Horse Racing Betting Tips: Supasundae the each-way play against Buveur
AS LONG as he is none the worse for his early fall in last month’s Unibet Champion Hurdle, Buveur D’Air should take all the beating in this afternoon’s Betway Aintree Hurdle (3.25pm).
It was the first time in 21 starts under rules that Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old has ended up on the floor and I suppose it just has to go down as a freak accident.
Conditions look ideal for him to bounce back and he won this very race two years ago when he last travelled up to Aintree.
I suppose it just comes down to price and whether you are happy taking the 5/6 with the sponsors about a horse that has a little bit to prove now.
If he drifts to odds-against, there is an argument to say he might be value, but at the current prices I’m prepared to oppose him.
Willie Mullins appears to saddle his two biggest dangers in Melon and Faugheen, both of whom travel to Liverpool for the first time in their careers.
Melon finished a gallant runner-up in the Champion Hurdle for a second successive year and steps up an extra half a mile here.
He will be a major player if that brings out further improvement, but he hasn’t appeared to be crying out for that step up in trip.
As for Faugheen, it just seems he isn’t quite as good as he was and even though this distance may prove perfect, his best days look behind him.
Therefore, I’m prepared to take a chance on Jessica Harrington’s SUPASUNDAE bouncing back from his Stayers’ Hurdle disappointment last month.
Don’t forget the nine-year-old was sent off 11/10 favourite when second to L’Ami Serge in this very contest last year.
That came on the back of a hard fought second in the Stayers’ Hurdle and it can definitely be argued that he didn’t have nearly as hard a race this time around as Robbie Power seemed to accept defeat on him some way from home.
It seems strange to fancy him more on the back of an apparently worse trial for this than 12 months ago, but I’m prepared to put a line through his latest effort.
At 9/1, he looks a decent each-way alternative to Buveur D’Air and I’m hoping he can bounce back from that Cheltenham effort.
As for the others, I’m not convinced Verdana Blue will stay this trip while Ch’tibello steps up in class and looks to be chasing place prize money at best.
POINTERS
Supasundae e/w 3.25pm Aintree