Andrew Asquith highlights four novice hurdlers who have been kept fresh for Aintree's Grand National meeting.
Klub de Reve
Klub de Reve looks a good buy at £35,000 after winning his second start in points having made good progress over hurdles this season, shaping well in his two starts in this sphere before opening his account over two miles at Kempton.
He won by 10 lengths that day, but was value for even more, and he took the step up into graded company in his stride when following up over the same course and distance in the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle last month.
Klub de Reve did so in convincing fashion, too, travelling well throughout, produced to lead passing the usual second-last and just shaken up to assert after jumping the last. Given his form at a flat track like Kempton, it’s no surprise that connections have saved him for Aintree, and given the way he’s progressing, he’s well worth his place in the Top Novices’ Hurdle next month.
La Luna Artista
There is stamina on the dam’s side of La Luna Artista’s pedigree, but she has looked a speedy sort so far, making a winning start in a bumper at Exeter in October which placed the emphasis on speed.
She then whizzed round Warwick on her hurdling debut, hitting the second-last, but jumping safely otherwise and showing signs of greenness when clear approaching the final flight.
The extra emphasis on stamina in the Triumph Trial at Cheltenham seemingly didn’t suit as well, though she did show improved form in defeat, and she was seen to much better effect returned to a speedier track when winning the Adonis at Kempton last time.
That was a clear career-best effort, once more showing plenty of speed, quickening nicely entering the straight and then in no trouble once the ill-fated favourite fell as the second-last.
The decision to miss Cheltenham in favour of Aintree, another flat, speed-favouring track, looks the right one, and she wouldn’t be without hope in the in the Grade 1 Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, especially when taking her sex allowance into consideration. There should be even more to come from her.
Montemares
Montemares had seemingly been showing plenty at home prior to his debut in a maiden hurdle at Hereford in November, very well supported and overcoming inexperience to make a winning start, briefly looking in trouble but coming through to win easily in the end.
He improved a chunk when defying a penalty at Market Rasen next time, again leaving the impression he was learning on the job, but stretching clear in good style once the penny started to drop.
Montemares improved again when finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle on his third start, that rise in class perhaps coming a little too soon in his development, but he showed the benefit of that experience when bolting up in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso last month.
He’s made tremendous strides in his short career so far, looking more the finished article last time, and he’s well up to making his mark at the top level now. Montemares is arguably the brightest prospect Tom Lacey has had and, given the success he’s had with Cruz Control in the past two years at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, he’s likely saved him for a crack at one of the Grade 1s there, the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle appealing as the obvious target.
Dalston Lad
Dalston Lad showed useful form in winning his first two starts in bumpers last season before finishing down the field in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
He has gone from strength to strength over hurdles having shaped like something was amiss on his debut in this sphere, winning his last three starts, all since cheekpieces were applied.
Dalston Lad proved himself useful in this sphere too with an all-the-way win in the Grade 2 Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock last month, putting his experience to good use and once again stamina looked one of his biggest assets.
Connections decided to miss a tilt at the Albert Bartlett last week in favour of going to Aintree and, while he’ll have to progress again to win his presumed target of the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, he’ll arrive fresher than most, while he represents one of the best target trainers around.
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