I half-thought ten-year-old Global Citizen was gone at the game but he bounced back to form in a big way when a five-length second to Tommy’s Oscar in the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle in January.
He has been entered for the Listed Virgin Bet Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday but definitely doesn’t deserve to be a 12-1 shot.
Tommy’s Oscar was admittedly in a different league to Global Citizen at Haydock but he has genuine claims of being the best two-mile hurdler in Britain right now. The pair were racing off level weights too.
Having wind surgery in December seemed to do Global Citizen the world of good. He built up a sizable lead early on with Navajo Pass, but the winner of the race last year couldn’t keep up the gallop and faded into fourth. When headed by Tommy’s Oscar I liked the way Global Citizen stuck to his task.
Unsurprisingly, the Contenders Hurdle has only attracted six entries. With the ground described as good to soft at the time of writing on Tuesday and, with little rain forecast at Sandown throughout the week, the field could cut up further.
It doesn’t make much sense that 12-year-old Hunters Call is several points shorter in the betting than Global Citizen. He wasn’t able to get near him when third at Haydock.
The three at the head of the market, Song For Someone, Goshen and Guard Your Dreams, would all arguably prefer a longer trip these days and might be found out over the distance. As recent Grade 2 winners each would have to shoulder 6lb penalties too.
The RPR of 150 Global Citizen recorded at Haydock brings him bang into contention in receipt of weight. Ante-post 5-2 chance Guard Your Dreams has never bettered that figure and carries a penalty.
I like Song For Someone but not at 13-8 over two miles on quickish ground. He needed every yard of the 2m1f at Cheltenham to finish second in the International Hurdle last time having been hard ridden for much of the contest, and in any case looks to be crying out for further.
Goshen gave Jamie Moore a torrid time in the saddle at Lingfield on his last start over 2m3½f and considering his preference for testing ground it would take a brave person to back him at 5-2. I think he might sidestep the race.
Bar rank outsider Hardi Du Mesnil, who has too much to find on form anyway, the only out-and-out two-miler in the field is Global Citizen. He front runs and might be able to establish an easy lead if Goshen doesn’t show up too.
My selection needs to back up the Haydock run but has plenty of smart form in the past (fourth in the 2020 Arkle and a two-time Grade 2 winner) and I fancy him to prove that performance wasn’t merely a flash in the pan. Having his second run after a wind op might even prompt a better showing.
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