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Tangle Teaser Top Novices' Hurdle, Grade II

Another of our previously successful guest bloggers return, Dan Kelly,@muffinmannhc. He was on fire during Cheltenham tipping Son of Flicka and Sir des Champs.

Tangle Teaser Top Novices' Hurdle, Grade II

I'm yet to be sold on the Supreme Hurdle form, and simply with Darlan and Prospect Wells taking such a chunk out of the market I have to look elsewhere.

Vulcanite has the talent, but it's difficult to pinpoint when he'll actually decide to show it. Captain Conan is the selection of Barry Geraghty but I can't seriously give him a chance, gifted the Tolworth and found out in mediocre company twice since, he is overlooked too. Right Step is a quirky sort, soured to end of his flat season and even though he won on his first start over timber, but that form leaves you with more questions than answers. However two runners have shown enough for me to think they will outrun their prices.

Oscara Dara was formerly with Alan Fleming and he looked a bumper horse of great potential. He cantered through an all weather bumper at Southwell, and when stepped up in class he was the meat in the sandwich between the then Champion Bumper Favourite, Persian Snow and a good Nicky Henderson sort in Mono Man at Ascot. Given his injury record, injured in Mar 09, missed 09/10 season due to tendon injury, it was no surprise he was given time to come to hand by Nicky, and when he arrived on the hurdling scene he didn't disappoint. Jumped well in main and held up off a moderate gallop I suggest you watch the closing stages of this race, as when David Bass went for him from second last, did he go. Unexposed and seemingly not devoid of pace he's of interest at a double figure price.

Leftfield pick for the places, but I can only be drawn in by the 100s quote on North Cape. He hurdled well on debut at Kempton and was given an easy introduction by Felix De Giles, he went off too fast at Newbury in November, and on his return late last month he improved on that run considerably to suggest that a win was just around the corner, but in Grade 2 company? Reason I am interested in his entry here is he's been allocated a mark of 122, I'd have him as a certainty to win a 0-125 hurdle off that mark at a sharpish track on better ground, and with Alastair Lidderdale fairly decent with his placing of horses, I'd be surprised if he was running here if they didn't think he had a chance.

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