Fair Along

here was nothing travelling better than Fair Along turning for home in the Cleeve Hurdle, but he just couldn't match the strength of Big Buck's and Punchestowns up the hill on the ground. The heavy ground wouldn't have played to Fair Along's strengths at all. He was always thought of as a good ground horse when he was jumping fences, and he had the speed to win a Henry VIII Chase and finish second in an Arkle. Better ground on World Hurdle day will be more up his street, as will the 4lb pull that he will have with Big Buck's (although he will be 4lb worse off with Punchestowns). He loves Cheltenham - he has only once been out of the first three in 12 visits there - and he is still a real player in the World Hurdle in my book.

24^th January, 2009

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