5/1, won 12-runner Champion INH Flat at Punchestown (16f, good) by 2 lengths from Silver Concorde in April. As good a prospect as there is for novice hurdles in Ireland this season.
Chased leaders, not fluent 4th, 5th halfway, slight mistake on inner 3 out, improved into 2nd before 2 out where led, extended advantage before last where slight mistake, easily (op 1/5)
Ptit Zig - (Warwick, 14:10) 0.26/1 (Betfair) Winner Very smart hurdler, Group 1 winner in France and carried top weight when runner-up in Ladbroke at Ascot. Not disgraced in Champion/Aintree Hurdle and facile winner on chase bow at Exeter last week.
Tracked leader until led 2 out, clear last, comfortably (op 1/5 tchd 1/4 in a place)
Special Wells - (Market Rasen, 12:30) 13/2 (Betfair) X Plenty of promise in a couple of bumpers last season, and excuses both starts in this sphere to date. Remains the type to do better.
Mid-division, driven 6th, soon chasing leaders, modest 4th approaching 2 out, one pace (tchd 11/1)
Smiles For Miles - (Chepstow, 13:40) 7/2 (Bet365) Winner Showed promise over hurdles, finding frame in 4 of 5 starts, and made a respectable chase debut when sixth of 15 at Worcester last month, shaping as though needing the run. Can do better. Blinkered.
Tracked leader, led 7th, drew clear 5 out, blundered badly next, stayed on well, eased final 100yds (tchd 10/3)
Night In Milan - (Haydock, 12:50)16/1 (sky) X Won the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster in March. Well backed but well held over hurdles at Sedgefield on return, not knocked about. Down 5 lb now.
Chased leaders, driven approaching 3 out, lost place approaching 2 out, behind when heavily eased run-in, tailed off (op 8/1)
Boondooma - (Ascot, 13:30) 15/2 (Bet365) X Won a Limerick bumper for Michael Griffin and successful 3 times for current yard over hurdles since March.. Lacks the class of a couple of these, but chaser on looks and a hood may help him settle.
Held up in last pair, left behind when pace lifted from 11th, tailed off when jumped left 3 out, finished with a flourish to take 4th after last, not without promise (op 6/1 tchd 11/2)
Tell Us More - (Gowran Park, 13:05) 0.39/1 (Betfair) Winner Fetched £290,000 after winning point last year. Won 13-runner bumper at this course (18f, soft, 8/11) on NH debut, impressively. Off 8 months. Leading contender on hurdles bow.
Made all, extended advantage from 3 out, clear at next and eased run-in, very easily (op 2/9)
Aurore D'estruval - (Haydock, 13:50) 12/1 (Bet365) NR Progressed to smart level when landing small-field listed mares’ event at Wetherby (2m) on reappearance earlier this month. Looks open to further improvement, but this is a whole different test.
Rajdhani Express - (Ascot, 14:05) 4/1 (Sky) X Scaled new heights when third in Ryanair at Cheltenham in March. Unseated before halfway when reappearing in Old Roan Chase at Aintree in October, but claims if back on song. Raced keenly, tracked leader 4th, led 6th, 5 lengths clear 11th, pressed 3 out, headed next, weakened (op 10/3)
Oscar Rock - (Haydock, 14:25) 11/1 (Paddy Power) X Looked a good prospect when bolting up on hurdles debut at Wetherby last November, but beaten favourite in each of his 4 subsequent starts and improvement required on reappearance.
Held up, lost place after 6th, struggling after 4 out, plugged on after but no danger
Faugheen - (Ascot, 14:40) 0.33/1 (Sky) Winner Unbeaten and destined for the very top this term judged on the manner in which he landed Grade 1 novices at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in the spring. Impossible to oppose.
Made all, not fluent 5th, upped the pace from 3 out, pushed clear from last, not really extended (op 3/10)
Cue Card - (Haydock, 15:00) 4/1 (ladbroke) X Authoritative winner of this 12 months ago prior to chasing home Silviniaco Conti in the King George. Returned from injury at Exeter and should have come on a ton for that. Could be set for a big run. Led, not fluent from 10th, headed just before 4 out, lost 2nd approaching next and outpaced, one pace and no impresssion after (op 7/2)
Dynaste - (Haydock, 15:00) 4/1 (Ladbroke) 3rd Runner-up in this race last year and bounced back from King George disappointment when landing the Ryanair at Cheltenham in March. Creditable second to Silviniaco Conti at Aintree the following month.
Midfield, headway to track leaders 10th, chasing leaders but outpaced 3 out, went 3rd last, kept on but no impression on front two (op 5/1)
Bellenos - (Ascot, 15:15) 9/2 (Ladbroke) X Added to tally at Stratford (17f) in April and shaped well, despite mistakes when fourth to Ulck Du Lin over C&D on recent reappearance. Very much one to consider with that under his belt.
Held up in last pair, struggling and no progress from 9th, weakened rapidly after 3 out, tailed off
Don Poli - (Gowran Park, 15:20) 0.78/1 (Betfair) Winner Developed into a smart hurdler last season, winning Clonmel Grade 2 in February and Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March. Off 6 months. Good chasing prospect.
Tracked leaders, left 2nd at 7th and on terms 5 out, led next and ridden clear between final 2 fences, stayed on well (op 6/5 tchd 5/4)
No No Manolito - (Ascot, 15:50) 1.12/1 (Betfair) X Won 14-runner bumper at Fontwell (14f, good to soft, 15/2) on NH debut in May, easily. Looks a smart prospect.
Held up in last pair, tried to make progress over 3f out, driven and no headway over 2f out, well beaten after (op 6/4 tchd 11/8)
Milsean - (Navan, 12:25) 1/3 (Paddy Power) Winner Maiden point winner. Smart form in bumpers. Won maiden at Navan and at Limerick in 2013/14. Looks to have been found an excellent opportunity to make a winning start over hurdles.
Made all, 2 lengths clear halfway, slight mistake 2 out and soon pressed closely, ridden before last and kept on well run-in (op 1/5)
Vautour - (Navan, 13:55) 1/4 (Paddy Power) Winner Didn’t need to improve to win 4-runner Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown (20f, good to soft, 1/3) by 3½ lengths from Apache Stronghold. Off 6 months. Makes chase debut.
Made all, led narrowly early until extended advantage before 3rd, 3 lengths clear halfway, still travelling well and in command 2 out, very easily
West Wizard - (Kempton, 12:35) 4/11 (Paddy Power) 2nd Demolished a decent field in a bumper here last March and promising first effort in this sphere when chasing home Sgt Reckless in this event 12 months ago. Not seen since, but clearly the one to beat. Soon tracked clear leader and clear of rest, closed after 3 out, shaken up after 2 out, 2 lengths down and no impression last, pushed along and outpaced flat (op 1/4)
Mayfair Music - (Kempton, 14:10) 12/1 (Bet 365) X Bumper winner who is unbeaten over hurdles, scoring at Wincanton and Doncaster (listed event) last term, and the type to continue her improvement this time round.
Chased winner 5th, mistake 6th, clear of rest 8th, ridden and weakened on long run before 2 out, tailed off (tchd 25/1)
Comments
Very smart hurdler, Group 1 winner in France and carried top weight when runner-up in Ladbroke at Ascot. Not disgraced in Champion/Aintree Hurdle and facile winner on chase bow at Exeter last week.
Plenty of promise in a couple of bumpers last season, and excuses both starts in this sphere to date. Remains the type to do better.
Showed promise over hurdles, finding frame in 4 of 5 starts, and made a respectable chase debut when sixth of 15 at Worcester last month, shaping as though needing the run. Can do better. Blinkered.
Won the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster in March. Well backed but well held over hurdles at Sedgefield on return, not knocked about. Down 5 lb now.
Won a Limerick bumper for Michael Griffin and successful 3 times for current yard over hurdles since March.. Lacks the class of a couple of these, but chaser on looks and a hood may help him settle.
Fetched £290,000 after winning point last year. Won 13-runner bumper at this course (18f, soft, 8/11) on NH debut, impressively. Off 8 months. Leading contender on hurdles bow.
Progressed to smart level when landing small-field listed mares’ event at Wetherby (2m) on reappearance earlier this month. Looks open to further improvement, but this is a whole different test.
Scaled new heights when third in Ryanair at Cheltenham in March. Unseated before halfway when reappearing in Old Roan Chase at Aintree in October, but claims if back on song.
Raced keenly, tracked leader 4th, led 6th, 5 lengths clear 11th, pressed 3 out, headed next, weakened (op 10/3)
Looked a good prospect when bolting up on hurdles debut at Wetherby last November, but beaten favourite in each of his 4 subsequent starts and improvement required on reappearance.
Unbeaten and destined for the very top this term judged on the manner in which he landed Grade 1 novices at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in the spring. Impossible to oppose.
Authoritative winner of this 12 months ago prior to chasing home Silviniaco Conti in the King George. Returned from injury at Exeter and should have come on a ton for that. Could be set for a big run.
Led, not fluent from 10th, headed just before 4 out, lost 2nd approaching next and outpaced, one pace and no impresssion after (op 7/2)
Runner-up in this race last year and bounced back from King George disappointment when landing the Ryanair at Cheltenham in March. Creditable second to Silviniaco Conti at Aintree the following month.
Added to tally at Stratford (17f) in April and shaped well, despite mistakes when fourth to Ulck Du Lin over C&D on recent reappearance. Very much one to consider with that under his belt.
Developed into a smart hurdler last season, winning Clonmel Grade 2 in February and Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March. Off 6 months. Good chasing prospect.
Won 14-runner bumper at Fontwell (14f, good to soft, 15/2) on NH debut in May, easily. Looks a smart prospect.
Maiden point winner. Smart form in bumpers. Won maiden at Navan and at Limerick in 2013/14. Looks to have been found an excellent opportunity to make a winning start over hurdles.
Didn’t need to improve to win 4-runner Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown (20f, good to soft, 1/3) by 3½ lengths from Apache Stronghold. Off 6 months. Makes chase debut.
Demolished a decent field in a bumper here last March and promising first effort in this sphere when chasing home Sgt Reckless in this event 12 months ago. Not seen since, but clearly the one to beat.
Soon tracked clear leader and clear of rest, closed after 3 out, shaken up after 2 out, 2 lengths down and no impression last, pushed along and outpaced flat (op 1/4)
Bumper winner who is unbeaten over hurdles, scoring at Wincanton and Doncaster (listed event) last term, and the type to continue her improvement this time round.