Ascot takes centre stage on the racing scene on Saturday afternoon as the clock ticks down to the rapid-fire series of festive highlights, including the King George VI Chase, Leopardstown Christmas Meeting, and Welsh Grand National.
A quartet of contests from the Berkshire venue contribute to the ITV Racing offering, headlined by this Grade 1 contest. Held over the 3m½f trip and featuring 12 obstacles, the £125,000 Long Walk Hurdle is the next port of call for the stamina-laden stars with dreams of Stayers Hurdle glory.
Won by staying legends such as Big Bucks (three times), Paisley Park (three times), and Baracouda (four times), this prestigious event boasts a rich roll of honour. Who will add their name to the list in 2024? At the four-day stage, the following dozen contenders remain in contention.
1. Beauport – 16/1 with bet365
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
With two previous wins, Nigel Twiston-Davies boasts a better Long Walk record than many of his rival trainers. However, the most recent of those victories came courtesy of Ocean Hawk way back in 1996. Could Beauport be the one to make it win number three? The eight-year-old is an intriguing entry, having not raced over the smaller obstacles since 2022 – particularly as his most recent start over fences saw him hack up in the Berkshire National at this track in November. Cleary in great heart, the balance of his hurdles form suggests he may not be up to this standard. Whilst only finishing outside the frame once in nine outings, those runs all came at a significantly lower level. Overall, we would be surprised to see him take his place in the final field.
2. Blueking d’Oroux – 12/1 with bet365
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
With three previous wins (all provided by Big Bucks), Paul Nicholls lies behind only François Doumen in the all-time Long Walk trainers list. Having managed only a 10½l fifth in the 2023 edition, this son of Jeu St Eloi may be allowed a second crack at the prize. This one boasts a couple of impressive wins on his CV, including a verdict over Strong Leader in the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at this track in 2023. However, that came over 2m3½f, and he is yet to prove he stays this far. Fading late in this event 12 months ago and in the Select Hurdle over 2m5½f at Sandown, the evidence suggests he may lack the necessary stamina.
3. Botox Has – 33/1 with bet365
Trainer: Gary & Josh Moore
Successful three times at 3m+, Botox Has does see out this distance. With two of those wins coming in Grade 2 events, he is also not too far off the required standard when at his best. However, this soft ground lover managed only sixth in a good ground 2023 edition and may find conditions against him.
4. Crambo – 8/1 with bet365
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
Next up, the defending champ. Crambo came out on top in one of the most epic duels of the 2023/24 campaign when mastering three-time champ Paisley Park. He shot up the market for the Stayers Hurdle on the back of that, only to perform below expectations at the festival before bombing out in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree. Not seen since that April event, a dirty scope ruled him out of his intended comeback in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury. On the plus side, he’s two from two at this track and two from two following a break of 197 days or more. Quite what went wrong at the spring festivals remains a mystery, but if back to his best, he can’t be ruled out in a race which is no stranger to a repeat winner.
5. Hiddenvalley Lake – 8/1 with bet365
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
The first of four Irish runners in the line-up has this as just one of four entries over the Christmas period. Following a 2022/23 Novice Hurdle campaign, which included an easy Grade 3 win at Cork, this Sholokhov gelding was sent over fences. A clumsy fall at Navan meant that venture lasted only one outing, but he bounced back to land the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle before finishing a solid third to Strong Leader in the Liverpool Hurdle. He has work to do with the Olly Murphy runner on that outing and may prefer the ground slower than the forecast suggests.
6. Kerryhill – 100/1 with bet365
Trainer: Ruth Jefferson
This lightly-raced six-year-old will make only his fifth start under rules here. That 100/1 price is no doubt influenced by a pulled-up effort on his comeback outing at Haydock, as his overall form reads relatively well. Kicking off 2023/24 with a win at Kelso, he finished a solid fourth to Shanagh Bob in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham before rounding off his season with a 7½l success in the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle. With his best efforts coming on good to soft or quicker, he may be underestimated in the market.
7. Langer Dan – 25/1 with bet365
Trainer: Dan Skelton
If returning to the form which saw him lose out by a rapidly diminishing short neck in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle, this likeable Dan Skelton star comes firmly into contention. However, that is a significant if. The dual Coral Cup hero is zero from nine between December and February but 4 from nine in March and April. Well beaten behind Strong Leader in the Long Distance Hurdle on his recent return, he may be one to bear in mind for springtime.
8. Shoot First – 13/2 with bet365
Trainer: Charles Byrnes
The second Irish runner in the field showed definite promise in 2022 when picking up wins at Tipperary and in a 3m Cheltenham Handicap. Then followed an injury-enforced absence of over two years. Unsurprisingly, he needed the outing on his comeback at Galway in October, but he stepped up on that to claim the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock. There was a lot to like about that run, but it did come under conditions which were so gruelling that only five of the 15 runners managed to complete the course. That said, his Cheltenham win came on good ground, and he retains untapped potential in this sphere.
9. Strong Leader – 2/1 with bet365
Trainer: Olly Murphy
Always held in high regard by his handler, Strong Leader has taken a little time to find the right trip. Second in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle over 2m½f in 2023, he failed to build on that on his first three outings of 2023/24 but proved a revelation once stepped up to 3m. Finding only Noble Yeats and Paisley Park too good in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle, he built on that to see off Hiddenvalley Lake and Crambo in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle. That effort suggested he ought to target the major staying prizes in 2024/25, and he reinforced that opinion with an excellent win in the Long Distance Hurdle on his seasonal return. A winner on ground ranging from good to soft, he’s solid at the head of the market.
10. The Wallpark – 5/2 with bet365
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Joining the Elliott operation in May 2023, this JP McManus runner won each of his first three starts before coming up short in Listed company. His first two outings of 2024 suggested his progress may have stalled, only for the horse to burst into life over the summer. Kicking off with a win in a Kilbeggan Handicap off a mark of 129, he promptly rattled off a four-timer to rise to 152. That rating suggests he’s worth a shot in this company, and he impressed when landing a Pertemps qualifier at Cheltenham last time.
11. Eagle Fang – 20/1 with bet365
Trainer: William Durkan
Sitting on a mark of 144, this son of Free Eagle has a lot to find with the principles. On the plus side, he’s completely unexposed over this trip, having raced exclusively at 2m-2m4f. To finish third to the talented duo of Home By The Lee and Bob Ollinger in the Lismullen Hurdle last time was a fair effort, but he didn’t look to be crying out for a step up in trip at the end of that 2m4f affair.
12. Kateira – 10/1 with bet365
Trainer: Dan Skelton
The only mare in the field rounds out the dozen. Kateira boasts several smart efforts in the book, including a fine second to Irish Point in the 2023 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle and a victory over the talented Jango Baie at Aintree. Much too good for her fellow mares in a Listed event at Kempton last time, she wouldn’t be out of place in this field but is zero from two in events over 3m.
The Verdict
The money for The Wallpark may prove telling, but that price is too short for our liking for a horse stepping from handicap company into a Grade 1 for the first time. Shoot First makes marginally more appeal of the Irish raiders, but that Haydock contest rather fell apart last time, and he’s another untested in this grade.
Moving down the list, Crambo is a horse we like but is hard to support on his final efforts of 2023/24, whilst Hiddenvalley Lake finished behind Strong Leader at Aintree. Kateira, Eagle Fang, and Blueking d’Oroux have a question to answer at 3m; Beauport seems an unlikely runner; Langer Dan is best in springtime, and Botox Has has yet to show he is up to this level.
All of which leaves the emerging star of the staying division, Strong Leader, who looks well worthy of favouritism. For an outside bet, we can’t resist a minimum-stakes play on Kerryhill, who, barring that effort in desperate ground at Haydock, has done very little wrong in his career to date.
Recommended Bet: Strong Leader to win @ 2/1 with bet365
Recommended Bet: Kerryhill each way @ 100/1 with bet365
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
Paul Harrison
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