Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Preview - Cheltenham Festival

Published on: 11/03/2020

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Preview - Cheltenham Festival

March 11, 2020 16:50pm - Cheltenham

Distance: 2m 87y

Grade: (Grade 3) (Class 1) (4yo)

Runners: 22

Winner: £45,016

Going: Soft

The penultimate race on Day Three is the 2m 87y Grade Three handicap hurdle for four-year-olds. The race is sometimes referred to as the Fred Winter in honour of the trainer who died in 2004. It gives trainers another entry option for four-year-olds besides the Grade One Triumph Hurdle.

This race has always proved to be a tough nut to crack for punters with some big priced winners over the years. Band Of Outlaws bucked that trend last year when he lived up to his status as the pre-race favourite.

This year`s race looks to be another conundrum with at least half a dozen entries looking like genuine contenders. Of those, Palladium catches the eye after taking well to hurdles after a reasonable showing on the flat. He began his hurdles career with a second-place over two miles at Warwick and followed that with two comfortable wins over 1m 7f 216y at Sandown, once on heavy ground and once on soft. Now making his handicap debut and the jockey/trainer combo of De Boinville and Henderson cannot be ignored either.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Tronador also looks interesting and has progressed well since he made his hurdling debut. Was beaten well last time out against older horses but that would have provided a good warm-up for this.

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Winners - past six years:

2014: Hawk High (4) - Brian Hughes (Tim Easterby)

2015: Qualando (4) - Nick Schofield (Paul Nicholls)

2016: Diego du Charmil (4) - Sam Twiston-Davies (Paul Nicholls)

2017: Flying Tiger (4) - Richard Johnson (Nick Williams)

2018: Veneer Of Charm (4) - J W Kennedy (G Elliott)

2019: Band of Outlaws (4) - J J Slevin (J P OBrien)

Latest Betting odds:

Blacko (9/2), Palladium (6/1), Tronador (7/1), Mick Pastor (9/1), Aramax (10/1), Thyme White (11/1), Night Edition (14/1), Saint D`Oroux (14/1), Repetitio (14/1), Recent Revelations (18/1), Theatre Of War (18/1), Zoffee (18/1), Gealach (20/1), Langer Dan (20/1), Galahad Quest (22/1), Fraser Island (28/1), Sacchoandvanzetti (33/1), Bajan Excell (33/1), Group Stage (40/1), Goa Lil (50/1), Clemencia (50/1), Gerolamo Cardano (66/1).

You can back Palladium to win at 6/1 but Tronador at 7/1 also looks worthy.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 11/03/2020

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (11/03/2020 12:18:50) but are subject to change.