I don’t often consider betting this early on the Cheltenham festival unless it is for a long range tilt at the Gold Cup or the Champion Hurdle. However, one horse stuck out like a sore thumb at Cheltenham last week and has festival winner written all over him.
That was Kings Palace in the stayers’ novice hurdle who cemented his position as favourite for the three-mile Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle with a devastating display. It wasn’t just the fact that he won by 14 lengths, it was the ease with which he destroyed some decent novices.
He was settled in front by Tom Scudamore and produced some superb leaps. The further he went, the better he went and you could see the distress signals coming out from those attempting to keep in touch. Only the 25-1 outsider Masters Hill made any kind of fist of staying with him but he looked a spent force turning for home.
Milan Bound could never get close enough to mount any kind of challenge whilst Saint Roque eventually fell through exhaustion. The third horse was over 30 lengths adrift at the line with Scudamore taking a long look behind for imaginary dangers.
The five-year-old is a son of King’s Theatre and this was only the sixth time he has appeared on the racecourse. The form was in the book for all to see having beaten Creepy and Monbeg Dude on his previous outing by 18 lengths and more at Newbury. Creepy came out and won a Grade 2 event whilst Monbeg Dude won a valuable three-mile chase to advertise his Grand National claims.
Trainer David Pipe already sees Kings Palace as a future chaser but will definitely aim him at the Albert Bartlett. He will also be given an entry in the two and a half mile novice race at the festival but that is just to keep their options open.
Of course the price is everything and 5-1 may not seem that attractive with three months to wait. I don’t mind taking a chance on his health and fitness as I can see him starting odds-on if the rest of the season goes his way. I would imagine that he’d have one more outing before the festival and it will take something exceptional to threaten his place at the head of the market.
Kings Palace (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle) 5-1 Ladbrokes
