An unusually competitive renewal of the Sky Bet Supreme Trial is the centrepiece of the card at Ascot on Friday, with five of the six runners priced up as serious contenders, but Lough Derg Spirit (1.55) will be very difficult to pass if he can produce the form, and in particular the fluent hurdling, of his debut success over hurdles at Kempton last month.
It is rare to see a horse take to hurdling as immediately and naturally as Lough Derg Spirit, who took over in front at the second flight at Kempton and did not see another rival until after the line. There was an echo of another frontrunner, the 1997 Champion Hurdle winner Make A Stand, in the way he seemed almost to step over the obstacles without breaking his gallop, and it will be hard for his rivals to close him down in the straight if he is as quick over the hurdles this time.
Related: Horse racing tips: Friday 16 December
Continue reading...