County favoured over Champion for Burdett Road

It could be an exciting final day of the Cheltenham Festival for James Owen and owners the Gredley family after the Newmarket handler admitted he is favouring a shot at the William Hill County Hurdle with Burdett Road.

Leading Triumph Hurdle fancy East India Dock will represent connections in the opening contest on Gold Cup Day, and it now appears his half-brother will revert to the handicap ranks after Champion Hurdle ambitions were dented when only second in Wincanton’s Kingwell Hurdle.

A winner of the Greatwood Hurdle in the first half of the season, the Royal Ascot scorer has registered two hurdling victories at Prestbury Park and on his penultimate start mixed it admirably with Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle.

He is a 12-1 shot with race sponsors William Hill for the County Hurdle, while in contrast is a best price of 33-1 for the feature event on day one, with Owen expecting to use the valuable claim of Alex Chadwick who is a key member of his Green Ridge Stables operation.

Owen said: “He’s come out of Wincanton really well and I’m really happy with him.

“The County is probably favourable at the moment, unless the Champion Hurdle cuts up. He’s a shorter price for the County than the Champion Hurdle, so maybe they (the bookmakers) know more than we do.

“He’s shown in the Greatwood that type of race is up his street and we would claim off him as well with Alex who rides him every day.”