Zarkandar makes most of Darlan tumble to land Betfair Hurdle

Zarkandar further enhanced his Champion Hurdle prospects yesterday with an amazing win in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

One of the first under pressure, Paul Nicholls’ Triumph Hurdle winner was a good five lengths down at the second-last when Darlan and Tony McCoy took a crashing fall.

Sailors Warn and Sire De Grugy appeared to have it between them, but the likes of Raya Star, Get Me Out Of Here and Olofi were closing fast.

Zarkandar (11-4 favourite), having his first run of the season, began to stay on very powerfully and Ruby Walsh guided him through a small gap to eventually win by a length and a quarter.

Get Me Out Of Here, who was hampered badly by the fall of stablemate Darlan, finished second, with Raya Star and Sire De Grugy taking minor honours.

The winner was cut by Betfred to 6-1 from 7s for the Champion Hurdle. “He jumped impeccably and stayed on really well in the straight,” said Walsh of Zarkandar. “He’s the first horse in 40 years to win this race without a prep run, and that says enough in itself.”

Earlier on the card, Long Run got back to winning ways in the Betfair Denman Chase. The 4-7 favourite, ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen, was pushed all the way by stable companion Burton Port and only secured victory by half a length.

In today’s big race, Riverside Theatre bids for back-to-back victories in the Betfair Ascot Chase. The Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Grade One prize 12 months ago but an injury soon after ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival and he has not been seen in competitive action since that setback.