Sport

Space Trucker gains support

SPACE TRUCKER'S odds for the Champion Hurdle were cut from 12 to 1 in to 10 to 1 by William Hill yesterday after "good support…

Mon Jan 06 1997 - 00:00

SPACE TRUCKER'S odds for the Champion Hurdle were cut from 12 to 1 in to 10 to 1 by William Hill yesterday after "good support." Jessica Harrington's six-year-old has contracted in price for the Cheltenham showpiece ever since his victory in the `Fighting Fifth' Hurdle at Newcastle in November.

But William Hill have pushed out the odds of Hattons Grace and Bula Hurdle winner Large Action from 8 to 1 to 10 to 1 after reporting very little interest in the Oliver Sherwood-trained gelding.

William Hill odds compiler Mike Bellamy said: "We can't seem to lay Large Action. "He has. been totally friendless which is strange. Of the top three in the betting he is the one with least doubts about his fitness and he has put up the best hurdles performance of the season but no-one wants to back him."

Unguided Missile's price for the Cheltenham Gold Cup was also cut, from 33 to 1 in to 25 to 1 by William Hill following good support.

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Hennessy winner Coome Hill is "unlikely" to bid to further his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims until the end of this month. The eight-year-old, 10 to 1 fourth favourite for the big race with William Hill, is among 26 entries for the Hairy Mary Handicap Chase at Ascot on Friday.

But trainer Walter Dennis said: "I very much doubt he will run. "I don't think there will be any racing. this week because of the weather and even if Ascot goes ahead, the ground is likely to be very fast."

Mysilv, one of Britain's best National Hunt mares, has had to be put down. The seven-year-old fractured her pelvis at exercise on Saturday.

Trainer Charles Egerton said: "The whole yard is devastated.

"I will never have the opportunity of training a braver or more gutsy mare than Mysilv."

Mysilv fetched a record 155,000 guineas when bought out of David Nicholson's stable in May, 1994, following her victory in the Daily Express Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. She went on to lift the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury in 1995 and finished second in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham last spring just two days after finishing sixth in the Champion Hurdle.