2012 Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle Part 1

One of the best races of Saturday’s entire National Hunt card is the Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle, which runs at 2:30 at Haydock Park. On the undercard for the Betfair Chase, you expect that many might use this race as an opportunity to build up their bankrolls a bit. There is a lot to like about this 3m contest and you reckon that the real variable is likely to be the soft ground. Don’t expect any more watering and definitely expect a few swings in the betting market as the volume is likely to pick up considerably a few hours before the race. 

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There are still some great opportunities to capitalize on a bit of that movement before it happens with several bookmakers already offering up odds on this one. 

The betting favourite right now looks to be Katkeau but he’s a lukewarm selection as best with several others quite competitive for his position as the outright selection. The five-year-old comes out of David Pipe’s yard and is set for his seasonal debut in this one. He enters off the circuit at Auteil to make his British debut. He has only won a single race but that was his last one back in June and he took it by over fifteen lengths. He also gets bottom weight for this race and that’s likely why he’s getting the attention. 

He does gets a bit more weight added today and remains a bit of an unknown quantity for some. Rumor has it that he has looked very good on the gallops and is as fresh as anything after a nearly six month break. There are still question marks on how he will take to the surface - he has run his best races over going listed as heavy. 

Holywell looks an interesting sort and he will be representing Jonjo O’Neill’s yard in this one. He’s already had a run out this season - a credible second to Simonside in the Matalan Handicap Hurdle. Simonside simply took off and was unchallenged in that race so look at this as a best of the rest performance - strong for a contender sent off at 8/1. He missed by four lengths but it was a credible effort over soft going with similar obstacles to what he will face here. Note that Simonside was then beaten by Trustan Times in his next race.