A 33-1 Stayers’ Hurdle chance who is still improving and can outrun his odds at Cheltenham

Saturday’s feature race at Ascot, the Long Walk Hurdle, saw a slight shift in the betting for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, with the winner Crambo tumbling from 66-1 to as low as 16-1. 

Victorious in this race last year, Crambo disappointed at Cheltenham in March and fared even worse at Aintree a month later. However, everything fell into place for him on Saturday, as he was ridden prominently in a race that unfolded at a relatively modest gallop.

The sedate early pace was highlighted by his performance in the latter stages. From the fourth-last hurdle to the finish line, Crambo ran around 38 lengths faster than he did over the same stretch the first time around. It was a race in which horses positioned prominently clearly had the upper hand.