17th Mar 2016 | Cheltenham Festival
World Hurdle Tips: Kilcooley
Earned an adjusted speed rating of 150, when a terrific winner of the West Yorkshire Hurdle. The same race Cole Harden took en-route to the World Hurdle.
Stepping up to 3-miles for the first time at Wetherby there were serious doubts whether Kilcooley would stay the trip but they were put to bed with an emphatic victory. Tracking a strong gallop on soft ground he won by 13 lengths and it could have been more.
By attempting to win the World Hurdle he follows the same path as Cole Harden last year, who also won the West Yorkshire Hurdle before taking the big prize at Cheltenham.
Normally that kind of form would make Kilcooley a strong contended for the World Hurlde but we’ve not seen him on the track since. Soundness issues and pulled muscles have hampered his preparation but he came through a race-course gallop at Kempton at the end of February.
Long distance races aren’t always run at a true gallop but no-one has matched the150 sectional adjusted speed rating Kilcooley earned at Wetherby. That performance puts him in the mix for the World Hurdle and he is a cracking bet at 25/1 (Coral).
Odds correct at time of publishing: 01:01 17th Mar, 2016 but subject to change
