Only two rivals set to take on classy Barters Hill in Challow Hurdle

Just three runners will go to post for the Betfred “Goals Galore” Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury today but all of them are of significant promise, none more so than the unbeaten Barters Hill.

Hailing from the yard of Ben Pauling, the five-year-old won on each of his four bumper outings last term, beating the Willie Mullins-trained Bellshill at Aintree while Nicky Henderson’s pair of Altior and Buveur D’Air at Newbury, who have both made a big splash over hurdles already this season, were behind him at Newbury.

Barters Hill kicked off his hurdles career at Huntingdon in early November, when he adopted his usual front-running role before finding for pressure to eventually win by 14 lengths.