Cheltenham Festival 2018 – Sam Spinner heads 38 entries for the Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle
Jedd O'Keeffe's Long Walk Hurdle winner Sam Spinner currently sits at the head of the market for the Grade One hurdle to be run on the Thursday of the Cheltenham Festival.
LONG WALK HURDLE winner Sam Spinner leads 38 entries for the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Jedd O'Keeffe's six-year-old propelled himself to the front of the market with an all-the-way success at Ascot before Christmas and could face a number of those he beat at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Runner-up L'Ami Serge could run for Nicky Henderson, while third-place Unowhatimeanharry is in the mix for Harry Fry.
Willie Mullins won this race 12 months ago with the ill-fated Nichols Canyon and has an eight-strong list of possibles this time around, including Champion Hurdle hope Faugheen, Let's Dance, Penhill and Bacardys.
Gordon Elliot has Apple's Jade entered, although the Mares' Hurdle she won last year has been mentioned as the more likely option, with Supasundae in line to represent Jessica Harrington.
MOST READ
Alan King has given Yanworth an entry, although he has been campaigned over fences so far this term and has multiple Festival options.
King said: "He will go straight to Cheltenham, but I don't know what race for. He definitely won't run beforehand and we will keep him fresh and he will either go for the RSA Chase or the Stayers' Hurdle.
"He is in very good form and has just been doing the odd canter and is ticking away. The Stayers' Hurdle is worth fortunes this year and his form with Supasundae puts him right in the mix, so we will have to see what they want to do.
"We will have a chat and decide, but I will need to know what to do in good time so I know what to do with him schooling. He has not been back to see Yogi (Breisner) since his last run, but he will do. He has not done a lot since Cheltenham."
The New One could try three miles for Nigel Twiston-Davies, with Lil Rockerfeller (Neil King) and The Worlds End (Tom George) other notable contenders.
🏇How to claim your FREE £30 horse racing bet🏇
1
2 Bet £10 or more on horse racing
3 Sun Bets will stick a £30 bet in your account
Warren Greatrex has entered 2015 winner Cole Harden but admits he could be "up against it" to get to the festival.
The nine-year-old has not been sighted since suffering an odds-on defeat over fences at Worcester in August, after sustaining a knee problem.
Greatrex said: "He is cantering every day. He has got an entry in the Stayers' Hurdle, but we will play it by ear.
"At the moment he is fresh and well and back in training, which is good news. We are probably up against it time-wise, but we will take each day as it comes."