Champion Hurdle exit forgotten with Grade One strike. By Press Association Thursday 8 Apr 2021, 5:27 PM 5 hours ago 2,007 Views 0 Comments
Abacadabras (centre) on his way to victory.
Image: Tim Goode/PA
Image: Tim Goode/PA
ABACADABRAS MADE AMENDS for crashing out at Cheltenham when taking Grade One honours in the Betway Aintree Hurdle at the Liverpool course.
The Denise Foster-trained seven-year-old exited at the third flight in the Champion Hurdle – but bounced back to strike in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
Abacadabras (5-1) had the loose Jason The Militant for company in the closing stages and kept on strongly to hold Buzz by a length and a quarter, with Millers Bank two and a quarter lengths in third and Buveur D’Air fourth.
Grand National 2021: Abacadabras is magic in the Aintree Hurdle liverpoolecho.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from liverpoolecho.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
UPDATED 9:46PM, APR 7 2021
Betway Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m4f | 4yo+ | ITV/RTV
The winners of all seven Grade 1 hurdles at last month’s Cheltenham Festival were trained in Ireland and it is therefore no surprise that two of the top three in this market are based in the Emerald Isle.
Abacadabras could not hold a candle to Honeysuckle when second in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in February but it has since turned out that there are not many who can after the mare proved herself outstanding with victory at Cheltenham.
Abacadabras fell at the third flight in the Champion Hurdle and that is a concern. Backing last-time-out fallers in Grade 1 hurdles since the start of 2016 would have yielded a loss of £11.60 to £1 level stakes and only five have won from a total of 43 runners (12 per cent).
UPDATED 10:05AM, APR 10 2021
There will be a Tiger Roll-shaped hole in Saturday s Randox Grand National, but the world s greatest steeplechase is shaping up to be as competitive as ever, with the likes of Ladbrokes Trophy hero and clear ante-post favourite Cloth Cap, Welsh National winner Secret Reprieve, Burrows Saint and Kimberlite Candy among the 68 possibles remaining for the race.
Will one of those horses etch their name into the history books? Or could this be the year of another shock to rival the likes of Auroras Encore, Mon Mome and Foinavon? Our experts give their thoughts on the illustrious race.
2:18PM, APR 3 2021
Remarkable Kim Muir winner Mount Ida is the subject of major support in the betting on Saturday afternoon in her clash with classy mare Elimay at Fairyhouse (2.20).
Mount Ida was 999-1 in running when trailing at the Cheltenham Festival but subsequently eased into the race and motored home for a six-and-a-half-length victory.
The Denise Foster-trained seven-year-old has been strongly backed on her first start since – in the Listed mares chase (2.20) – shortening into 6-4 (from 9-4). Her chief rival Elimay has drifted to 4-6 (from 1-2).
The other significant mover on the day is in the competitive RYBO Handicap Hurdle with Great Bear now 8-1 (from 14-1).