I have never really understood how any “Champion Hurdle” can be a handicap but here we are with the Scottish equivalent over two miles, which has admittedly attracted a decent enough field in the hunt for the £56,270 on offer to the winner. Looking at the statistics and in the eight runnings in the last decade, all the winners had finished and come home in the first eight on their last start.
Seven were aged five to seven, seven were 12/1 or shorter, seven came from the first eighth in the betting, seven were rated 146 or lower, and seven were rated higher than 133. None had raced in the last 7 days, seven had raced in the last 60 days, and if we add all those together we end up with a shortlist of just three – Westport Cove, L’Eau du Sud, and Favour and Fortune.
Of that trio Favour and Fortune has hurdling questions to answer which make him a dodgy suggestion, while the early betting suggests Westport Cove is not the Willie Mullins number one (Bialystock has that honour at present), so L’Eau du Sud it is. Second on his last two starts with a length second in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time out, he is out to go one better here and an added 3lb from the handicapper may not be enough to stop him.
Daily Sport Recommended Bet 1pt Win L’Eau du Sud 2.25pm Ayr 4/1 William Hill
