Go Native today headed 17 entries for the Champion Hurdle, the final leg of the WBX Hurdling Triple Crown which will see him scoop a £1 million bonus for connections if successful.
Noel Meade's charge, the current 5-2 favourite,is bidding to become the first horse to win the biggest bonus in NH racing after being succesful in the WBX.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
If he does manage to scoop the WBX Triple Crown then the sponsors will give £700,000 awarded to Go Native’s owners the Docado Syndicate, £150,000 to trainer Noel Meade, £100,000 to Alan McIlroy the responsible stable lad and £50,000 to the remainder of the team at Tu Va.
Three of the horses Go Native beat in the WBX.COM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on November 28th are entered for the Champion Hurdle and look set to re-oppose.
Last year’s WBX Hurdling Triple Crown saw what has been dubbed the most expensive fall in National Hunt history, with Punjabi’s fall in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton costing connections £1 million. Punjabi had previously won the 2008 WBX.COM Fighting Fifth Hurdle and went on to land the Champion Hurdle later in the same season.
World Bet Exchange offers a “Will the WBX Hurdling Triple Crown Be Won?” market. Nearly £205,000 has so far been wagered on the market with `Yes` backed from a high of 49/1 into a current price of 3.4/1.
Iain Turner, PR and Sponsorship Manager for WBX said today: “We are now on countdown until the Champion Hurdle and the final leg of the WBX Hurdling Triple Crown after the five day entries this morning.
"Go Native is just eight hurdles and approximately four minutes away from winning the £1 million bonus and from what I hear the horse is in fantastic form at home. He worked at Dundalk yesterday under Paul Carberry and fingers crossed he gets to post in top form."
