Bloody Mary looks made to measure at Taunton

Nicky Henderson has a clutch of live contenders for the Cheltenham Festival and Bloody Mary can add her name to that list by making a winning British debut in the Openbet Novices’ Hurdle at Taunton today.

The five-year-old is a reasonably high-profile recruit for owner JP McManus as she arrives from France with five bumper victories to her name as well as one triumph over hurdles at Auteuil last September.

Having handled testing French ground, she should be most adept at dealing with what are likely to be trying conditions in the south west and Henderson has made no secret of the fact this mare is held in high regard.