Today’s Lambourn Trainer comments

Head gear applied today to help her concentrate as this seemed to help her last time. A mare with a lot of talent and it would be great to see her getting her head back in front here.

In fantastic form at home. A horse who always runs his race and he has a strong each-way chance here.

He won over course and distance last March before following up at Market Rasen in a novices’ hurdle and I think good ground is the key to him. I thought he ran a good race on his return to action, but he will definitely have needed it as he travelled strongly before blowing up two out and the Handicapper has dropped him a few pounds too. That will have sharpened him up and I think he could be quite competitive in what looks a very suitable race for him.

It’s been a long time in getting him back for various reasons, but he likes it around here and good ground is what he has to have. The ground was very quick at Cheltenham on his return and Nico said he just got outpaced and was feeling the surface coming down the hill. He’s had issues in the past and running down the hill if you’re off the bridle on fast ground at Cheltenham is a dangerous thing and can do plenty of damage so Nico, quite rightly, decided to pull him up. This will be slower ground and a little bit further which will help him so I’m hopeful of a more accomplished performance here.

There’s hardly anything else I can add that you don’t already know. Thankfully everything has gone absolutely fine since Kempton and this has always been the target. His jumping was excellent in the Unibet Desert Orchid Chase where some of it was absolutely breath-taking and we’ve done very little with him since. The ground will be absolutely fine and there should be a bit of pace on with Fox Norton in the field so we should get a decent race. He will have a break after this and we’ll freshen him up for the Champion Chase and then we can think about some other spring targets further down the line.

We’ve always held this horse in quite high regard and I thought he ran a good race on debut at Newbury last month when he made a mess of the third last but did well to recover and get himself back in the game. I’m not quite sure how strong the form is because Tidal Flow was well beaten at Warwick last Saturday but our horse is in great form and will have come on plenty for that first run. He’ll get further in time but this looks a perfect opportunity and I think he must have a great chance. Put it this way, I’m as happy with this horse as I was before Mister Fisher won at Kempton so let’s hope my confidence is justified.

A lovely horse for the future. This is his second run over hurdles and this looks quite a competitive one. It is not all about today, but one for future, although has run well here previously.

Bit better last time, but he is disappointing us as he works so well at home. So this very much look and learn.

Ran very well on debut and has improved for this. Hoping he will get his head in front today before he moves on to a hurdling campaign.

Everyone knows how much I adore this horse as he’s the most handsome individual you’ll ever see and is slowly but surely getting there. He bolted up in a Bumper at Kempton last March and then we shouldn’t have run him on atrocious ground at Aintree, but he’s come back this season a much stronger person and I was particularly impressed with his win over Christmas. I think he is a genuine two mile horse and the way he quickened up last time is testament to that. He has to carry a penalty for that success, but he won easily enough and hopefully it won’t be enough to stop him. I wouldn’t worry about the track and I’ve been very happy with him at home so as long as the ground stays on the quicker side I’m very hopeful he can continue on an upward trajectory. If he is going to be running in races like the Supreme he needs to be winning races like this.

Has been running with credit in Graded races all season. Deserves to get his head in front and has been very well since his last 2 runs in a short space of time.

Ran with much more credit last time out and continues to be in good form at home. Would like to see him finish strongly here again which would give him every chance.

No comment.

I was pleased enough with his first run at Plumpton though he pulled very hard. We are dropping him back to two miles, but this looks light a hot content. I imagine he will need handicapping before he can win.

He’s been a little frustrating as we’ve missed a few opportunities with him but he ran a solid race last time and this small field should allow him to get into a rhythm. The aim is the EBF Final on the Saturday before Cheltenham and he needs to finish in the first four to quality, of which I’m hopeful he can do so. He’s not the biggest horse in the world but has enough talent to suggest he shouldn’t be far away in this.

Was a much improved reappearance this season. Has continued to improve since and we would expect to see her at least placed here again.

Early Morning Rain was quite green on debut but was only beaten four lengths. She’s improved tons since then, so shouldn’t be too far away here, albeit it looks a competitive race.

We”ve had a few interruptions. It looks quite a warmish race today. He’s got a little each-way chance but that’s all I would think.

He is the least experienced in the race and is giving weight to winners. He is a big horse and will find the track plenty tight enough, but he will be nice in time.

He’s in good form. He hasn’t gone up too much for his win last time. He should go close again.