ASCOT
1:15
Excello (Nico de Boinville)
He has come on a lot for his first run (over hurdles) and was excellent when Nico schooled him over fences on Monday morning; he’s extremely clever over his obstacles, which is a big asset. There’s no doubt this is a decent race, but he’s still unexposed and the more rain the better.
2:25 G1 Long Walk Hurdle
Champ (Jonjo O’Neill)
He’s had various niggly issues down the years, but when he’s on song, he’s a very good horse as we saw when he beat Paisley Park in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last year. We’ve tinkered with his wind and his record first time out speaks for itself.
SUPER BOOST: Unibet are BOOSTING the price of EVERY runner in this race
3:35
Iberico Lord (Nico De Boinville)
He was very impressive in the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle but got a massive hike in the ratings for doing so, and now competes off a mark of 134. We’ve always liked him though, and while he has to step up again, there could still be improvement in him, and he comes here in very good shape.
Luccia (Paul O’Brien)
Under the circumstances, I thought she ran very well at Cheltenham because she had only run at Wetherby two weeks before, so we’ve freshened her up a little bit and she’s very unexposed in Handicap Company.
Impose Toi (Jonjo O’Neill)
The Handicapper was clearly impressed with the manner of his victory at Cheltenham on his first run back because he whacked him up 10lbs to 131, so he undoubtedly has to improve again, and it’s a shame he has to run against Iberico Lord, but I couldn’t run him on that terrible ground at Sandown, so we are sort of forced into this, but he is a very smart horse and will hopefully go well.
Unibet are BOOSTING the price of the favourite in this race
