Kaylif Aramis

16th-Mar-2013

Kaylif Aramis is not a huge price for this at 5/2, but he is the most likely winner of this race by a fair way in my book, and he is worth backing at that.

He travelled really well through a novice handicap hurdle at Ascot just before Christmas, but he didn’t quite get home over the three-mile trip. He stepped up on that form on his next run when dropped in trip when we had him on side at Ffos Las, again travelling really strongly and this time having enough to hold off the late challenge of the favourite The Bear Trap.

Despite the winning margin only being narrow, a 7lb rise for that was still lenient given how well he had travelled through the race and how far the front two pulled clear of the rest. He looked all set to win a big handicap hurdle on his next run at Kempton three weeks ago, again when we had him on side and having again gone through the race well and hit the front soon after the final flight. He put his head down and galloped to the line but he was ultimately just out-speeded on good ground close home by two quicker horses.

In that regard, and given how well he had travelled through heavy ground on his previous two runs, yesterday’s rain at Uttoxeter is very much in his favour. He handles good ground fine but he looks a better horse on soft or heavy ground, he seems to really thrive in it, and the ground will now be against some of his rivals today. Hold Court is his main danger, but he may not be that well suited by the soft ground.

There were some question marks over the form of the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard when Kaylif Aramis last ran, as obviously there were going into Cheltenham too, but those have been completely dispelled now. Kaylif Aramis is short, but he is still worth backing.

KAYLIF ARAMIS WON (ADV 5/2, SP 9/4)

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