Thistlecrack a cut above Cleeve Hurdle rivals at Festival Trials

David Metcalf | January 29, 2016

Thistlecrack can cement his position at the head of the ante post betting for the World Hurdle with victory in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham (15.35).

The Colin Tizzard trained gelding showed progressive form last season, and relished the step up to 3m when running out the wide margin winner of the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Thistlecrack then backed that up with a cracking 1/2 a length second in a Grade 1 contest at the Punchestown Festival on his final start of the campaign, and judged on those performances looked staying hurdler going places.

That view has been confirmed with the seven-year-old winning both his starts this season in tremendous style to take his form to a new level.

Tizzard’s favourite worth the Crack

Thistlecrack destroyed a good field on return to action in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, travelling strongly throughout in the hands of jockey Tom Scudamore before taking up the running at the last and staying on strongly to beat Deputy Dan by six lengths.

Reigning World Hurdle champion Cole Harden finished a further 1/2 length back in third, and Thistlecrack was value for much more than the winning margin.

The son of Kayf Tara backed that up with an eight length drubbing of Reve De Sivola in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, where he took up the running two from home and scooted effortlessly clear.