Fourteen have been declared for tomorrow's Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (3.00 Aintree); the going is described as good to soft, good in places.
Four with a five-day entry for this race took their chance in the corresponding Pertemps qualifier run at Newbury yesterday (2.25): Masaccio (won @ 33/1); Miami Magic (second @ 100/30); Moon Chime (tenth @ 9/1); and Bill Baxter (eleventh @ 18/1).
Our Guide, a staying-on third behind Daylatedollarshort in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow four weeks ago, heads the market; Moon Chime was two lengths ahead when coming to grief at the last in that Chepstow race.
Jamie Snowden's charge may have a fitness edge over some of these rivals but his jumping remains a work in progress and, arguably, contributed to his head defeat by Miss Maverick over brush hurdles at Worcester in July.
The gelding won a Stratford novice hurdle over two miles six furlongs in May but tries this trip for the first time tomorrow.
Philip Hobbs and Johnson White saddle two - top weight French Ship and Kikijo.
The former won a competitive handicap hurdle on Newbury's Coral Gold Cup card last November off a mark of 136 and then finished seventh behind Iberico Lord in the Lanzarote.
The latter, owned by Richard Johnson Racing, won a Cheltenham handicap over three miles off 120 and a Pertemps qualifier at Sandown last autumn, both run on soft ground.
I like Kikijo but I suspect the track along with underfoot conditions won't play to his strengths.
The yard's horses have been running well without winning - Kap Vert was a good third behind Montregard in the BetMGM Handicap Chase at Aintree earlier today while Limier d'Arthel was caught in the shadow of the post by Secret Vino half an hour later.
The Egyptian Ginge often races from the front and is now 3-3 at this trip; claiming seven pounds Mr Jamie Neild rides for his father Mr John Neild.
Walden went into the notebook when winning the Pertemps Network Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final at Haydock in April off a mark of 123 (mare Heather Honey just over six lengths away in fifth); Tom Lacey had a winner at Plumpton yesterday and Montregard took the feature handicap chase earlier today.
Heather Honey meets Walden eight pounds better off but is one pound out of the handicap; she had a pipe-opener at Hexham four weeks ago.
It's tempting to think ten-year-old course and distance winner Harbour Lake will come on for his seasonal debut - it's just that the yard sent out Masaccio to win the Newbury qualifier discussed above after a break of 572 days...
The mare Park Princess has her first run in a handicap and is comparatively unexposed. She looked good beating Dream Shadow 21 lengths in a Listed mares' novice hurdle at Doncaster at the end of February. Most of her form is on soft / heavy ground.
Idem is talented but can be a tricky customer - he has refused to go to post in the past.
His fifth behind Supremely West in the Pertemps Network Final at Cheltenham in March reads well - he lost two places on the run up the hill.
He didn't show at Aintree next time (did the race come too soon?) but appeared to win with something to spare at Perth 44 days ago (Divilabother fifth, beaten seven and a half lengths); he goes off a career-high mark of 132 but meets Divilabother on identical terms and looks weighted to confirm the Perth form.
Divilabother has had a very productive summer, winning five times. The first of those victories in June was in a Hexham handicap off 102; he is now rated 133. Back in July handler Tristan Davidson said:
"...he's has just come to hand in the past couple of months. He's a different horse this season."
The grey tends to be held up at the back and produced late; last time he failed to make any impression when sixteenth in the Pertemps qualifier at Cheltenham won by Seaniecon.
Connections tend to adopt similar riding tactics with Lihyan who finished eleventh in that same Cheltenham race.
His seventh behind the well-regarded Wade Out in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle over course and distance on Grand National day reads well (Harbour Lake sixth, Kikijo fifteenth, Idem pulled up); two runs in the past month will have helped to bring him on.
Christian Williams saddles Lord Snootie and Deep Cave.
The pair contested the Pertemps Network Long Distance Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in May, with Deep Cave finishing sixth and Lord Snootie eighth, separated by a length and a quarter.
Course and distance winner Deep Cave has the benefit of a recent run to his name and goes off a mark six pounds below his chase rating but he was beaten a long way out behind Matty's Getaway at Chepstow last month.
On his Betfair blog trainer Paul Nicholls says of Red Risk:
"Now 11 years old, he always needs a run or two to get going. Last year, he went to Haydock, needing a run badly, then went to Musselburgh in February and won. We will have a couple of runs with him and then probably go back to Musselburgh. I think this will be one of his last seasons. I suspect he will be much fitter for whatever he does on Saturday."
A bit of a minefield. The winner has come from the first three in the betting on eight occasions in the past ten years,* if that's any help.
Turftrax indicate there's plenty of good ground on the hurdle track; I'm going to chance Idem (won last time and, apparently, idem means 'the same' in Latin. Perhaps you can sense just a hint of desperation...)
Idem is the each-way suggestion, at the time of writing 12/1 generally but 14/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral; most layers are paying four places.
*Correction (updated 07.11.26 08:30): The winner has come from the first three in the betting on six occasions in the past ten years; the market leader has finished in the first three on eight occasions.
