Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle Guide

Gentleman At Arms is the first runner in the Listed event we want to talk about with the Stuart Edmunds trained gelding a live contender.

Running for the most part of his career on the flat and being rated 80, he switched to timber this term and has looked a much better prospect.

Making his seasonal debut over two miles at Huntingdon he finished fifth in a very smart race with the first, third and fourth since winning nice events.

Gentleman At Arms also franked the form, this time over course and distance when beating a fair horse for Henry Daly by 13 lengths.

The gelding has been seen once more this term when finishing a two lengths second behind the progressive Stag Horn at Warwick in the Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle over 2m5f.

Dropping back to a course and distance he likes makes him a big player today having been nothing short of progressive himself this season.

The Richard Spencer trained Wonderwall looks to be a very smart horse that has not yet reached the true level of his potential.

Being a very smart bumper horse, he beat some good horses on rules debut back in November 2021 and then over the same course and distance at Ascot finished a good third in a strong Listed event behind Knappers Hill and Challow Hurdle winner Stage Star.

Looking to round off his bumper season in style he went into the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham festival, but could only manage a fair seventh.

Stepped up in trip for his hurdles debut at Newbury he was a decent second, but last time out had improved a massive amount to beat some nice horses at Doncaster.

Live contender if improving again.

The Dan Skelton trained Elle Est Belle is a horse held in very high regard and now dropped into calmer waters and up in trip can not be overlooked.

Winning her first two racecourse events in a good bumper at Aintree and then in a Listed content at Cheltenham, she headed back to Prestbury Park at festival and managed a superb third in the Champion Bumper.

She then finished last season off in the Grade Two bumper at Aintree when a narrow second to smart Irish raider.

Sent over hurdles this term, she disappointed on debut when only third of five runners at Newbury, but improved a bunch for that run to get off the mark in taking style next time out.

Last time out she was upped in class at Ascot in the Grade Two Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle and although fourth of six she was in behind some smart runners, that have since franked the form.

She should improve again for the step up in trip and drop to Listed company and getting 2lb off the field could be the difference.

The penultimate runner of the race is the Alan King trained Harbour Lake for the late Trevor Hemmings and this unbeaten son of Shantou is another that could be special.

Making his hurdles/rules debut this term at Wetherby in October he was an easy winner of a Novices' Hurdle over two miles with the third and fourth since franking the form.

Last time out he made it two from two when improving again to score in another Novice Hurdle over the same course and distance.

Might have it all to prove at this level but has a very progressive profile and deserves his chance in this race if handling the extra distance.

The final runner of the race is the Gary Moore trained Jerrash who made a decent bumper debut at Ascot in November and massively stepped up from that on hurdles debut when last seen.

Sent straight over hurdles he got off the mark at the first time of asking over 2m5f at Ascot when seeing of some likeable youngsters at a decent price.

Stamina will be no issue but he does have to come on again for that run.