South Wales-based trainer Peter Bowen has confirmed that his Souffleur, not seen in action so far this season, will take his chance in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham 2011 on March 17, writes Elliot Slater.
Bowen made it clear that there has been no problem with Souffleur whatsoever and that the plan had always been to keep the horse as fresh as possible for a spring campaign starting at the Cheltenham Festival, then taking in Aintree, Punchestown, and possibly the French Champion Hurdle in June.
A winner twice on the Flat, the eight-year-old who landed the 2007 Grade 1 Challow Hurdle before struggling to make a real impression the next two seasons, really came into his own last term, running a series of good races over timber. Second under 11st 12lbs to According To Pete in the valuable Betfair Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in November of last season, he then suffered a brief lull, pulling up behind Big Buck's in the Long Walk and then tailing off behind Time For Rupert in a Cheltenham handicap.
A six week break to freshen him up appeared to do the trick as Bowen's charge reappeared in January of last year to run a fine fourth to Mamlook in the Grade 2 Holloway's Hurdle at Ascot, before proving too good for Kayf Aramis in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock a month later on soft ground. Runner-up only a week after his Haydock triumph in the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell, Souffleur saved the best for last when running the race of his life to be second to the impressive Big Buck's in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree last April. The Cheltenham betting suggests he could now push on to bigger things.
Available at a variety of odds from 33/1 to 66/1, Souffleur looks one of the better value outsiders in a race that could provide some long odd placed runners.
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