Whiteoak punt continues as heavy rain continues WHITEOAK, matched to the tune of ?122 at the maximum price of 999-1 on Betfair for The Champion Hurdle, shortened further for the race again yesterday after apparently being recommended by a major tipping line. The mare is now a 20-1 chance on Betfair to win the Champion Hurdle. Whiteoak has previous form when it comes to trading at massive prices on Betfair before winning; she was backed at 199-1 in running when short-heading Refinement in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham last year. With heavy rain forecast on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, Binocular has drifted to a shade bigger than 7-4 on the exchange ? and is set to get bigger. Betfair spokesman Eoin Ryan observed: "The clerk of the course at Cheltenham, Simon Claisse, believes that soft ground on Tuesday is a possibility so it's no surprise to see Binocular drift out to 7-4, and he will hit 2-1 or bigger if the forecast rains materialises. The money has started to arrive for the mud-lovers, with good-ground horses like Sublimity on the drift. "The news that a major tipping line has pinpointed Whiteoak will come as welcome news for those who are on the mare at big prices. Obviously, those fortunate few who are sitting on odds of 999-1 are in fantastic shape now." To win the Champion Hurdle ? Betfair bet: 7-4 Binocular, 11-1 Celestial Halo, 12-1 Crack Away Jack, 14-1 Osana, 17-1 Katchit, 20-1 Sublimity, Whiteoak, 25-1 Sizing Europe, 28-1 Ashkazar, 35-1 Sentry Duty, Harchibald, Brave Inca, 39-1 Punjabi, 41-1 Jered.
