Melodic Rendezvous

18th-Jan-2014

There is no rocket science to the case for Melodic Rendezvous, but he should not be a 5/2 shot against Ptit Zig, and he is well worth backing at that.

Ptit Zig is a good horse, his run in the Ladbroke to finish second to Willow’s Saviour, the pair of them clear, under 11st 12lb, was a massive run, and marked him down as a high-class horse.

However, Melodic Rendezvous is high-class too. He was one of the best novice hurdlers around last season, and he may not have got due recognition for that because injury ruled him out of Cheltenham. He returned this season in the Elite Hurdle, in which he ran a cracker to win, giving weight away to all his rivals.

He did disappoint in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle behind My Tent Or Yours, but you can easily forgive him that, as he returned with pulled muscles in his back. Jeremy Scott has been patient with him since then, and brings him here as a next step, but reports him in top form.

There is a worry that he will fail for match fitness, especially on testing ground, and his trainer has warned against that. However, there was the same worry and the same bulletin about him before the Elite Hurdle, and he was weak in the market, but he raced like a horse who did not lack for fitness.

He loves soft ground, and the fact that he gets 4lb from Ptit Zig is a bonus. He should not be a 5/2 shot.

MELODIC RENDEZVOUS WON (ADV 5/2, SP 7/4)

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