AINTREE

2:35 CITROEN C5 SEFTON NOVICES' HURDLE GRADE 1 (CLASS 1) (4yo+) 3m½f

BULWARK 11-4 ~ Placed in a number of staying Group races on the flat but was always a bridle horse and will need to battle if he is to win today. He will also need to improve considerably on the form he has shown in two novice hurdles. He wouldn’t be without a chance if running in a less competitive race but there are serious doubts he won’t be able to live with the principles.

GONE TO LUNCH 11-4 ~ His last two performances at Cheltenham have proven that the horse stays well but is slow. That will no doubt count against him at Aintree where speed is vital. There was a suggestion that he was flattered by his Cleeve Hurdle 3rd and after his run in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle at the festival there is little doubt, all he did was keep on past beaten horses. He also comes to Aintree off the back of a number of hard races and for a novice that may take its toll but he needs to show more anyway.

LOGUNS RUN 11-4 ~ Unexposed having raced only once over hurdles and he did win his novice hurdle. However that was an average race at best and he has to find masses of improvement if he’s to figure.

MIDDLETON DENE 11-4 ~ Likes good summer ground so conditions wouldn’t have been ideal in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle so in the circumstances he ran well. All his previous form going into the Cheltenham race had been over 2½ miles and in the conditions he didn’t appear to get home. If that hasn’t left its mark on the 6yo then he should perform better with conditions likely to favour the gelding.

NEPUHAR COLLONGES 11-4 ~ His form suggested he would have found at least a few too good in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle but the race conditions really played into his hands. With the dead ground it really turned the race into a war of attrition and the Alan King gelding came into his own at the finish. Different conditions here at Aintree so not sure to confirm form with The Tother One when the emphasis will be on speed rather than stamina.

PETTIFOUR 11-4 ~ Beat long odds on favourite Crocodile Rock on his hurdles debut and followed that up when beating The Jazz Musician at Newbury. However in his last start he unseated his rider before the start and ran loose which must have put him at a disadvantage in the race. So he rates better than the bare form and is a dangerous unexposed rival to the principles.

QUICKBEAM 11-4 ~ Improved once stamina came into play and so 3 miles looks to be his trip. The horse looks on the upgrade but further improvement is needed if he is to get competitive in high class field.

SOUFFLEUR 11-4 ~ Has been regressive over hurdles since winning the Grade 1 Challow Novice’ Hurdle but that is surely due in part to the shocking form of the yard since the New Year. He hinted at a return to form on the flat though so has a chance of running into a place for a trainer that does well at this meeting.

SOUND ACCORD 11-4 ~ Trounced by Tazbar and in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle so hard to fancy.

TAZBAR 11-4 ~ Connections have been careful with a horse described by Kevin Reverley as “the horse best I’ve ever trained”. His form this season has showed why connections hold the horse in such high regard. It’s almost impossible to pick holes in his form and he comes into the race with very solid claims. He possesses what few horses do, both speed and stamina. He beat eventual Cheltenham winner Whiteoak (2nd in the Grade 2 Mersey Novice’ Hurdle yesterday) over 2 miles at Doncaster and cantered all over a decent field in the Grade 2 Prestige Novices' Hurdle run over 3 miles. On form lines through Sound Accord that Haydock win puts him right up there with the top staying novices in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle and he beat him without even appearing he know he was even in a race. 3 miles is definitely his trip and the manner of his win at Haydock should fill his rivals with trepidation. He also has the advantage of being fresh having missed Cheltenham and is the one they all have to watch.

THE TOTHER ONE 11-4 ~ Unbeaten before lining up in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle but as his trainer has stated the horse needs to be delivered late and Sam Thomas got there too soon. The horse idled badly up the hill as a result and although not saying he would have won but he would have finished much closer. If given a better ride, like the ones he received when winning three handicaps he should improve on that effort. This speed track will also play more to his strengths as the horse travels like a dream in his races. As this track puts the emphasis more on speed than stamina he should be able to reverse from with Nepuhar Collonges, especially with a better timed ride.

BONNIE ROCK 10-11 ~ Progressive form in a number of average handicaps but this is a different ball game and he needs to improve by some 20lbs if he is to trouble the principles.

LA VECCHIA SCUOLA 10-3 ~ Receiving all the age and sex allowances and a step up in trip looks like it might bring around some improvement but it’s inconceivable to think she can improve enough to get competitive in this company.

CONCLUSION

Shortlist includes Middleton Dene, Pettifour, Tazbar and The Tother One.

With no confirmed front runner in the race it may prove to be the ultimate test of speed for these novice staying hurdlers. Middleton Dene isn’t short of speed so should improve on the form he showed in the Spa Novice’ Hurdle. Both he and The Tother One, who himself is not short of speed, should be able to reverse Spa Novice’ Hurdle form with Nepuhar Collonges whose stamina won the day at Cheltenham. However the dead ground at Cheltenham turned the race into a real war of attrition and it must have taken something out of the novice’. Middleton Dene looks a big price to place despite this although The Tother One will need to be delivered late which leaves little room for error and considering he looked to have the harder race of the two at the festival he is passed over at short odds..

Of those who missed Cheltenham Pettifour and Tazbar deserve particular attention. Although anyone wanting to back the former should wait until the last minute to see how he behaves before hand. If he doesn’t run loose beforehand and behaves then he has the potential to seriously improve on his winning form at Newbury.

Everywhere you look Tazbar’ form has been franked so picking holes in the 6yo looks difficult. He possesses what few horses do, both speed and stamina and handles all types of ground. Unlike many good novices who win small races easily he has proven himself at Doncaster that he is a battler. The horse has everything and has the potential to be the new king of the staying hurdle division. To top it off he has the advantage over his main rivals in that having missed the Spa Novice’ Hurdle he comes into the race fresh.

3pts WIN – TAZBAR @ 15/8

RESULT

TAZBAR 6th = -3pts