International Hurdle Preview: Call Lord to do the business

The winner of the International Hurdle at Cheltenham often goes on to contest the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival later in the season, though the only horse to do the double this century was Rooster Booster, who won the 2002 edition of this race.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Binocular won the International in 2008 and was sent off favourite for the Champion Hurdle that season when finishing third to stablemate Punjabi, and you could well see Pentland Hills, one of Henderson’s representatives in this year’s renewal, shoot to the head of the ante-post Champion Hurdle market with an impressive victory here on Saturday, too.

The 2019 Triumph Hurdle winner was just a fairly useful performer on the Flat when trained by Chris Wall, but he quickly developed into a smart juvenile hurdler last season, winning on debut at Plumpton by 14 lengths before taking the significant step up in grade in his stride at the Festival. That improvement clearly came as a surprise to many, sent off at odds of 20/1 for the Triumph, but there was no fluke about that performance, as he proved when completing a hat-trick in the Anniversary Hurdle at Aintree by a neck from Fakir d'Oudairies on his final start.

Full replay and report: Watch how Pentland Hills completed the Cheltenham and Aintree double by landing the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle plus Nicky Henderson's interview with @Niallhannity >>>https://t.co/sGwHTcu7ES pic.twitter.com/7Nsv8f5qhC

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 4, 2019

That form is solid, with the runner-up showing his class over fences this season, and Pentland Hills never looked in trouble on that occasion, winning with more in hand than the neck margin suggests, his rider always just doing enough to get him home in front. The jump into open company can often be a steep one for graduating juveniles – as Defi du Seuil showed in 2017/18 having carried all before him the season before – but Henderson has been bullish about Pentland Hills and nominated this race as his likely starting point from the outset, so you have to respect his chance.

Henderson holds a strong hand, though, with Call Me Lord also entered for the leading trainer in the race (five wins, all coming this century). He had a truncated campaign last season, but shaped as though retaining all of his ability after nine months off when half a length second to If The Cap Fits in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot last month. Call Me Lord looked the winner when he got to the front in the straight (hit 1.11 in-running on Betfair), but he was unable to hold off the challenge of the winner (who is a stronger stayer) in the closing stages.

Call Me Lord pulled well clear of the remainder, however, and tanked through that race as though a return to two miles would suit well. He is capable of winning races over hurdles this winter – though he would be even more interesting switched to fences – and he can’t be ignored in receipt of weight for the principals.

Ch’tibello has some solid form to his name round here, notably his success in the County Hurdle over this C&D last season. He took advantage of a falling handicap mark on that occasion, but proved he was right back at the top of his game when finishing one and three quarter lengths third to Supasundae in the Aintree Hurdle on his final start. Ch’tibello finished fourth – beaten three lengths by My Tent Or Yours – in this race on his seasonal reappearance in 2017, and he merits respect for a yard going well, but his record when fresh tempers enthusiasm at the current prices.

"If he never wins another race I don’t care!"

Why connections of County Hurdle winner Ch’tibello are going for gold in the Aintree Hurdle >>> https://t.co/lwt6mzwyqR pic.twitter.com/CF4hRxOpSA

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 31, 2019

There has been some market support for the Colin Tizzard-trained Elixir de Nutz in recent days, who hasn’t been seen since winning the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January. He suffered an injury which ruled him out of the remainder of the season afterwards, but he had won his previous two starts, both at this course (one over C&D), and he is the type that could have more to offer this season.

The likes of Le Patriote and Monsieur Lecoq are also worth mentioning. The former shaped as though he would come on for the run in the Coral Hurdle last time, but he has plenty of work to do to finish in front of Call Me Lord, while Monsieur Lecoq was better than ever when winning the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his return in October. The five-year-old wasn’t disgraced in the Greatwood Hurdle here last time, either, but this demands more now moving back out of handicap company.

To summarise, the one who has the most potential out of these is Pentland Hills, but this is by far his toughest challenge to date, and he looks short enough in the betting on his seasonal return. With that in mind, the one that makes the most appeal is his stablemate Call Me Lord, who shaped very well up against a Grade 1 winner last time, and the zest with which he went with that day suggests he will have no problem back at two miles round here. There should be more to come from him and he looks the one to side with on these terms. 

Recommendation:

Back Call Me Lord in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday