Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Three points of interest
Leader d’Allier can build on stable debut
Willie Mullins has won the last four renewals of the Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Series Maiden Hurdle (13:10) at Punchestown and Leader d’Allier looks poised to make it five in a row.
He was prolific in bumpers when trained in France by Mathieu Pitart, winning five of his six starts in that sphere, and he showed plenty to work on when runner-up on his hurdles and stable debut at Leopardstown over Christmas.
The winner that day was allowed to set steady fractions before quickening off the lead, and Leader d’Allier did enough in the closing stages to suggest there’s more to come from him with that initial experience under his belt (his jumping should be sharper this time).
Interestingly, the tongue tie which he won for all of his wins in France returns, and Paul Townend steps into the plate for the first time. He sets the standard on form and normal improvement should see him be hard to beat.
Stattler should be too classy
The Jumprite Open Hunters’ Chase (16:00) at Hereford sees the return of Stattler who is having his first start for Faye Bramley and really should prove levels above these rivals.
He lost his way for Willie Mullins in the 2023/24 season, pulled up in the Grand National at Aintree on his final start, but prior to that he quickly developed into a high-class chaser.
Stattler went unbeaten in his novice campaign over fences, notably winning the Grade 2 National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022. He hasn’t won since, but he has plenty of solid efforts to his name since, running to a high level when attempting to give Gold Cup winner Minella Indo 8lb in a Grade 3 at Tramore, and finishing runner-up to his then top-class stablemate Galopin des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.
He isn’t getting any younger, now an 11-year-old, but he hasn’t actually got that many miles on the clock, and he’s joined a very capable up-and-coming trainer who is going along nicely.
Mortons looks well treated for his return
Moretons wasn’t a cheap purchase and he was well backed for his debut at Yarmouth in April. He could only show fair form, however, and remains a maiden, but he’s caught the eye of late, and looks the one to beat in the Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap (17:30) at Wolverhampton.
He finished best of all from an unpromising position over six furlongs at Lingfield two starts back, making himself out as one to be interested in, and that race has worked out particularly well with the first, second and fourth all winning next time.
Moretons again shaped with plenty of promise when runner-up over five furlongs at this course last time, too, racing a little too far off the pace, but really eating up the ground in the closing stages and only just failing to prevail.
He was given the Horse In Focus Flag for that performance, while his effort can be marked up further still when taking sectionals into consideration – he also has the Sectional Flag.
Cheekpieces go back on now on his return from a break and he’s more than capable of winning races from this sort of mark, while the return to six furlongs will also be a plus.
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