Ebadiyan
I wouldn't go writing off Ebadiyan's Triumph Hurdle claims after he got beaten by Jumbo Rio in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown last Sunday. John Cullen thinks that he probably didn't go quickly enough on the son of Daylami and the way that he stayed on again on the run-in after being headed on the run to the final flight suggests that the jockey could be right. The juvenile hurdle was the first race on the day, and the ground was probably a lot better than the jockey or trainer Oliver Brady felt it was going to be. Even at that, Ebadiyan earned a Racing Post Rating of 139 for this performance - Triumph Hurdle favourite Zaynar earned a Racing Post Rating of just 132 for his latest start at Ascot.
Ebadiyan is still well over-priced at 12/1 for the Triumph Hurdle. The Triumph Hurdle is much more about stamina than it is about speed, and Ebadiyan has that in abundance. He is a son of Daylami out of a Kahyasi mare, Zainta, who won the French Oaks, and he races like a test of stamina will hold no fears. I would be surprised if he did not turn the tables on Jumbo Rio should they both make the Triumph line up. The English challenge is strong, but Ebadiyan had Starluck's measure on the flat, and that horse is available at no better than 13/2 - just over half the price of Ebadiyan. If Ebadiyan were trained by Willie Mullins or Edward O'Grady, or by Alan King, he would be much closer to Starluck in the betting than he is.
21st February, 2009
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