Sky is the limit for 7-1 Zaynar

UP THE ANTE: SATURDAY’S Fighting Fifth Hurdle is going to have a serious impact on the betting market for the Champion Hurdle itself.

Binocular and Solwhit, the first two in the betting for Cheltenham in March, are on a collision course at Newcastle and, unless they are locked together at the finish, one of them is going to shorten and the other lengthen for the Champion.

Third, beaten a neck and head by stable companion Punjabi and Celestial Halo in last year’s contest, Binocular started 6-4 favourite for the Champion and a convincing win at Newcastle would see his ante-post odds tumble once again.

Currently trading at 7-2, Binocular was reported by trainer Nicky Henderson to be a little short of his peak at Cheltenham last March.

I don’t expect the same mistake this time and a fit and well Binocular is going to be extremely hard to beat given his slick hurdling and high cruising speed.

His overall profile suggests he should have the beating of Solwhit at Newcastle, but supporters of the Irish challenger will point to the improvement which the five-year-old continues to make.

Victories at Aintree and Punchestown (beating Punjabi) last spring preceded a seasonal-reappearance dismissal of Muirhead and the much-hyped Hurricane Fly at Punchestown.

Very much on the upgrade, Solwhit can be backed at 5-1 for the Champion, but I suspect you might get a better price come Saturday night.

The aforementioned Hurricane Fly is much harder to assess as I have no doubt that last season’s leading novice hurdler was some way behind Solwhit in terms of fitness at Punchestown.

Nevertheless, he has it all to prove now and a top quote of 11-2 makes little appeal when you consider that is a full point and a half shorter than the current odds for Zaynar, who was simply sensational when smashing Karabak and Co., giving weight away, at Ascot on Saturday.

Inclined to run lazily and hit flat spots despite going through his juvenile season unbeaten, Zaynar could be the real deal this season and, make no mistake, he is a threat to all.

I think 7-1 is entirely fair and can’t see him being out of the first three come the big day.

That said, 8-1 for last year’s runner-up Celestial Halo is not to be sniffed at, either.

He was only just touched off by Punjabi last March and, judged on his reappearance victory at Wincanton, could still be improving.

He gave 15 pounds and a 14-length beating to Whiteoak that day and Donald McCain’s mare sluiced up at Kempton on Monday.

With decent tactical pace and plenty of stamina in his armoury, Celestial Halo is a player in the Champion Hurdle and any give in the ground would help.

Of the rest, there is a strong argument to suggest Punjabi is overpriced at 14-1 seeing the only race he has run in since winning last year’s Champion saw him chinned on the line at Punchestown by Solwhit.

Third the previous year, Punjabi is a reliable performer, but whether he can win a race as hot as the one likely to be staged at Cheltenham in March is open to serious doubt.

Elsewhere, Starluck (33-1) is a superb traveller who looks more suited to flat tracks, while last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Go Native was blitzed on his last outing at Down Royal by the rapidly-improving Voler La Vedette.

The last named is a five-year-old mare clearly on the upgrade and, while trainer Colm Murphy might aim her at the mares’ two and a half mile race at the Festival, I feel sure she will be given a crack at the big one should she come through her next major test at Leopardstown over Christmas.

At 33-1, she is worth a little each-way bet, but my main punt at this stage would be to get on Zaynar at the 7-1 offered by totesport, Sporting Bet, Blue Square, Skybet and Ladbrokes.