Le Roi Miguel looks set to pass stiff examination
He is, essentially, a brilliant jumper and looks well capable of putting in a clear round!
If he does then the rapidly improving five-year-old will be hard to beat.
Paul Nicholls’ charge produced a fine exhibition to win in a canter at Aintree last time. Ruby Walsh took him to the front three out and Le Roi Miguel soon strode ten lengths clear of stable companion, Vol Solitaire.
A further head away in third was one of his main challengers now, Impek, who faces a daunting task attempting to reverse placings on 4lbs worse terms.
If a couple of hard races haven’t left their mark then John Joe O’Neill’s Spectroscope can land the featured IAWS Champion four-year-old Hurdle.
He turned in a gritty display to beat Well Chief in a driving finish to the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and again battled like lion when going down by a head to Le Duc at Aintree.
In theory Sacundai should be a good thing for the Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers’ Hurdle.
He gave the performance of his life when beating champion hurdler, Rooster Booster, at Aintree.
The worry one harbours about him, however, is that he performed deplorably at this meeting a year ago.
In any case, Sacundai has so much in hand at the weights that he has to get the nod.
Ground Ball may not be the best horse in the betfair.com Novice Chase, but gets the vote on the basis he is an excellent jumper.
Charlie Swan’s versatile sort warmed up for this with a two and a half lengths second to Jeff De Chalamont over flights on this track last month.
The Dell, who ran a cracker in the Irish National at Fairyhouse, until making his only blunder five from home, gets the nod in the Castlemartin Stud Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase.
