Not as strong as one might have expected for a 3m novices hurdle at Cheltenham, but it's still early season and the ground might be riding a shade too quickly for some, so we're left with just a compact field of six.
Robbin'hannon has the strongest hurdles form on offer (his Perth second in April), but even allowing for quick ground, he made hard work of winning at Worcester last month, and doesn't appear a top class prospect. Therefore, with
Ballymountain Boy and
Mon Palois both requiring further improvement at this level, the classy chaser
CALETT MAD is the most obvious alternative. Ideally, he'd appreciate softer ground, but he's stamina laden and should relish this galloping track.
- Calett Mad
- Robbin'hannon
- Ballymountain Boy