2m5f (Old) Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
An incredibly open looking renewal of the race with No Drama This End representing the Nicholls connections as a short-priced favourite. He is definitely the right favourite but he’s clearly going to be better over fences and I wonder if there are a few others priced generously given his dominance in the market.
BOSSMAN JACK represents last year’s winning yard and he has an intriguing profile. On the face of it, his form isn’t good enough but he is clearly improving at a rate of knots and his performance last time at Chepstow was particulalry impressive considering how green he was. He has any amount of improvement in him and with the Irish novice hurdling form taking a big hit yesterday, he has to be high on the shortlist now as the market vibes suggest Willie Mullins and potentially Gordon Elliott don’t have any star performers in her.
That draws my attention to the smaller yards and two that I think are interesting are Shuttle Diplomacy and I’LL SORT THAT. The former was third in the Champion Bumper, but the latter has been a revelation over fences. He has won four on the bounce and beat the well-fancied Sortudo fair and square in Naas. He is one of the few Grade 1 winners in the race and has been steadily improving. As opposed to a number of these, he has a lot of experience and his attitude for the game looks excellent demonstrating a grittiness in all of this starts to date. He won’t have it all his own way in front, but could spring a surprise here for the small yard.
1pt win I’ll Sort That @16/1, 13:20 Cheltenham, Wednesday
1pt win Bossman Jack @18/1, 13:20 Cheltenham, Wednesday