Triumph Hurdle Guide

Trainer - Dan Skelton
Jockey - Harry Skelton

A flat recruit who came to the Skelton yard with a couple of screws loose. He did everything wrong at Warwick and still comfortably won by a massive 37 lengths.

With the prospect of something special on their hands the yard churned him out again 8 days later in a grade 2 Triumph hurdle trial and once again he pulled himself to the front but his engine carried him home.

A good looking course and distance win in the books.

The real test came last time out in the grade 1 Coral Juvenile hurdle finale where he held off Irish raider Cerberus and solid subsequent handicap winner Nordano.

He’s one of many that will try set the fractions in this race, hopefully the occasion doesn’t get to him as he’s possibly posting the best form in the field.

Trainer - Henry De Bromhead

Jockey - Rachael Blackmore

Hugely impressive in his first 2 runs over timber and notched up some fantastic wins. Most notably over Christmas when taking a Grade 2 event at Leopardstown by 18 lengths, seemingly quite easily.

A tilt at the Grade 1 for 4 year olds at the Dublin racing festival looked to be a penalty kick but the 1/3 favourite was just starting to come under pressure when taking a heavy fall at the last.

There’s a debate as to whether he’d have won the race or not but the jockey was certainly just starting to ask him for an effort.

If he puts the fall behind him he’s one who can hit the frame but others probably appeal more.

Trainer - Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Jockey - Barry Geraghty

Some close tying form to others in the market, mainly Cerberus.

He’s been on the go for quite a while this season for young trainer Jospeh O’Brien but has yet to finished unplaced over hurdles.

3 wins, a couple of 2nd’s and a 3rd all stack up to quite good form.

He’s outgunned Cerberus off level weights, only to have the form reversed under the penalty next time out.

We most recently saw him contesting the grade 1 hurdle where Aspire Tower fell.

A Wave Of The Sea kept on amazingly well to pick up the pieces late on and snatch the win.

On the surface of it he would look to have a decent each way chance and might relish the stamina test that the hill will provide.

Trainer - Joseph Patrick O’Brien

Jockey - Mark Walsh

Stablemate to A Wave Of The Sea and some close interlacing form with many rivals here.

He seemed to really blow out last time we saw him at Leopardstown and was nabbed in the late strides by 2 horses.

Maybe slightly concerning to see him so easily outstayed on a flat track, the prospect of the hill could be really daunting to this 4 year old.

Already beaten by A Wave Of The Sea and Allmankind he would have a bit to find with those rivals to be really competitive in what looks a really hot renewal.

Place claims probably at best but he’d need the race to really fall apart.

Trainer - Gary Moore

Jockey - Jaime Moore

Can only be described as another absolute fruit loop. Does everything wrong but gets the job done regardless.

3 wins in 3 runs over hurdles, his form is stacking nicely and he has been blowing everything out of the water.

A combined winning distance of 68 lengths in 3 races is striking, he bullies horses into submission by bouncing out in front until they all cry enough.

His engine is undoubtedly massive but he does have a tendency to jump to his right.

At Cheltenham on a course that is almost constantly shifting left he could lose valuable ground against better rivals than he’s used to.

Trainer - Alan King

Jockey - Tom Cannon

3 runs over hurdles this season he’s won once and come 2nd on his last two runs.

The win on debut was good enough in a Class 4 maiden but it lacks the depth that a lot of his rivals here will be boasting.

A 2nd in a Grade 2 next time out was a decent enough run but with Navajo Pass re-opposing today it would be fairly safe to assume he’s being held on that form.

2nd again last time out to a horse who’s opted to go for the handicap equivalent of this race would not inspire much confidence either.

40/1 looks fair enough and he has plenty of work to do to get truly competitive.

Trainer - Donald McCain

Jockey - Brain Hughes

Not seen since the win over Lord Lamington last December.

The form hasn’t been franked especially well since so a big price would be fair.

2 out of 3 over hurdles is a strong enough record, especially after bolting up on hurdle debut by 20 lengths he did definitely show plenty of promise.

Losing by a neck to Tavus when giving away a penalty next time out was also probably a strong enough effort.

When you compare what the gelding has achieved to those shorter in the market he simply has too much to find.

Trainer - John C McConnell

Jockey - TBC

Only 2 career spins over hurdles have yielded a win in a class 4 event and a 6th in graded company. Nothing to get massively excited about as he has absolutely loads to find in the weights.

Beat a smart enough rival at Musselburgh earlier in the season but made use of the weight difference to notch the win.

The jockey on his last run at Leopardstown said that the horse stopped quickly, so there might have been an underlying issue and a genuine excuse for the poor run.

He went off a small looking 8/1 for his last try in Grade 1 company.

He’ll more than likely go off a treble figure price here.

Trainer - Paul Nicholls

Jockey - Bryony Frost

5 attempts over hurdles have given a mix of results. 4th on debut to the clearly talented Nordano, he quite quickly followed up with a decent win at Wincanton by 9 lengths.

He was then soundly beaten next time out when a 5/6 favourite in a handicap hurdle against the older horses. He was only beaten a total of 1.75 lengths but finished 4th.

It would appear that after this the secret to his potential was discovered when he was unleashed on soft ground.

2 solid victories have come on slow ground. He could be one to bear in mind if it turns out be really testing on Friday.

Trainer - Paul Nicholls

Jockey - Harry Cobden A recruit from France for the champion trainer, Solo made his British debut in the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle and routed the field by 13 lengths.

He clearly didn’t need a run to acclimatise to the British way of racing and took the field apart with a blistering turn of foot.

Smart Mare Fujimoto Flyer was behind in 2nd making the form look relatively smart.

He appears to have scared of the majority of those who he trounced at Kempton and will look to back up that performance after 20 days.

He looks incredibly smart and must be on most people’s shortlist for the race.

Trainer - David Loughnane

Jockey - James Bowen

Has only had 1 run over hurdles but showed himself really well to win on debut.

The form is probably quite questionable.

Plenty busy on the flat he did have a run not long before his hurdle debut on the all weather.

A solid pipe-opener over 2 miles he was just outstayed by a smart rival.

But in the context of this race he would have to improve very, very rapidly to be in with any kind of a chance.

Trainer - Willie Mullins

Jockey - Paul Townend

Another runner who’s only had 1 run over hurdles, this Mullins representative came out in a Grade 3 contest at Fairyhouse to win on debut.

A really smart way to kick off a campaign over timber, she must be a really talented mare to come out and win a graded race. Clearly the first string for the stable as Paul Townend takes over in the plate from Danny Mullins.

One that could be worth bearing in mind come Friday afternoon if the market vibes are strong and Mullins has started to hit stride.

Trainer -Willie Mullins

Jockey - Danny Mullins

The other representative for the Mullins stable the mare has close linking form to stablemate Burning Victory.

She finished 3rd in the graded race at Fairyhouse and was only beaten by 4.75 lengths.

Another one who was fairly smart on the flat at intermediate trips, she seemed to perform best on heavy ground.

It might be interesting to note she was preferred in the market to stablemate Burning Victory that day and could come on for having the experience over hurdles.

Danny Mullins takes over in the saddle to suggest she’s not the first choice of the yard.