15:00 Wincanton – Elite Hurdle (Grade 2)
The Elite Hurdle was established in 1992 with the inaugural running taking place at Cheltenham, before switching to its current home in 1994. The race, run over one mile and seven furlongs, has been won by the likes of Azertyuiop, Celestial Halo, Zarkander and Sceau Royal and is one of Wincanton’s biggest races of the jumps season.
Verdana Blue was an impressive winner of the Matchbook VIP Hurdle at Kempton last month, coming clear from some decent rivals and winning by seven lengths despite being eased down towards the line. He looks to have bags of potential and is an exciting prospect for the season ahead, although this is a step back up in grade and he’s up against some decent rivals so this will be no walk in the park.
If The Cap Fits is set to make his much-anticipated return to the track and in doing so will be putting his unbeaten run over hurdles to the test. Last seen winning at Kempton on Boxing Day in 2017, he has won on return from breaks in the past so the lay-off shouldn’t be too much of a concern, although he will likely have bigger targets later in the season so may not be given too hard a race today.
We Have A Dream is unbeaten in five since joining Nicky Henderson and was last seen winning a Grade 1 race at Aintree in April, beating the likes of Apple’s Shakira and Malaya. He is again partnered with Daryl Jacob who has been in the saddle for each of the five above-mentioned victories and has won this race three times since 2011. Another who runs well fresh, he is versatile regarding conditions and is given the NAP treatment today.
Redicean returned from his summer break with a decent second at Cheltenham at the end of October. He was no match for the winner but should come on for the run and looks the most likely of the remainder to get involved should any of the market principles falter.
We Have A Dream (WIN) – NAP
Aintree
12:25 – Robin Waters (WIN)
13:00 – Captain Drake (WIN)
13:35 – The Organist (WIN)
14:10 – Wholestone (WIN)
14:40 – Martiloo (E/W) *ITV
15:20 – McRoarty (WIN)
15:55 – Blazer’s Mill (WIN)
Chelmsford
16:30 – Hanakotoba (WIN)
17:00 – True Belief (WIN)
17:30 – Aspire Tower (WIN)
18:00 – Elegiac (WIN)
18:30 – Green Fortune (WIN)
19:00 – Young John (WIN)
19:30 – Squire (WIN)
Doncaster
11:45 – Proud Archi (E/W)
12:20 – Dragon Beat (WIN)
12:55 – Edgewood (WIN)
13:30 – Bona Fide (WIN) *ITV
14:05 – Hey Jonesy (E/W) *ITV
14:45 – Shady McCoy (WIN)
15:15 – Hochfield (E/W) *ITV
15:50 – Shallow Hal (WIN)
Kelso
11:50 – Bodacious Name (WIN)
12:15 – Tayzar (WIN)
12:45 – Landecker (E/W)
13:20 – Jovial Joey (WIN)
13:55 – Halcyon Days (WIN)
14:30 – One Night In Milan (WIN)
15:05 – Troubled Soul (WIN)
15:40 – Animore (WIN)
Naas
12:00 – Classic Concorde (E/W)
12:30 – Footpad (WIN)
13:05 – Mr Adjudicator (WIN)
13:40 – School Boy Hours (WIN)
14:15 – Peacocks Secret (WIN)
14:50 – Fitzhenry (WIN)
15:25 – Burren Life (E/W)
16:00 – Caravation (WIN)
Wincanton
12:40 – Grand Sancy (WIN)
13:15 – Capeland (WIN)
13:50 – If You Say Run (WIN) *ITV
14:25 – Bags Groove (WIN) *ITV
15:00 – We Have A Dream (WIN) – NAP *ITV
15:35 – El Bandit (WIN) *ITV
16:10 – Espion (WIN)
