41 exciting entries remain on course for Britain’s richest handicap hurdle, the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle on Saturday 13 February, which will be run for a total prize fund of £125,000 thanks to the support of sponsors, Betfair. Following the most recent scratchings stage, Ballyandy heads the weights on 11st 12 with Metier, the current favourite with sponsors Betfair allocated 11st 4, whilst Buzz, one of four left in the race for Nicky Henderson, will carry 11st 7.

Finishing closest to Metier in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown was the exciting Shakem Up’arry, whose two runs at Newbury have both seen him finish second. Trainer Ben Pauling is hoping the Harry Redknapp-owned seven-year-old can go one better if he turns up in the Betfair Hurdle.

Pauling commented, “Shakem Up’arry came out of Sandown in really great form. He seemed to particularly enjoy the soft, heavy ground that day. If it remains that sort of ground conditions for the Betfair Hurdle, it’s a strong possibility we would run him and be hopeful. If it were good ground it would be much less likely.”

Also on target for the race is the exciting For Pleasure, who was last seen winning in emphatic style at Cheltenham in November, and is currently 18/1 with the sponsors, off a weight of 11st.

Trainer Alex Hales said, “He’s on target at the moment. Our plan was always to have a break after Cheltenham in November and then to head to the Betfair Hurdle. He has been going well at home and the break seems to have freshened him up. Harry (Bannister) has struck up a great relationship with him so will be back on board.

“We’re really looking forward to it; he should love the left-handed track in what is a highly competitive race! The aim would be to head to Cheltenham afterwards where he holds an entry in the Champion Hurdle and will get one for the Supreme Novices’ too, then onto Aintree which should be tailor made for him.”

The Betfair Hurdle will be run at the value of £125,000 for 2021, showing the generous support of Betfair as sponsors, who also support the remaining six races on the card, including the Grade 2 Betfair Denman Chase and the Grade 2 Win Bigger on the Betfair Exchange Chase (Registered as the Game Spirit).

Betfair spokesman, Barry Orr, commented today: ‘’41 stand their ground and Metier remains a strong favourite, but we have seen some money for recent two recent winners. Sky Pirate, who landed a novice chase in Warwick last Saturday and could exploit a handicap hurdle mark of 140, he is 12/1 from 16/1. While Edwardstone, an impressive winner in Market Rasen on the same day, is 12/1 from 20/1.

 

“With a prize fund of £125,000 I expect another full complement of runners again this year.”

The Betfair Hurdle – Sponsors Odds: 6/1 Metier, 10/1 Cadzand, Soaring Glory, 12/1 Ciel De Neige, Edwardstone, Mister Coffey, On To Victory, Sky Pirate, 14/1 Buzz, The Shunter, Fifty Ball, Llandinabo Lad, 16/1 Albert’s Back, Ballyandy, Guard Your Dreams, Marie’s Rock, One True King, Shakem Up’arry, Wild Max, 18/1 For Pleasure, Lightly Squeeze, 20/1 Annual Invictus, Faivoir, Friend or Foe, Galice Macalo, Glory And Fortune, Mack The Man, Mount Windsor, Sea Ducor, Thyme White, Torigni, 25/1 One True King, Ballinsker, Christopher Wood, Solo, 33/1 Fred, Gumball, Marlborough Sounds, Miranda, Oakley, Song of the Hunter, The Pink’n, 40/1 Dans Le Vent, Highway One O Two, 50/1 Blacko, Elysian Flame, Night Edition

*Each Way 1/5, 5 Places

Horse	Age	Weight	Owner	Trainer
Ballyandy (GB)	10	11 12	Options O Syndicate	Nigel Twiston-Davies
Buzz (FR)	7	11 7	Thurloe for Royal Marsden Cancer Charity	Nicky Henderson
Gumball (FR)	7	11 5	Mr Terry Warner	Philip Hobbs
Metier (IRE)	5	11 4	Mr G. C. Stevens	Harry Fry
Wild Max (GER)	6	11 2	Owners Group 036	Paul Nicholls
Friend Or Foe (FR)	6	11 1	Gordon & Su Hall	Paul Nicholls
For Pleasure (IRE)	6	11 0	Premier Plastering (UK) Limited	Alex Hales
Fred (FR)	6	10 13	Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede	Nicky Henderson
Christopher Wood (IRE)	6	10 12	Ms Sharon Kinsella	Paul Nicholls
Edwardstone (GB)	7	10 10	Robert Abrey & Ian Thurtle	Alan King
Thyme White (FR)	5	10 10	The Stewart Family	Paul Nicholls
Marie’s Rock (IRE)	6	10 10	Middleham Park Racing XLII	Nicky Henderson
Llandinabo Lad (GB)	6	10 10	Celia & Michael Baker	Tom Symonds
Solo (FR)	5	10 10	Mrs Johnny de la Hey	Paul Nicholls
Highway One O Two (IRE)	6	10 10	Mr Anthony Ward-Thomas	Chris Gordon
Milkwood (IRE)	7	10 10	Ms J. Bridel	Neil Mulholland
Lightly Squeeze (GB)	7	10 9	J Davies and Govier and Brown	Harry Fry
Sky Pirate (GB)	8	10 9	Mr M. Tedham	Jonjo O’Neill
Ciel De Neige (FR)	6	10 9	Mr John P. McManus	W. P. Mullins
Sea Ducor (GB)	5	10 8	C. Jones	A. L. T. Moore
The Pink’n (GB)	5	10 7	Mrs P. de W. Johnson	Seamus Mullins
Mister Coffey (FR)	6	10 7	Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford	Nicky Henderson
Cadzand (IRE)	6	10 7	CHELSEA THOROUGHBREDS – CADZAND	Dan Skelton
Shakem Up’arry (IRE)	7	10 5	Mr Harry Redknapp	Ben Pauling
Oakley (IRE)	8	10 5	Tim Syder	Philip Hobbs
The Shunter (IRE)	8	10 4	Mr P. Byrne	Emmet Mullins
Guard Your Dreams (GB)	5	10 4	Graham and Alison Jelley	Nigel Twiston-Davies
Annual Invictus (IRE)	6	10 4	Mr Thomas Michael Smith	Chris Gordon
Torigni (FR)	5	10 2	Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede	Harry Whittington
Soaring Glory (IRE)	6	10 2	Mr P. Hickey	Jonjo O’Neill
Night Edition (FR)	5	10 2	Mr Stuart & Simon Mercer & John Gent	David Pipe
Dans Le Vent (FR)	8	10 1	R J Gambarini Racing	Evan Williams
Fifty Ball (FR)	6	10 0	Mr Steven Packham	Gary Moore
Faivoir (FR)	6	10 0	Mrs Suzanne Lawrence	Dan Skelton
Glory And Fortune (IRE)	6	10 0	Mr J. Hinds	Tom Lacey
Blacko (FR)	5	9 13	Apple Tree Stud	Alan King
On To Victory (GB)	7	9 12	HP Racing On To Victory	Alan King
Ballinsker (IRE)	6	9 12	GG Thoroughbreds XII & Partner	Evan Williams
Mount Windsor (IRE)	6	9 10	Party People	Chris Gordon
Mack The Man (IRE)	7	9 10	Mr & Mrs William Rucker	Evan Williams
Song of The Hunter (FR)	7	8 13	Manhole Covers Ltd	Johnny Farrelly

 

***Ends***

For further information, contact Harriet Collins

M: 07827 957 113

E: [email protected]