Betfair Hurdle: 'He's grossly overlooked - I'd only be pleased with a win'

Tom Lacey is expecting a big run from Glory And Fortune in defence of his Betfair Hurdle crown at Newbury on Saturday and will be satisfied only by his eight-year-old winning.

Glory And Fortune was 20-1 for last year’s race but belied his odds by toughing it out to win by a short-head, repelling subsequent Greatwood Hurdle winner I Like To Move It and Gerry Feilden victor First Street.

He returned this season with a close fourth in the Welsh Champion Hurdle when conceding plenty of weight, but things have not worked out over fences since. However, Lacey is positive he can make a big splash on his return to hurdling.

“He’s very well at home and in great form,” said Lacey. “It hasn’t worked out over fences but he’s at a good weight for this and he’s in good nick.”

Glory And Fortune was the fourth-biggest price on the board 12 months ago and he will be a similar price this time, much to the surprise of his trainer.

Glory And Fortune (lilac and black) clears the last to win last year's Betfair HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst

“I think he’s grossly overlooked,” he added. “I’d only be pleased with a win on Saturday, that’s the idea of the game.”

Newbury admitted last week that 'good to firm' could appear in the official going description due to watering restrictions and, although wary, Lacey does not believe it will be a concern for his runner.

“The ground is going to be quick,” he added. “I don’t think he wants any jar in the ground but there shouldn’t be any of that.

“It’s not summer ground, it’s good autumn ground still, and as long as he can get his toe in he’ll be fine.”

Saturday Skelton hopeful with Faivoir

Dan Skelton has been forced to rule out two of his runners due to the unseasonably quick ground and will rely on Faivoir to break his Betfair Hurdle duck.

Skelton has enjoyed a slew of big Saturday handicap winners this season, including the Coral Gold Cup with Le Milos, the Becher with Ashtown Lad and the Lanzarote Hurdle with West Balboa, and he is just five winners away from a century this campaign.

Faivoir is a general 33-1 for Saturday’s feature handicap but might be overlooked by the market, having run with credit behind No Ordinary Joe at Kempton over Christmas.

“He’ll be our only runner as I can’t run Pikar and L’Eau Du Sud on the ground,” said Skelton. “He has lots of good form on decent ground and he surprised us with how well he ran at Kempton over Christmas behind No Ordinary Joe. I think he’ll run well.”

Betfair Hurdle (3.35 Newbury, Saturday)

Betfair: 3-1 Filey Bay, 5 Gin Coco, 6 Hacker Des Places, 7 Rubaud, 15-2 No Ordinary Joe, 8 Monviel, 9 Colonel Mustard, 12 Highway One O Two, 14 Aucunrisque, First Street, Glory And Fortune, Icare Allen, 16 bar

Read these next: 

‘We look safe and sound for racing’ - Newbury positive about Super Saturday fixture  

Corach Rambler heads depleted Grand National challenge as only 31 of 85 entries are trained in Britain 

Festival subscription offer | 50% off three months 

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.