Sport

Mullins's Orders has odds cut

RACING: The ante-post favourite Holy Orders has been cut to 11 to 4 from 7 to 2 for the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday…

Thu Dec 19 2002 - 00:00

RACING: The ante-post favourite Holy Orders has been cut to 11 to 4 from 7 to 2 for the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday following the news that market rival Puntal is set to run tomorrow instead.

Puntal's owner Terry Neill said that the highly-regarded six-year-old was more likely to go for the Gerrard Wealth Management Novices' Hurdle at the Berkshire track rather than the big handicap the following afternoon.

The defection of Puntal would still leave champion trainer Martin Pipe with four possibles in the Ladbroke. They are top weight Polar Red (11st 12lb), Mr Cool (11st 9lb), Bernardon (10st 9lb) and Idaho d'Ox (10st 3lb).

Another trainer with multiple entries is Willie Mullins, who hopes to saddle three runners. As well as Holy Orders the Co Carlow-based handler has Czar Of Peace and Milkat in the race.

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Mullins has still to complete his riding arrangements for Ascot.

He said yesterday: "At the moment all three are running and I don't think the ground will be an issue with any of them.

"Ruby (Walsh) rides Holy Orders and I'm looking for jockeys for my other two runners."

Holy Orders has raced only four times over hurdles, the last time of which was in May last year when he finished third to Rostropovich at Fairyhouse.

But he has been campaigned on the Flat this season finishing a neck second to American Gothic in the Irish Cesarewitch before coming last at Leopardstown on his latest start.

Explaining that poor effort Mullins said: "He disappointed in the November Handicap, probably because he'd had a couple of hard races. He had a hard race in the Cesarewitch and it just might have got to him.

"He's had a break since and he's worked very well lately."

Nicky Henderson could have two runners in the £100,000 feature in Chauvinist (10st) and Valerio (10st 12lb).

BETTING: 11-4 Holy Orders, 7-1 Valerio, 10-1 Tikram, 12-1 Santenay, 14-1 Under The Sand, Whistling Dixie, Benbyas, 16-1 Anxious, Moments, Chauvinist, Haditovski, Milkat, Moving On Up, Giocomo, Polar Red, 20-1 Czar Of Peace, Keltic Bard, Bernardon, Mr Cool, 25-1 bar.