Ian Ogg's Sunday Nap delivered the goods at Leicester and now Matt Brocklebank previews the Monday action.
Providing the 80-rated Flat recruit Master Dunraven doesn't take to hurdling like an absolute natural at the first time of asking, this can go the way of the Warren Greatrex-trained KORUS. He showed glimmers of ability in two bumper runs in the spring, particularly first time out when third at Market Rasen, and there wasn't much wrong with his neck second on a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon last month. The winner was 200/1 and the market leaders didn't appear to show their best but Korus stayed on well and jumped quite well despite racing a fraction keenly. He'll be all the wiser for the experience and looks up to beating Fromheretoeternity, who has to concede the 5lb penalty.
Tim Vaughan's point winner Holeshot is getting the hang of it and doesn't look badly treated running off an opening mark of 100 but he's surely going to need a good bit further than two miles to be seen at his best and preference here is for OUR DYLAN. He's versatile when it comes to ground so won't mind the conditions and he knows where the winning post is too, having landed a couple of novices' handicap hurdles over similar trips to this at Hereford and Stratford in the spring. He's up another 2lb for his encouraging comeback run when beaten a neck into second but is backed to step up again.
SNOOZE LANE hasn't done a whole lot wrong in five starts since returning from a break in early-September and should appreciate a return to this course and distance having twice filled the runner-up spot during October. He returned her last month for a mile handicap but didn't get anything like a clear passage when it mattered most and he's been dropped back down (1lb) to his previous mark. That's a pound lower than when successful at the same venue back in April and a more even, end-to-end gallop should hopefully help Sarah Hollinshead's horse show his true colours again.
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.