McCain: Cross in flying form

DONALD McCAIN is confident Peddlers Cross will not suffer the dreaded ‘bounce factor’ in the John Smith’s Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree today.

The five-year-old was a hugely impressive winner of the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and McCain has been thrilled with how his charge has taken those exertions.

A number of Cheltenham winners, including Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander, have failed to rediscover that form at the Grand National meeting, but McCain is not too concerned about his star turn.