At 9/2 with William Hill, Irish raider Sweet Wake looks a solid value option against warm favourite Detroit City in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday.
 
Admittedly, Noel Meade's charge was most disappointing when last seen out at Punchestown in April when a well beaten sixth in the VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle. However, he was clearly well below par, and arguably wasn't on song when fifth to Noland in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival here on his penultimate start either.
 
Indeed, on that occasion the slick hurdling technique he had displayed previously wasn't in evidence. This could be attributed to the fact that he hadn't contested a race run at such a furious pace and on such an undulating track before, whereas the eventual winner, Noland, had ticks in both boxes. In essence, that experience will stand him in good stead.
 
Sweet Wake had looked a potential world beater when landing his first two starts over timber in Ireland and, if one things for sure, he has more pace than any of his 11 rivals in Sunday's race. With the ground turning out to be slower than was initially anticipated for the Open Meeting, this race could become tactical as likely front-runner Crow Wood is a fast-ground horse and his jockey Dougie Costello won't be going off too quickly given the conditions.
 
This would play into the hands of Sweet Wake, who was a Group 2 winner on the level in Germany and possesses a potent turn of foot. Fitted with a first-time tongue strap for this Grade 3 contest, he can make the most of the 11lb he receives from Detroit City, who will not be done any favours should this race become tactical, which looks highly probable.
 
Philip Hobbs' charge, who evokes memories of the late Rooster Booster being a grey and sporting the Terry Warner silks, was highly progressive over hurdles last term, landing the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival in March before scooting up at the Aintree Grand National meeting a month later.
 
The four-year-old translated that improvement to the Flat and landed quite a touch when coming home in front in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October, a race in which he was always travelling well and ran on in good style to land the spoils under Jamie Spencer.
 
Solid though he looks, Detroit City isn't the type to do things quickly and, by all accounts, he looks to me as though he will be even better when upped in trip over hurdles - I see him as more of a World Hurdle prospect rather than a potential Champion Hurdler. Carrying top weight on tacky ground in a race which looks most unlikely to develop into a stamina test, Detroit City will be vulnerable against Sweet Wake.
 
Acambo rounded off last season by taking the competitive Swinton Hurdle at Haydock and the 8lb rise he incurred as a result is unlikely to stop him playing a leading role in this event. But he does need to pull out a fair bit more to trouble Sweet Wake in my opinion, while the selection's compatriot The Last Hurrah could mop ip some minor prizemoney but anything more would come as a surprise in a race of this nature.
 
Verdict - 1pt Sweet Wake @ 9/2 (William Hill)