Grade One Liverpool Hurdle Guide 2022

Useful French horse, now with Patrick Griffin. Roi Madge won on his latest start over fences from Augusta Gold in second and grand national hope Samcro in third.

Prior to that, on his first run in Ireland, he had finished 5/7 over an inadequate 2m over hurdles. Back up in trip, over hurdles, he could be interesting - but he's likely to find many of these too good.

A shock, 80/1 winner over C&D in November, Koshari then reappeared off the back of that in the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham, finishing 7/10.

Koshari looks to have it all to do to reverse the form with Flooring Porter, let alone the horses that finished ahead of him. Outsider, would be a shock result.

Sire Du Berlais is not quite the force of old, and he's winless since November 2020. He finished 11/22 last time out in the Pertemps at Cheltenham, when co-favourite.

That was a disappointing effort and it would take a leap of faith to strongly fancy him against younger, in form rivals up in class here.

Impressive when scoring in the Long Walk hurdle at Ascot in December, he then failed to build on that by finishing a well beaten second to Paisley Park in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham, when 8/15f.

He did run a nice enough race in the stayers hurdle behind the all the way winner Flooring Porter, but never looked like troubling the winner.

He's an ageing horse and we probably know where we are with him now, probably susceptible to younger legs.

A winner of the Long Distance hurdle at Newbury in November, Thomas Darby hasn't built on that since, with two unplaced efforts and failing to finish last time out.

He is an in and out sort and he would need to bounce back to his best, and some to win here. Risky individual, but clearly has ability on his day.

A game winner of this last year, Thyme Hill hasn't really gone on in the way many thought he would since. Finishing well beaten in Auteuil, then finishing a close enough second to Champ at Ascot in December.

He did finish a good second to Flooring Porter last time out in the Stayers Hurdle so his consistency can't be faulted.

He would need to improve to reverse the form with Flooring Porter, but this previous winner of the race looks the principal danger to the favourite.

The only mare of the field, Molly Ollys Wishes has continued to improve all her career, rising from a mark of 116, to her mark of 145 now.

She was pulled up last time out on heavy ground at Haydock and that looked a real slog. This was in February, so it looks like she's been given a break with a view to this.

She can run well fresh, she'd need to improve to beat some of these however, but she could be a lively place player.

Flooring Porter, the Stayers Hurdle heroine will look to back that up here with Danny Mullins again in the saddle. He led them a merry dance in the Stayers, and, like the year before they didn't see which way he went.

This track could well be a slight concern, though he does look more straightforward on recent evidence. Flooring Porter is again the horse to beat.

Ashdale Bob ran a cracker when third in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham, probably kicking for home too soon. Prior to that, he was collared on the line by the useful Thedevilscoachman over 2m5f in heavy ground at Navan.

He's yet to conclusively prove he stays this trip, so is probably best watched.