Last night at our favorite virtual racetrack – Newturf – the opening round of this season’s Breeders’ Cup took place and the finalists are now known. I had considered posting a selection to win the competition outright prior to the first round heats but having seen a confident selection fall in the preliminaries last term, I decided to wait.
Zalazl, hailing from the Barnes Stable – currently ranked third top owner in the hurdling discipline has had a far from perfect preparation for the main event, the finals of which take place on the 6th of this month. The Zambezi colt has a fast ground preference and has had to do all his racing so far on rain-softened ground.
The grey colt made his racecourse debut when producing an encouraging, narrowly beaten second place finish in the wet. Nothing went his way second time out and he encountered trouble in running when finishing down the field on his second start. Since then, he has shown improved form to win twice, including in his first round heat and recording strong times in the process.
Zalazl qualifies for the final of the Breeders’ Cup Hurdle with the third fastest time on the board. Given that he should show considerable improvement when encountering his preferred conditions in the final later this week, he is suggested as a win bet.
Zalazl (win) – Newturf Breeders’ Cup – 6th Feb 2012
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