An interesting contest with some potentially smart hurdlers on view including Maniatis. The six-year-old was a classy performer on the level with Amanda Perrett as he showed when making all to land a valuable conditions event at Goodwood in May. The son of Slip Anchor failed to reproduce the same level of form in three subsequent starts but will handle the conditions and is sure to have been well schooled so gets the vote to make a winning debut over hurdles. Epitre was well beaten on his first start over timber at Haydock recently but this represents a big drop in grade and this former smart French stayer has to be feared at this level. Spree Vision was not in the same league as the selection on the level but has taken well to hurdles, winning at Newcastle in November. However, along with Sunday Rain, he has it all to do giving weight to such exciting recruits.
