One of last season's
leading juvenile hurdlers Ranjaan will make his seasonal reappearance in
the £40,000 Betfair Commits £40 Million To British Racing Hurdle (12.15pm) at
Haydock Park this Saturday, November 24, day two of the Betfair Chase Festival.
The lightly-raced
four-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls, won impressively at Kempton Park in
December on his third start over hurdles and then enjoyed a decisive victory
against his elders in a handicap hurdle at Taunton in January, when scoring by
three and a half lengths. However, his season was cut short after incurring an
injury on the gallops only weeks before the Cheltenham Festival.
Harry Herbert, managing
director of Ranjaan's owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: "The
plan is to run Ranjaan in the Betfair Commits £40 Million To British Racing
Hurdle on Saturday. He seems in very good form and I spoke to Paul (Nicholls)
yesterday and he is keen to run.
"The injury he
suffered was really mild. It was a little bit of joint concussion. He is a big,
developing horse and he just got a little joint sore which is a clear sign of
immaturity.
"He is over all of
that now and he had plenty of rest back here at Highclere. He is ready to start
his season and we are hopeful that it will be an exciting few months ahead with
him.
"It could be a
blessing in disguise that we missed the spring festivals with him last season
because he is a massive, powerful horse, who will hopefully go through this season
hurdling and then start novice chasing next year.
"I know Paul
(Nicholls) likes him very much and he has been pleased with Ranjaan's work but
the horse may just need it on Saturday, especially if the ground is very
testing. He should be able to get through the ground and he is sort of bred to.
"He is a
heavy-structured horse - more so than others - and he looks like the type of
horse that might just need the run. Having said that, Paul (Nicholls) has had
this race in mind for a long time and is very keen to run him and get the show
on the road.
"He is an exciting
prospect and after his win at Taunton in January we were dreaming of Triumph
Hurdles. He was rated 90-plus on the Flat in France and he is very lightly
raced from one of the Aga Khan's good families.
"I think Paul has
always thought of him as a long-term project and hopefully we will learn a bit
more on Saturday."
The 11 entries for the
two-mile contest also include JCB Triumph Hurdle hero Countrywide Flame,
who finished second in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket on his latest outing, and Cause
Of Causes, who was third in the Grade Three Racing Post Hurdle at
Cheltenham on Sunday.
Other notable contenders
are Alan King's Balder Succes, Grade One Future Champions Finale
Juvenile Hurdle scorer Hollow Tree, and Nicky Henderson's Lyvius.
The Betfair Commits £40
Million To British Racing Hurdle has proved itself a good stepping stone to
further success since its inception in 2008.
The first running was
captured by subsequent Champion Hurdle hero Binocular, while 2010 scorer
Carlito Brigante went on to land the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. Last
year's renewal was won in tremendous style by Grandouet, who progressed to
take the Grade Two International Hurdle at Cheltenham.
A top-class seven-race
card at Haydock on Saturday is headlined by the £200,000 Grade One Betfair
Chase over three miles (3.05pm) with the nine entries including 2011 Cheltenham
Gold Cup winner Long Run and Charlie Hall Chase victor Silviniaco
Conti.
GOING
Following 26 millimetres
of rain since last Friday, the going at Haydock Park has changed to: SOFT
(from Good to Soft, Soft in places)
Clerk of the Course
Kirkland Tellwright reported today: "We have not had much rain since last
night, but having walked the course today I have changed the going description
to soft.
"We will see what
tomorrow brings but the forecast is now for us to receive around 12
millimetres.
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