Thursday, December 3, 2009
KHYBER LOOKING TO CARRY ON AT CHELTENHAM IN BOYLESPORTS.COM INTERNATIONAL
Meeting: The Boylesports International
Dates: Friday & Saturday - December 11 & 12
Gates Open: 10.00am both days
First Race: 12.05pm Friday, 12.10pm Saturday
Admission prices from £9. Go to www.cheltenham.co.uk for further information
After posting a superb victory in the Grade Three Greatwood Hurdle at The Open last month, Khyber Kim is set to return to Cheltenham to take on Punjabi and Celestial Halo in the £150,000 Grade Two Boylesports.com International (3.05pm).
The two mile, one furlong, contest is a leading trial for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at The Festival in March and the highlight of the second and final day of the Boylesports International on Saturday, December 12.
Khyber Kim was given a masterful ride by Paddy Brennan in the Greatwood Hurdle on November 15, as the pair powered through the field to record a cosy two-length success over Harry Tricker in the competitive extended two-mile handicap.
The seven-year-old, who is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, will now bid to emulate subsequent Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle winner Rooster Booster and Detroit City, who both followed up success in the Greatwood Hurdle with victory in the Boylesports.com International in recent years.
Twiston-Davies reported today: “Khyber Kim is set to take his chance in the Boylesports.com International. We gave him an entry in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot the following week but he is too highly rated to run there and I would like to see him back at Cheltenham.
“I was very pleased with his run in the Greatwood Hurdle and I thought that Paddy gave him an excellent ride - I certainly wasn’t expecting him to win when he was stuck out the back!
“If the ground came up like it did at The Open, then it would be ideal for Khyber Kim - it’s a case of the softer the better for him - whereas it might not suit one or two of the others.
“He has always been a hard horse to get right but he seems very well in himself - he came out of the Greatwood Hurdle in great shape and we are very happy with him at the moment. We will be taking on some of the best hurdlers around this time but we need to find out how good he really is.”
This year’s Boylesports.com International looks set to be another superb renewal, with reigning Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle victor Punjabi set to re-oppose Celestial Halo, who went down by a neck at last season’s Festival.
Saturday’s card also features the prestigious £150,000 Grade Three Boylesports.com Gold Cup (2.25pm) over two miles, five furlongs, as well as the extended two and a half-mile £42,500 Grade Two Unicoin Homes Relkeel Hurdle (3.40pm).
Friday’s programme features the £50,000 Listed Neptune Investment Management Handicap Chase (1.50pm) over an extended three miles, one furlong, which was won in 2008 by subsequent John Smith’s Grand National hero Mon Mome.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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