) has subsequently been awarded an ‘x’ after making more than just the one error on his way round. However, he matched his hurdles form from a fairly stiff-looking mark despite this, all but unseating at the last.