After a very quiet first half of the 2011/12 jumps season Venetia Williams’ string has hit form with a vengeance of late, a fact demonstrate by the fine performance of the yard’s Ciceron in winning in brave fashion at Sandown recently placing himself in line for a crack at the valuable Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February and a possible attempt at the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival a month later, writes Elliot Slater.
The change of fortune for the Williams’ team is demonstrated by the fact that half of her current total of 16 winners this season have come in the fortnight since New Year’s Eve, and Ciceron, who had shown little in his two previous outings this term, showed marked improvement when landing a nationwide gamble and being backed down to odds of 6/1 from (16′s in the morning) to win the 32Red Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in brave fashion by a length and a-quarter from the front-running Havingotascoobydo. Those with free Cheltenham bets will be keeping a close eye on things.
A useful handicap hurdler when on song, the former French Flat racer had fallen 8lbs in the weights since back-to-back wins last winter on his favoured testing ground, and with conditions coming just right for him at the Esher track he took advantage of the drop in his handicap mark to win in the manner of a horse who has plenty more to offer. Immediately installed amongst the market leaders for the ultra-competitive Betfair Trophy at Newbury on February 11, (the race formerly known as the Totesport Hurdle), Ciceron is currently a best priced 14/1 joint third-favourite. People looking for Betfair Cheltenham horse tips will be keeping an eye on him.
Connections are also rumoured to be mulling a crack at the County Hurdle at Cheltenham some five weeks later with the gelded son of Pivotal, and should the ground be on the soft side his current odds of 16/1 could well tempt punters to have a wager.
