Battleover could have rivals waving white flag

The Gordon Elliott-trained Battleoverdoyen gets the nap to retain his unbeaten record in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. This represents far and away his stiffest test and he has to step well up on previous form to deliver. On what we have seen of him, he is all about potential, rather than substance, but the strapping six-year-old can now set the record straight.

An easy winner of his only point-to-point, Battleoverdoyen made his debut on the track in a bumper at Punchestown in November, easing to a six and a half lengths success. He started off over jumps at Navan before Christmas and took a modest 21-runner maiden hurdle, without moving out of second gear, by 13 lengths from the moderate Momus. Then in early January the selection moved into Grade 1 company over two and a half miles at Naas. This was not the most competitive contest of its kind, but was still fair old step up for Elliott’s charge.