Timeform Daily: Saturday 24th January, Cheltenham, 12.55

Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 23 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

Timeform provide the lowdown on the Racecourse Of The Year Classic Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2).

Diamond Harry is a most exciting prospect who is unbeaten in five career starts to date. He has made an excellent impression in novice hurdles and was successful in the Grade 1 Challow at Newbury on his latest start, winning impressively and with an ease suggesting there is plenty more to come, always travelling strongly and powering clear. He looked more experienced than previously on that occasion and his trainer has reported this will be his last run prior to the Festival in just over six weeks time. He is clear top rated by Timeform.

Alan King's Bensalem is another who has created an excellent impression and is also unbeaten. On his latest start in a novice hurdle at Leicester he looked nigh on guaranteed to make his mark at a higher level, travelling powerfully when coming through to challenge two out and merely nudged along to extend his advantage from the last. For one who promises to stay well he looks to have plenty of speed about him and remains open to plenty of improvement.

Paul Nicholls fields Tataniano. The Sassanian gelding was successful in a bumper at Chepstow before finishing a promising second to Shalone at Kempton in a novice at Kempton on his hurdling debut. He didn't have to improve to land the odds in a similar event at Exeter next time, jumping fluently in the main and never off the bridle. He is open to further progress.

Ernst Blofeld was an impressive winner of a two and a half mile novice at Haydock on his hurdling debut. The step up in trip from his sole bumper start clearly suited him well and he galloped right away after staying on to lead at the last. He is another who looks a good prospect and his stable is in flying form.

Neither Talenti nor Shenanigan have the scope for improvement of others in the field; the former was not discredited when finishing twenty eight lengths fourth to Diamond Harry in the Challow last time. On that evidence he looks to have plenty to find, whilst the same can be said of the latter, who put in a best effort over hurdles when beating Over Sixty in an eleven runner mares novice at Taunton last time, showing fair form in the process.