Paul Kealy's play of the day at Newbury

1.55 Newbury

There are plenty of potential improvers in here, but Imphal has been insultingly priced given his consistent and progressive profile last season.

He ran nine times over hurdles last season, achieving form figures of 411132142 and his final second to An Tailliur at Haydock has worked out very well.

The winner was another progressive hurdler who was scoring for the seventh time that campaign, and he has continued to show he is a force, particularly on his return at Cheltenham in October.

There, off a 7lb higher mark than at Haydock, An Tailliur was third, beaten only two-and-a-quarter lengths by two extremely well handicapped horses in the heavily backed Charles Byrnes-trained winner Shoot First, and Botox Has, who has since won a big pot at Haydock on Betfair Chase day.

With bookmakers as usual offering extra places, Imphal looks worth taking a chance on each-way.

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