Bleu Et Rouge

6th-Feb-2016

I am backing both Petit Mouchoir and Bleu Et Rouge in the Deloitte Hurdle.  I just think that the discrepancy between them and the top two in the market is greater than it should be.

Bellshill and Tombstone are obviously hugely exciting novice hurdlers.  Bellshill was a top bumper horse and has been all the rage since he started jumping hurdles.  However, he wasn’t as impressive at Naas last time as he had been at Navan, and he is not invincible.

Tombstone is another really likeable individual, and he looked a little unlucky in the Grade 1 race at the Christmas Festival.  A first-time hood should help him today too, he is a free-going sort, but he is short at no better than 15/8.

Petit Mouchoir and Bleu Et Rouge finished third and fourth respectively behind Long Dog and Tombstone in that race, three parts of a length and three and a half lengths respectively behind Tombstone, but either could easily bridge that gap.

It was a messy race.  Ruby Walsh dictated the pace on Long Dog, and it was difficult for the hold-up horses to get into it.  Tombstone was negatively affected, but so were Petit Mouchoir and Bleu Et Rouge, and Bleu Et Rouge had to go wide around the home turn.

Both horses were having just their second runs over hurdles that day, and just their fourth runs in total, they are more inexperienced than Bellshill and Tombstone and consequently could have even greater scope for progression.  Both Bryan Cooper and Ruby Walsh have rejected Petit Mouchoir in favour of the top two in the market respectively, but appear to both respect him, and it is significant that Barry Geraghty has chosen to ride Bleu Et Rouge over Coney Island.

This race has thrown up surprises in the past, and the betting may be skewed too far in favour of the top two.

BLEU ET ROUGE WON (ADV 12/1, SP 11/1)