Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle Guide

The gelding looks to be a very exciting recruit for the yard, being regarded as the next Goshen by many experts in the industry and on Saturday he can back those claims up when stepping up for his first taste of black type racing.

The gelding moved over to England during the Summer and was given to Gary Moore after being bought by John Stone after finishing second in a conditions hurdles event at Clairefontaine.

Since moving over to England, the son of Dream Well is unbeaten on both starts to date, having ran twice in two Juvenile Hurdle events and landing them by a combined 108 lengths, something similarly achieved by his stablemate.

Having landed his first event by 59 lengths, he stepped out at again over the same course and distance at Fontwell and managed to again be a long distanced winner.

He stepped up for his first Grade One event at the weekend and being heavily backed before the off and going off as the even favourite he could only do enough to finish second behind the David Pipe trained Adagio.

Moore reports that he has come out of the race well and with this field falling apart it has left him a big opportunity to land his first black type event.

Arguably the biggest challenge to Nassalam on Saturday is Sage Advice for Dr Richard Newland, who was a smart horse on the flat in Ireland, but has taken to hurdles supremely well.

The gelding was stepped up for his first effort over obstacles at Kempton earlier this month and was an emphatic winner of a juvenile hurdle.

He landed the event by six lengths, learning plenty on the job and although being stepped up to better company looks to have a progressive profile for a top trainer.

Cabot Cliffs for the Skelton team is an interesting contender, that could turn out to be a nice horse over hurdles in the future, but would have to put up a career best to beat the market leader.

Having been an average horse on the flat he was given to Dan Skelton and sent over hurdles this term and has been seen three times this term.

He made his debut at Uttoxeter in October and got off the mark with a smart performance, taking to jumping the flights really well.

Since then the gelding has been outclassed in better company, finishing third of seven runners behind Duffle Coat at Wetherby in a Listed event and then last time out over course and distance at Cheltenham again was overwhelmed.

He managed to finish fourth of eight in the Grade Two Juvenile Hurdle behind Duffle Coat again and Adagio who has since gone on to land a Grade One.

However, he was a long way behind the two leaders and with Nassalam holding better form with Adagio he needs to give a career best to go close.

The four year old made his debut in December at Sandown finishing third behind Elham Valley at Sandown and the form of that race has worked out with the second since going on to win.

The gelding showed that he will handle heavy conditions, but when stepped up last time out at Chepstow in the Grade One Juvenile Finale Hurdle, he was outclassed,

The Nick Williams trained horse could only finish fifth of the eight in the field and although getting his conditions in this will need a huge jump in performance to reverse the form with Nassalam.