held up behind, smooth headway approaching 4 out, led and not fluent last, hard ridden flat, headed on line
mid-division, headway approaching 4 out, ridden to chase leaders last, kept on
mid-division, ridden and headway after 3 out, chased leaders last, kept on flat
held up mid-division, headway 4 out, ridden on 2 out, weakened flat
held up rear, never a factor
chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened last
held up mid-division, ridden and headway 3 out, chased leaders approaching last, strong run close home, led on line
blundered and unseated rider 1st
prominent, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened
chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, every chance last, kept on but no extra flat
held up towards rear, headway approaching 4 out, ridden next, stayed on well flat
held up towards rear, headway 4th, chased leaders 3 out, soon ridden, weakened approaching last
always behind
held up towards rear, mistake 4th, some headway next, no impression from 3 out
mid-division, headway 3rd, led approaching 4 out, ridden approaching 2 out, headed last, no extra flat
held up towards rear, headway approaching 4 out, soon ridden, weakened 2 out
led until 4 out, soon weakened
chased leaders, ridden when blundered badly 4 out, weakened quickly
chased leaders until 4th, soon behind
chased leaders until weakened after 4 out
mid-division until 4th, soon behind
mid-division, ridden and steady headway from 4 out, weakened flat
held up towards rear, never dangerous
chased leaders until 3rd, soon tailed off
Reigning Champion Hurdler Rooster Booster came back to form for the first time since his Festival success when winning at Haydock last month but the Philip Hobbs-trained gelding faces no easy task giving 13lbs and upwards away to his rivals here and we prefer to side with Saintsaire, who gets the verdict over Limerick Boy. The selection has failed to progress since making a winning debut in this country over course and distance last term but has shown signs of a return to form in his last two starts on going softer than ideal and, with conditions more suitable today, he gets the vote to give trainer Nicky Henderson another big race winner on a Saturday. Limerick Boy showed improved form to win the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton last time but this looks harder off his new mark. Paul Nicholls saddles three with Sporazene, who is closely matched with the selection on running here in November, preferred to stablemates Le Duc and Sud Bleu. Jonjo O'Neill also saddles three runners with Hasty Prince, a creditable second to Rooster Booster last time and placed in both starts prior to that this term, holding more solid claims than Quazar and Never. Tony McCoy opts to ride Champion Hurdle runner-up Westender in preference to Martin Pipe's other four entered runners but he seems to reserve his best form for Cheltenham and is probably best watched. Champion Hurdle fourth Self Defense, the relatively unexposed Tom Paddington and Nicky Henderson's Geos are others worthy of a mention but preference is for Saintsaire who, with ground conditions to suit is taken to finally fulfil his potential.
