EARLY TIPS FOR THE 2009 LONG WALK HURDLE AT ASCOT

We’ve got some really solid races kicking off this weekend at Ascot! In the 2:05 we have the 2009 running of the Long Walk Hurdle where we’re seeing one of my Ten to Follow suggestions listed as an extremely strong favourite. Some of my Ten to Follow jumpers have been heavily favoured and still didn’t it off (Celestial Halo anyone…) but I think Big Bucks is looking very very strong and is a justifiable front-running favourite in a race that looks like it will lack a distinct challenger.
Big Bucks is fresh off a victory in the Sportingbet Long Distance hurdle at Newbury and his partnership with Ruby Walsh has born fruit over the past five races. He’s good over course and fantastic over the distance and I think it will take some serious doing to oust Big Bucks from the winners circle. Big Bucks is listed around 1/2 with most major bookmakers.
Karabak looks like providing the main competition and Alan King’s charge hasn’t scored at graded level at Ascot and this is my main argument against him. I expect McCoy to be on top, and he may be able to coax a bit extra out of this talented up-and-coming jumper. He can be backed at 6/1 or so.
Diamond Harry looks quality and he’s scored multiple times at Graded level, but still hasn’t pulled off a victory at Ascot. He looks capable and will likely be there-or-thereabouts provided he doesn’t make any mistakes on the final three. He is trading at around 3/1.
Fair Along is another interesting tip and he’s gone from terrible to excellent so far this season, finishing 25/32 in the Cesarewitch and then bouncing right back to strike in the Grade 2 John Smith’s Hurdle at Wetherby. He is a value play here and you can back him at 16/1 with bookmakers like 888sport!
I’m going to be keying up with Big Bucks and playing Karabak and Fair Along on the bottom of my forecast.