Prominent racehorse owner John Hales has enjoyed many big race winners over the years and in Al Ferof he has another horse of considerable ability. Despite having had just two outings over fences Hales has revealed that he and trainer Paul Nicholls are considering pitching his horse in against the best in the business and bidding for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, writes Elliot Slater.
Hales is probably best associated with another outstanding grey in One Man, dual winner of the King George VI Chase as well as triumphing in the Hennessy Gold Cup and in the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase, so he knows what it takes to win the coveted two-mile championship event. People following the Queen Mother Champion Chase betting should remember this. Speaking recently to reporters who enquired as to the wellbeing of Al Ferof (a leading candidate for the Irish Independent Arkle Chase at the festival), Hales revealed that connections are delighted with him and are now mulling over the possibility of bypassing the novices’ event and going straight to the ‘Queen Mother’ instead.
That revelation rather set the cat amongst the pigeons as bookmakers scurried to introduce last year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle winner into the betting for the main event, firms going a myriad of prices ranging from as short as 8/1 to as big as 14/1 at present about Al Ferof stepping up from his recent Grade 1 success at Sandown where he kept on bravely in the closing stages to hold the renewed effort of For Non Stop to land the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices Chase, having won in facile fashion on his first venture over fences when hacking up at Cheltenham in November.
A top priced 7/1 shot to win the Arkle, a decision is unlikely to be announced until after Al Ferof has competed in the ultra-competitive Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on January 21.
Meanwhile, the World Hurdle betting looks as close as ever and punters will have a tough time in picking a winner.
