Silver Streak Heading For Christamas Hurdle After Narrow Second At Cheltenham

Evan Williams leading grey hurdler Silver Streak has made an impressive start to the season and his handler has targeted another crack at the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton over Christmas having finished second in the event last year.

The handler believes his star seven year old can finally make the jump up to landing a Grade One event having finished Third in a Champion Hurdle two seasons ago and finishing second in this race last term.

Kempton seems to be a happy hunting ground for the gelding having landed back to back renewals off the Listed two miles hurdle contest on his seasonal debuts.

Having landed that event at Kempton he was stepped up to the Grade One Fighting Fifth against Champion Hurdle winner Epatante at Newcastle and unfortunately got bought out of the race at the second hurdle by a loose horse.

This then tempted Williams to run the gelding at Cheltenham last week in the International Hurdle having not done much at Newcastle and it almost paid off.

Heading into the race a live contender but the softening ground not helping his cause he went on to finish second in a photo-finish to the young pretender Song For Someone.

After that impressive run he is now all systems go for the Christmas Hurdle where he will be hoping for another solid run at a track he loves.

Williams said: “He seems grand and well since the weekend and he will go to the Christmas Hurdle.

“You could say he was a little bit unlucky, but the best horse won. The winner was giving us weight, and we were second best on the day – we have no complaints.

“We’ll go to Kempton and try and get some place money again.”