Champion trainer Paul Nicholls and owner Andy Stewart are hoping lightning will strike twice after novice chaser Saphir Du Rheu was pointed back down the hurdle route.
After failing to shine in three runs over fences, connections are looking for Saphir Du Rheu to emulate the magnificent achievements of Big Buck’s.
Stewart has confirmed Saphir Du Rheu will now be aimed at the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, where his task could be made easier by the fact last year’s second Annie Power is heading for the Mares’ Hurdle.
Saphir Du Rheu will contest the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 24 and, if all goes to plan, he will then head to the Festival.
“We’ve entered Saphir Du Rheu for the World Hurdle,” Stewart told The Sun. “It’s ironic that Big Buck’s unseated Sam Thomas at Newbury before he reverted to hurdles and won the World Hurdle a record four times. Now I’m hoping Saphir Du Rheu, who also came to grief at Newbury, can do something similar.”
Big Buck’s had shown more than Saphir Du Rheu over fences, winning a Grade Two at Aintree as a novice. However, after unseating Thomas in the Hennessey at Newbury, he was switched back to hurdles and won 18 races in a row.
He was retired after finishing fifth to More Of That in last season’s World Hurdle after previously being absent for 14 months.
As for Saphir Du Rheu, well, it appears connections have quickly decided fences are not for the six-year-old after just three runs.
He unseated his rider on his chasing debut at Newbury before following up quickly with a win in a novice chase at Exeter. But he then fell in the Grade One Feltham Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Nicholls had certainly started the season with high hopes that Saphir Du Rheu would make a major impact over fences. But there is definitely the potential for the horse to now follow in the footsteps of Big Buck’s.
Last season over hurdles Saphir Du Rheu progressed rapidly before disappointing on his final start in the National Spirit at Fontwell in February 2014. However, that was in heavy ground over two-and-a-half miles, and the race just may not have suited.
Prior to that, Saphir Du Rheu had won three on the bounce, a run started with victory at Sandown in December 2013 over two miles, six furlongs. That was followed by success in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton in January last year over a furlong shorter trip.
His third win came in the Welsh Champion Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles when he beat Whisper by a head after making most and then showing a tenacious attitude to prevail. Though Saphir Du Rheu was giving Whisper 6lbs that day, he was favoured by the conditions of the race as he was rated 11lbs superior at the time.
However, the form was certainly franked when Whisper won the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and then the Grade One Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree at the Grand National meeting.
Whisper is among the 36 entries for the World Hurdle on March 12 and the ante-post betting market is headed by last year’s winner More Of That.
It’s not a stretch to see Saphir Du Rheu being a big challenger to More Of That, though. There is only 4lbs between them on official ratings and More Of That was rated 160 when winning last year – 5lbs lower than Saphir Du Rheu’s current hurdle rating.
A win in the Cleeve Hurdle would show Saphir Du Rheu can start on the road to emulating Big Buck’s.
