Faugheen Favourite For Ascot`s Coral Hurdle

There looks to be an eleven-strong field for Saturday`s (22nd November, 14:40) Coral Hurdle at Ascot with Cheltenham Festival fancy Faugheen currently at the head of the market.

Willie Mullins` unbeaten six year old is 4/9 with paddy Power to secure the race in his first start of the season. The Irish raider was last seen in England during last season`s festival meeting where the horse got the better of a 15-deep field to capture the highly regarded Neptune Investec Management Novices` Hurdle by four and a half lengths. This weekend`s 19 furlong challenge shouldn`t pose much of a problem for Faugheen who has regularly gone above and beyond the distance back home in Ireland. The gelding drew on all his reserves to see off The Job Is Right on heavy ground over 24 furlongs in a class one at Limerick in December. The task was perhaps his most testing to date.

Trainer Mullins` knows what it takes to capture a result in the race after his mare Annie Power, another ante-post favourite for Cheltenham, saw off all her competition to remain undefeated last year. The horse earned Mullins` his first Coral Hurdle title, beating Zarkander into second by five lengths. She later became unstuck, finishing second to More of That in the World Hurdle on her eleventh outing, though this hasn`t stop her being favourite for the Mares Hurdle (11/10 - Racebets).

Faugheen will have to get the better of current second favourite and fellow Cheltenham winner Lac Fontana. Paul Nicholls` five year old was last seen bringing up the rear over two and a half miles at Punchestown. It was the gelding`s first run since bagging the Pertemps Hurdle at Aintree and should be all the better for it.

Lac Fontana should also be six pounds better off for his first spin around Ascot and can be backed at 6/1 with bet365, betfair and paddy Power.

Melodic Rendezvous may carry top weight on Saturday but is still only 7/1 (paddy Power, Stan James) to secure a win on his first ride out after ending last season with two lacklustre performances.

It may be wise to hold any bets on the eight year old, however, as trainer Jeremy Scott has Melodic Rendezvous booked in for both this race and Haydock`s betfair Price Rush Hurdle over two miles.

Somerset-based Scott told Sporting Life that the plan was to wait and monitor the forecast before choosing his preferred racing destination.

`I`d love it to rain all week then both would be heavy and we would choose which race. We want soft ground, really.

`I`m not sure we`re going to get that at Ascot if the forecast stays as it is.` He continued,

`Having said that, if Haydock turned to just good to soft and both were identical ground you`d nearly favour the Ascot race as it`s over slightly further.`

It`s a similar state of affairs for John Quinn`s 14/1 (bet365, Betfair, Stan James) shot Aurore D`estruval who also holds an entry for the Price Rush.

Connections of the four year old are also hoping for some cut in the ground with one of the horse`s two wins coming on heavy. Aurore D`estruval also picked up a place at Haydock over similar conditions and Lancashire may prove to be the preference having never been ridden over Berkshire`s requisite 19 furlongs.

Blue Fashion, 9/1 with bet365, hasn`t raced since this time last year though will sure be a contender after placing a second only two lengths behind World Hurdle winner More of That over 20 furlongs at Haydock last time out.

Also looking to line up at the weekend include Coral Cup third Bayan who`s 20/1 with Betfair, the experienced First Avenue (33/1 - Betfair, Coral, Stan James) and massive outsider Houseparty (500/1 - Stan James).

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19/11/2014     © Frixo 2026