No late charge to tackle Baracouda

BARACOUDA will face no more than nine rivals when making his seasonal reappearance in the Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle Race at Newbury on Saturday.

The Grade Two contest was re-offered on Monday after only eight entries were received but Robert Alner’s Kadara and the Sheena West-trained It’s Wallace have now been added to the field.

Baracouda, who landed the extended three-mile contest by seven lengths last year, could face some potentially smart rivals, with Telemoss and Crystal d’Ainay - first and second in the John Smith’s Hurdle last month - both engaged.