Ascot preview: Coral Hurdle (14.40)
Published:
David Metcalf | November 20, 2015
Brother Tedd is on a serious upward curve, and can take the step up into Grade 2 company in his stride to land the Coral Hurdle at Ascot (14.40).
The Philip Hobbs trained gelding showed progressive form throughout last season when scoring three times.
In the last of those successes, Brother Tedd stayed on strongly to land a very competitive 18-runner class 2 contest at Sandown by 3 1/4 lengths off a mark of 135.
It was a performance which suggested the six-year-old would have even more to offer this season, and that view was confirmed when Brother Tedd overcame a 9lb rise in the weights to make a winning comeback at Kempton.
Brother Tedd a tasty bet
After travelling strongly throughout on the heels of the leader, Brother Tedd took up the running on the bridle two from home before quickening clear to put the race to bed.
Despite being far from fluent at the last, the son of Kayf Tara only had to be kept up to his work on the run-in to beat Silviniaco Conti by four lengths.
Now rated 155, Brother Tedd was value for more than the winning margin, and it was a performance which oozed class and suggested he was well worth a crack at this level.
Rock On Ruby ready to rumble
Providing the ground is not too soft, the main danger to Brother Tedd is likely to be 2012 Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby.
The Harry Fry trained 10-year-old has been a terrific servant to connections, and showed that he retained plenty of ability last season when scoring twice and finishing runner-up to Jezki in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.
Rock On Ruby sets the standard on his Aintree effort, and comes into the contest having shaped well when runner-up to Kilcooley in a Grade 2 contest at Wetherby on his seasonal reappearance.
That should have put the gelding spot on for this, and he now also gets the services of Barry Geraghty in the saddle for ths first time.
An official mark of 160 also makes Rock On Ruby the highest rated in the line-up, but he will have to be right on top of his game to give 8lb to the upwardly mobile youngster Brother Tedd.
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