Going change at Cheltenham causes Relkeel Hurdle market to flip-flop

The market is torn in the day's feature Relkeel Hurdle (3.15), with Golden Ace and Salver battling for favouritism. 

Salver was strongly supported into clear favouritism for the Grade 2 contest on Tuesday, a move his joint-trainer Gary Moore found difficult to understand, before momentum increased behind Golden Ace this morning. 

However, with the going at Cheltenham changed to soft from good to soft late morning, more money has come for the soft-ground-loving Salver, who was third in last season's Triumph Hurdle. 

He must give 7lb to Golden Ace, who beat Brighterdaysahead in last season's Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and is expected to strip fitter for her reappearance in the Ascot Hurdle in November. 

Salver is a best-priced 11-4 shot and Golden Ace is 3-1, but there is plenty of variance among firms.

Golden Ace: runs in the Relkeel HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

In the Racing Post's preview, her trainer Jeremy Scott said: "I think this is the right race. I wouldn't want the ground to go too soft when she's over this sort of trip. She's come on massively for Ascot. We knew she wasn't really quite there but we were desperate to get a run into her. I'm hoping she's going to put up a much better performance."

This afternoon's race will help connections decide which festival race to go for this time around, with Golden Ace a 14-1 chance for the Mares' Hurdle and 100-1 for a clash with Constitution Hill and co in the Champion Hurdle.

Lucky Place, who beat Golden Ace in the Ascot Hurdle, is poorly treated by conditions this time but is the other solid horse in the market. He is holding his position in the betting at around 100-30.

The race will also inform his future, with Nicky Henderson considering a step up to three miles for last season's Coral Cup fourth.

In the finale, the 2m1f Listed bumper (3.50), Intosomethinggood has been supported into 12-1 from as big as 50-1 last night.

Like An Tailliur, the youngster is trained in the area by Nigel Twiston-Davies and boasts the benefit of two racecourse appearances. He showed promise when third at Ludlow in November but took a backwards step when beaten 30 lengths into eighth at Wincanton at the beginning of last month.

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