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Zarkandar will make his eagerly-anticipated return to the racecourse on Saturday in Newbury's Betfair Hurdle and the 2011 Triumph Hurdle hero has been installed as a fairly short-priced favourite for the handicap contest after the latest list of entries were received for the 2m 110y heat.
Paul Nicholls has already eluded to punters that the five-year-old will come on for the run on Saturday and the Ditcheat handler will be looking to leave some scope in the tank for next month's Cheltenham Festival, where he will be all set to line up against the classy Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle.
After storming to victory on his hurdling debut in the Adonis at Kempton Park, Zarkandar was then an mightily impressive winner of the Triumph at the 2011 Festival, before enhancing his already lofty reputation with victory at Aintree's Grand National meeting.
Unbeaten on all three starts over timber, the six-year-old looks to have been handed an attractive mark of 151 for Saturday's clash and with stablemate Brampour creating a lopsided look to the handicap, connections will be hoping their former French raider will be far too good off his current rating.
However, it is certainly not a one horse contest on Saturday with some proven handicappers going to post with some equally as interesting novices looking to cement their places at the Cheltenham Festival in under six weeks time.
Darlan will spearhead Nicky Henderson's team as he looks to enhance his Supreme Novices' Hurdle claims for the Seven Barrows team, whilst Ladbroke Hurdle winner Raya Star will be looking to emulate that magnificent Ascot performance in Saturday's race.
Both Sire De Grugy and Soldatino have been subject to steady ante-post support and will certainly be lively contenders, whilst Brampour has already shown this season that he can be a danger and even with top weight could be a major player.
Last year's County Hurdle first and second, Final Approach and Get Me Out Of Here are included, whilst Nicholls' Betfair batallion is enhanced by the improving Empire Levant, who is another who adds great substance to the contest.
Nevertheless, if Zarkandar is to be a thorn in Hurricane Fly's side come Champion Hurdle, many would expect him to win this with aplomb before launching what would be a mouthwatering matchup come the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Check out the Latest 2012 Betfair Hurdle Betting.
| Aintree |
|---|
| 5:20 | 5:55 | 6:30 | 7:05 | 7:40 | 8:15 | 8:50 |
| Dundalk |
| 5:50 | 6:20 | 6:50 | 7:20 | 7:50 | 8:20 | 8:50 | 9:15 |
| Hamilton |
| 5:45 | 6:15 | 6:50 | 7:25 | 8:00 | 8:35 | 9:10 |
| Newbury |
| 1:40 | 2:10 | 2:40 | 3:10 | 3:45 | 4:20 | 4:55 |
| Newcastle |
| 5:35 | 6:05 | 6:40 | 7:15 | 7:50 | 8:25 | 9:00 |
| Newmarket |
| 2:20 | 2:50 | 3:20 | 3:55 | 4:30 | 5:05 | 5:40 |
| York |
| 1:30 | 2:00 | 2:30 | 3:00 | 3:35 | 4:10 | 4:45 |
May
