Alan King's talented young hurdler Mille Chief returned to prominence in the mind of the racing public with a tremendous effort in winning a tough handicap hurdle off top weight at Sandown on Saturday, but where he goes next appears to be very much down to how the handicapper reacts to that performance, writes Elliot Slater.
The five-year-old carried a massive 11-12 in bottomless ground against decent opposition in the 32Red Handicap Hurdle, but coasted to an impressive win that suggested he is back to the kind of form that prompted bookmakers to make him ante-post favourite for last season's Triumph Hurdle, before a bout of lameness ruled him out of action for the rest of term.
Something of a forgotten horse, Mille Chief on Saturday reminded us all that he has considerable talent and King was understandably delighted with the performance, stating in a post-race interview that he would next go for the Totesport Gold Trophy at Newbury and also receive an entry into the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in mid-March. Having watched the race a time or two since, King now feels that the handicapper might react by raising Mille Chief to a mark that would make it very tough for him at Newbury, so plans are also afoot for an alternative bid for the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton in February, a race seen as a key trial for the blue riband event a month later. Anyone with Cheltenham free bets to place may want to keep an eye on his performance to see if he is likely to cut the mustard.
Bookmaker reaction to the win of Mille Chief at Sandown was mixed, with 32Red (possibly looking to beef up the reputation of the race they sponsored), slashing his odds to win the Champion Hurdle to just 14/1, whilst Coral, William Hill and 888Sport still offer 33/1. Those odds could well be revised when the assessment of the official handicapper is published and gives a new perspective on the ability of King's rising star.
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