Is Conti ready for the Champion Hurdle?

Far be it from me to try and tell the champion trainer where he should race his horses, but I have to admit to being somewhat surprised at the announcement that the smart novice Silviniaco Conti is to be trained specifically with the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in mind, writes Elliot Slater.

Speaking a couple of days after his French import finished a good third to new ante-post favourite Menorah in the Grade 2 International Hurdle at Prestbury Park on Saturday, Paul Nicholls tips the Dom Alco gelding as a horse who may well be capable of turning around the form come March, having had to concede Menorah 4lbs at the weekend. There is no doubt that Silviniaco Conti is an exciting prospect, but there has to be a doubt as to whether he is likely to prove fast enough on decent ground over the minimum trip.

As he showed when successful at Ascot on his penultimate start in easily brushing aside the smart Karabak (winner since) over two-and-a-half miles in the Coral Hurdle, Silviniaco Conti does not lack for stamina and my impression was that here is a young horse who could yet prove to be a major threat to stable companion Big Bucks in the World Hurdle in the spring.

It appears that most bookmakers share that view making Nicholls’ youngster 10/1 third favourite for the World Hurdle, whilst he has drifted out to 16/1 sixth favourite for the Champion Hurdle itself. Paul Nicholls Betfair Column states that having Big Bucks in his care means it might be wise to cast his net a little wider than having two challengers for the three-mile championship, and with his previous Champion Hurdle runner-up Celestial Halo not quite back to peak form he might well judge that with time on his side, there is nothing to be lost in having Silviniaco Conti take his chance on the opening day of the National Hunt extravaganza. Only time will tell.