Just four of Britain’s 38 Grade One events over jumps have yet to be won by a horse trained in Ireland, and the list could be down to three after the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday, when four of 10-strong field, including Gordon Elliott’s progressive six-year-old, The Wallpark (2.25), will be running for Irish stables.
The Wallpark has had an unconventional preparation for Saturday’s race with one race per month from May to October, when he was an impressive winner under 11st 7lb in a handicap at Cheltenham’s first meeting of the winter campaign.
That was The Wallpark’s first run over three miles and marked a new career-best with the clear possibility of better still to come, not least as the quirks he showed earlier in his career for Elliott now seem to be on the wane.
Strong Leader, the winner of Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle in November, is the top-rated runner in the field and is the obvious leader of the home team, while Crambo, last year’s winner, is also in the field, though he has not been out since finishing down the field behind Strong Leader in the Grade One Liverpool Hurdle in April.
At the likely prices, however, The Wallpark is worth an interest at around 4-1 to continue his improvement and extend his current winning streak to five races.
Ascot 1.50 An unusually strong four-runner graduation chase, with just 3lb separating the field on Timeform ratings, with Jungle Boogie perhaps the value bet at around 7-2. Henry de Bromhead’s 10-year-old is the veteran of the field but remains lightly-raced with just six career starts and travelled well until a mistake three out in last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Haydock 2.05 East Street often looked reluctant to make the most of his talent earlier in his career but he has been revitalised by a visor and the switch to James Owen’s stable. Callum Pritchard’s 7lb claim is a bonus too as the eight-year-old looks to shrug off a 9lb rise in the weights since his latest win over fences earlier this month.
Haydock 2.40 Not the most appealing betting medium on the televised card by any stretch and the seven-year-old Coventry is one of the more exposed runners in the field, but he did at least show a glimpse of form at Carlisle in October, on his second start after an 11-month break and switch of stable to Lisa Harrison’s yard. The drop back from three miles to two seemed to rekindle some interest and he is off the same mark here.
Ascot 3.00 Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man is still a maiden over fences after seven attempts but he has been unfortunate to run into some useful and well-handicapped opponents on several recent starts. That was certainly the case in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last time, when he was a close second behind Frero Banbou with a further 16 lengths back to the third horse home, and he can run off the same mark here.
Ascot 3.35 One of the richest two-mile handicap hurdles of the season and a highly competitive field to match, with both seasoned campaigners and progressive younger horses to consider. Kabral Du Mathan remains unbeaten after three starts and plenty of punters will look no further, but he has yet to experience the hustle and bustle of a race of this type and Be Aware makes more appeal at the likely prices. He was a close second in the Greatwood on his return to action at Cheltenham last month and Dan Skelton’s record with two-mile handicappers is second to none.