Rolling Star (right) faces a battle to retain favouritism
PICTURE: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images, BY MARK STOREY6:52PM 19 DEC 2013
THE sponsor of the Ladbroke Hurdle on Thursday predicted a “fierce battle” for favouritism in the last big betting heat before Boxing Day.
The market for the £150,000 handicap at Ascot on Saturday has been headed by Rolling Star all week, but his position is coming under serious threat, with City Slicker and Chatterboxco-market leaders with a couple of firms, and the gamble on Totalize showing no sign of abating.
THE LADBROKE (A Handicap Hurdle) (Grade 3) (CLASS 1) (4yo+)
- Winner: £84,405, Runners: 21, Distance: 2m, Going: Soft
£150,000 guaranteed For 4yo+ Minimum weight 10-0 Penalties after December 8th, a winner of a hurdle 5lb (No penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb) Ptit Zig’s Handicap Mark 151 Entries 57 pay £ 750 Confirmed 27 Penalty value 1st £84,405.00 2nd £31,800.00 3rd £15,915.00 4th £7,950.00 5th£3,990.00 6th £1,995.00
| NO. FORM |
HORSE | AGE | WGT OR |
JOCKEY TRAINER RTF% |
TS | RPR | ODDS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1131-21 |  |
PTIT ZIG
 41 |
4 |
11-12
151
|
124 | 146 | ||
| 21165-1 |  |
ROLLING STAR
28 |
4 |
11-11
150
|
129 | 156 | ||
| 317-922 |  |
SHOTAVODKA
21 |
7 |
11-5
144
|
|
133 | 151 | |
| 4114-2 |  |
CHATTERBOX
 23 |
5 |
11-4
143
|
137 | 158 | ||
| 5167-23 |  |
CHRIS PEA GREEN
23 |
4 |
11-3
142
|
137 | 153 | ||
| 61213-F |  |
IRISH SAINT
23 |
4 |
11-3
142
|
141 | 152 | ||
| 74-2134 |  |
FLAXEN FLARE b
34 |
4 |
11-2
141
|
140 | 153 | ||
| 8423-11 |  |
CITY SLICKER
34 |
5 |
10-13
138
|
126 | 154 | ||
| 9115-16 |  |
PINE CREEK
 34 |
5 |
10-12
137
|
136 | 155 | ||
| 104P03-9 |  |
RONALDO DES MOTTES p
14 |
8 |
10-12
137
|
|
110 | 158 | |
| 1114615 |  |
WATERUNDER t
14 |
6 |
10-12
137
|
|
145 | 151 | |
| 122121 |  |
DELL´ ARCA
34 |
4 |
10-11
136
|
136 | 151 | ||
| 13145F3- |  |
LANDSCAPE
244 |
5 |
10-11
136
|
100 | 154 | ||
| 141/130- |  |
SWING BOWLER
284 |
6 |
10-11
136
|
|
144 | 156 | |
| 1507-046 |  |
DAN BREEN tb
8 |
8 |
10-10
135
|
|
136 | 157 | |
| 161655/8 |  |
ALAIVAN
14 |
7 |
10-9
134
|
136 | 145 | ||
| 17315-3F |  |
KAYLIF ARAMIS
36
|
6 |
10-9
134
|
130 | 154 | ||
| 181115/0 |  |
RECESSION PROOF b1
35 |
7 |
10-9
134
|
John Quinn100
|
67 | 142 | |
| 1928-050 |  |
VULCANITE
14 |
6 |
10-9
134
|
93 | 139 | ||
| 202115- |  |
TOTALIZE
283 (48F) |
4 |
10-6
131
|
136 | 152 | ||
| 2152P-11 |  |
WILLOW´S SAVIOUR
 43 |
6 |
10-5
130
|
142 | 158 | ||
Ladbrokes are shortest at 5-1 about Rolling Star, the choice of Nicky Henderson’s stable jockey Barry Geraghty, but spokesman David Williams said: “Tony McCoy’s presence on City Slicker will ensure Rolling Star doesn’t have the market lead all to himself. There’s every chance there will be a fierce battle for favouritism come Saturday afternoon with Totalize’s odds continuing to plummet.”
Chatterbox is Rolling Star’s stablemate and the market suggests it must have been a tough call for Geraghty. David Bass has been called up to ride Chatterbox for the first time in public, though he revealed he has plenty of experience of riding the lightly-raced five-year-old on the gallops.
Victory would represent a career highpoint for Bass, who said: “This will be one of the better ones I’ve been on and I’m really pleased.
“I’ve ridden him in a few bits of work recently and he seems in good order. He’s a classy horse and I think the hustle and bustle of a big handicap will suit him quite well.”
Chatterbox was runner-up to Ifandbutwhynot on his reappearance in the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury last month, and finished fourth to The New One in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his final start of last term, having won his first three races.
The maximum 21 were declared for the Ladbroke, which shares top billing on the Ascot card with the Wessex Youth Trust Long Walk Hurdle.
The going at Ascot on Thursday was changed to soft, from good to soft, soft in places, after 10mm of rain on Wednesday night, and clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: “It is forecast to rain from 11pm on Friday through to racing on Saturday.”
fonte: RacingPost
