Quality entry for Desert Orchid Chase

Quality rather than quantity is the order of the day as 10 entries have been received for the Grade 2 William Hill Desert Orchid Chase, one of the feature events on the second day of the Kempton Festival card scheduled for December 27, writes Elliot Slater.

The £55,000 contest was won 12 months ago by the Nicky Henderson-trained Petit Robin, and the seven-year-old looks set to bid for back-to-back victories in the race following his fine reappearance run at Cheltenham earlier in the month when chasing home the back-to-form Master Minded in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Cheltenham.

Henderson could also be represented by Mad Max, (sixth to Poquelin in the AP McCoy Gold Cup a fortnight ago having run fourth to Little Josh in the Paddy Power Gold Cup a month earlier), and French Opera. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has entered the talented Tataniano, third behind Gauvain at Cheltenham (http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/cheltenham/) last month on his seasonal bow, and Tchico Polos, who beat the ill-fated Twist Magic in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter first-time out this term before falling at Cheltenham on his most recent start in the race won by Little Josh.

Ferdy Murphy has declared Kalahari King, whilst Nick Williams’ Cornas, the David Pipe pair of I’msingintheblues and I’m So Lucky, and Alan King’s capable Oh Crick make up the field. An impressive performance from any of the ten at Kempton will impact on their Cheltenham Festival odds with most of the runners being targeted at the festival for races such as the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Grand Annual Handicap Chase.

In the Champion Chase ante-post market, Tataniano is currently the shortest price of the field with cheltenham gold cup betting odds (http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/cheltenham/cheltenham-features/the-7-greatest-cheltenham-gold-cup-horses-ever-211210.html), being offered at just 12/1, French Opera and Petit Robin and quoted at 25/1, Kalahari King can be backed at 40/s, whilst 150/1 is available in places about Oh Crick.

December 22nd, 2010 admin
Entry Filed under: Horse Racing