Passion among 16 in Tolworth
The five-year-old, who is already a winner at the highest level, was pulled out of an intended run at Naas On Sunday due to testing ground and he would be a possible runner if conditions were on the good side.
The extended two-mile event could attract another Grade One winner in Georgina Browne’s Phar Bleu, who took the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow last week.
Martin Pipe has entered his eight-time winner Marcel, the current ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, while Howard Johnson could run the highly-promising Astronomic, who is the only horse to have beaten Marcel in this country.
Paul Nicholls could introduce French recruit Made In Montot, while the Philip Hobbs-trained Chilling Place may put his unbeaten record on the line at the Esher track.
Gary Moore could throw former high-class Flat performer Dusky Warbler in at the deep end with a run in this Grade One contest on his hurdling debut, but he is just one of three options for the Epsom trainer, who also has Nation State and New Entic in the race.
