Grade Two Haydock Supreme Trial Guide 2022

Nicky Henderson has two of the leading novice hurdlers going into the Cheltenham Festival come March, with both of their plans still yet to be decided by connections.

The current favourite in this race is Jonbon who has been flawless in his three rules starts (Also a winner in his sole point to point in Ireland) and couldn’t have been more impressive in the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Novices Hurdle at Ascot last time out, smashing some decent rivals to win by an eased down 2- and three-quarter lengths.

The winning margin doesn’t do him justice, as it visually looked a very easy success, jumping superbly well and really showing he has the traits of his brother the great Douvan.

The Nicky Henderson charge is currently 2 for 2 over hurdles and does look one of the more talented novice hurdlers this season, making him hard to beat in this with Graded form already to his name so early on in his career.

Leading novice hurdler for a top yard, currently unbeaten in his career and most impressive in a Grade 2 at Ascot last time out with some good horses in behind but does have a 5lb penalty which the rest of the runners don’t.

Will be hard to beat in this.

The Harry Fry gelding was very impressive when winning on hurdling debut in October of last year, winning by a cool eased down 11 lengths looking like a real star for the Dorset based yard.

He was a well backed favourite in the Sandown race that Constitution Hill won (Who has since won the Grade 1 Tolworth since they met) making the form in front very strong.

The main thing to take out of that Sandown race was how far ahead Might I was of the 3rd place finisher Outlaw Peter, he was 17 lengths ahead that day meaning there is some class in there as he was well above the rest of the field ability wise.

Might I did put in the odd novicey jump last time out and that was capitalised by a very classy rival, but it is the same situation in this with another Seven Barrows hot shot, so he will need to step up his form and improve on his jumping to land a blow in this.

But Harry Fry has had a few good novices in recent years, so he knows how to train a good one when he gets them. Only had the two career starts, winning once and coming second behind Constitution Hill last time out, needs to brush up on jumping but is clearly talented.

Has a good chance.

A horse that has been a different prospect over hurdles after a slightly disappointing run-in bumpers (ran 4 times and didn’t win once but did place 3 times) He has acquired a rating of 127, which is the second lowest rated runner in the race for horses that have a rating.

Lebowski does look to be a natural hurdler and has really taken to it like a duck to water, with his last run being the more impressive performances out of the two, making all at a steady pace before going easily to put the race to bed two out.

He did slightly idle out in front as his winning margin of 3 lengths doesn’t suggest he won that easily, but he was going by far the best 2 out, and sometimes when a horse is out in front for a long time, they can get lonely and idle up the run in slightly.

Like a few of these he needs to step up his form to win this, but he does look a very professional hurdler who could make it a test that others may not want.

Two for two over hurdles, looked quite impressive last time out when winning at Ayr.

Needs to step up form wise but wouldn’t be surprised if he does that under quality connections. Will be thereabouts in the places.

Another horse that has looked quite impressive this season with his two runs, he is the lesser experienced runner of the race but has won his first two races under rules by 22 and a half lengths, which includes a bumper in November last year and a hurdle last December.

The form hasn’t exactly been franked since his hurdle win however, so it’s hard to judge how good of a horse he is, but he couldn’t have been more impressive on his hurdle debut and looked to be schooled nicely, after a fine jumping display.

The one slight issue was he was quite green in his hurdle debut, which against these nice prospects might catch him out, but he does look to have talent and the experience from his run last time out will help wonders.

A winner on hurdle debut at Newcastle last time out, jumping well and running quite keen, which could catch him out in this against some nice prospects.

Could get in the places if improving on his previous run.

The only horse in the race to not have won yet, and his jockey booking does slightly suggest the yard may not fancy him to win in this (Bridget Andrews rides when Harry Skelton is the yards first choice jockey) but that is no issue as Bridget has ridden graded winners for the yard recently when Harry is riding elsewhere.

Pikar was mightily impressive on hurdle debut even though it ended in a defeat, he finished second behind Knappers Hill, only beaten by a length.

That was very impressive considering it was his first run ever on a racecourse. He then fell last time out at Cheltenham in a three runner field when outsider of the three, although it was only a three runner race it was a solid field so he would have had to improve a lot to win the race should he not have fallen, so its difficult to gauge his form in a race that looks pretty red hot.

Only had the two runs and hasn’t won yet but was just beaten by Knappers Hill on debut and looked to be a nice prospect but did take a heavy fall last time so hard to gauge how he might run in this.

Will do well to land a blow in this.

Nicky Richards looks to have a nice horse in the long run, but this race does look slightly out of his depths at the moment.

He is a three-time winner in his career, two times in bumpers and once in a Maiden Hurdle and was slightly unlucky in his last race when finishing second at Ayr last month, having to carry a 5lb penalty against some unexposed rivals with the winner looking like another nice type who is improving with each run.

Will need to step his form up massively to land a blow in this, does look a horse for the long run and is best watched in this.