Ante-post joint-favourite for next year’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle Kasbah Bliss will be an intriguing runner on the Flat this weekend as he challenges Yeats in the Prix du Cadran.

Francois Doumen’s gelding is regarded by many as the successor to Inglis Drever as Europe’s top staying hurdler and he gave the old master a great fight at Cheltenham in March, only going down by a length.

Doumen has taken a different approach than with his previous great stayer Baracouda and following his post Cheltenham holiday, Kasbah Bliss had a couple of outings at Deauville in August.

By far his most impressive performance was on Arc trials day at Longchamp in the Prix Gladiateur, when he caused an upset as he cruised home by six lengths.

“It reminds me of when I trained Baracouda and I got many letters from the public asking me to run him in the Ascot Gold Cup,” said Doumen.

“After Cheltenham, JP McManus preferred the horse to have a holiday so it was never possible but there are no regrets. Kasbah Bliss is much younger so I could be a bit braver. He’s also a very easy horse to ride, whereas Baracouda was a bit tricky.

“He has run well in Tierce handicaps in France and obviously the way he won last time he can’t be without a chance but it’s a difficult challenge. If the ground goes soft then I will be in trouble and I have seen some rain around today.”

A return to jumping beckons after Saturday, with Doumen adding: “When the ground is OK he will go back and the only target is Cheltenham.

“He would probably not come back until about a month before that.”

Festival sponsors Ladbrokes make Kasbah Bliss and Inglis Drever 3-1 joint-favourites.
(Source: At The Races)