Confirmed runners and riders for the Lanzarote Hurdle and Classic Chase

Cobblers Dream will bid to become the first dual winner of the Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle when he takes on 19 rivals at Kempton on Saturday.

The Charles Byrnes-trained Green Glory heads the market at 9-2 but Ben Case hopes Cobblers Dream – who is 14-1 – can end a 45-year wait to become the first repeat winner of the £100,000 contest.

The Lady Jane Grosvenor-owned seven-year-old scored under Jack Quinlan by five and a half lengths in last season's race but has not been seen over hurdles this season, instead posting two second-placed efforts in novice handicap chases at Ascot and Uttoxeter.

Case said: "He's only jumped okay, he hasn't jumped as well as I would have liked over fences. He schooled very well the other day over hurdles and I didn't want to give him another run over fences and put him off. I could revisit that again as we go into next season. He's still young enough.

"It just happened that timing-wise this race came up and although we're not as well handicapped as we were last year, we thought it would be a good idea to go back over hurdles and get his confidence back again."

Cobblers Dream is officially rated 138, 10lb higher than his winning mark 12 months ago but only 2lb more than when second to Banbridge in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

"He's obviously higher-rated than he was when he won it but he's lower than he was when he finished up last season," said Case, who has sent out six winners so far this term.

"If he runs how he did last year in the Lanzarote and the Martin Pipe, he's going to run a good race. Whether he's handicapped well enough to win it is a different matter, but I'm really pleased with him at the moment and I'm looking forward to Saturday."

Green Glory: favourite for the Lanzarote HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Just as it was for Cobblers Dream's success in 2022, the going looks set to be soft at Kempton. Clerk of the course Barney Clifford said on Thursday afternoon: “The ground is soft, it walks better than given but we’re kind of taking the rain that’s forecast for Friday into Saturday into account as well.

"We’ve had four millimetres of rain this morning and we’ve had 35 in total this week. There’s another five to ten forecast into Saturday and the jockeys will come in and say it’s soft."

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Also on Kempton's Saturday card is the Grade 2 Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase (2.05), for which all six entries have been declared.

Runners are headed by Peterborough Chase winner Pic D'Orhy, who could deliver Paul Nicholls his third success in four years in the 2m4½f chase named after the champion trainer's dual King George winner.

Impressive last-time-out winner Paint The Dream, Grade 2 winners Coole Cody, Saint Calvados and Angels Breath, who is making his first start in 1,121 days, also feature in the contest.

Clifford said of Saturday's card: "It’s a joint venture with Coral. Obviously we increased the prize-money significantly last year in the Lanzarote and it was competitive and it looks very competitive once again, along with the Silviniaco Conti Chase. It's brilliant that all six entries have stood their ground and there’s a real mix of young and old, which is great.”

'It’s going to be gruelling out there' - Mullins bids for breakthrough Classic Chase glory

Willie Mullins will be seeking his first success in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase (3.00) with Mr Incredible, who was one of 14 runners declared for Warwick's feature marathon contest.

The seven-year-old was brought down on his sole start for Mullins at Leopardstown over Christmas and now steps past three miles for the first time under Brian Hayes.

The Paul Byrne-owned son of Westerner returns to Britain for the first time since finishing second to Ahoy Senor in Newbury's Grade 2 John Francome Novices' Chase in November 2021 for former trainer Henry de Bromhead.

Threeunderthrufive, who won on the Grade 2 eventmasters.co.uk Hampton Novices' Chase (1.50) on this card 12 months ago, will carry a top weight of 12st under Adrian Heskin for the premier handicap, which will also feature 2021 Welsh National winner Iwilldoit, who makes his first start since his Chepstow success.

Threeunderthrufive: topweight for Warwick's Classic ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

The £100,000 3m5f event is set to be run on testing ground with clerk of the course Tom Ryall providing an update on Thursday afternoon.

“Officially it’s heavy, soft in places," he said. "That was after 13 millimetres of rain last night which was more than forecast. The forecast is now dry for Friday and quite breezy before a few showers on Saturday morning which should be clearing by midday.

"I think after today and tomorrow with it being breezy, a shower on Saturday morning might just help them get through it. It’d make it wet on top, which might just help not make it as tacky and sticky.

"It’ll be hard work – it’s going to be gruelling out there but I would imagine we’ll be a mixture of heavy and soft. We’re in January so it is what it is at this time of year. Horses had been waiting weeks for soft ground so we can’t complain.

Gordon Elliott is sending three horses to the West Midlands, including last season's Aintree Grade 1 winner Sire Du Berlais, and the dual Cheltenham Festival winner will be joined by fellow Irish raider Ronald Pump in the the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (3.35).

Ryall added: "It’s good to see Willie having one in the Classic Chase and Gordon has supported the rest of the card. Sire Du Berlais has run in the Pertemps qualifier the last two years here and he comes back for a third time, so we’re happy."

Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle runners and riders

Camprond Aidan Coleman
Pentland HillsNathan Brennan
Red Risk Freddie Gingell
Petit TonnerreJonjo O'Neill Jr
Cobblers Dream Jack Quinlan
Quinta Do MarKielan Woods
Stag Horn Nick Scholfield
Harbour Lake Sam Twiston-Davies
Shantou ExpressJonathan Burke
West Balboa Bridget Andrews
Fifty Ball Niall Houlihan
Outlaw Peter Harry Cobden
Up For ParolGavin Sheehan
Mark Of Gold Caoilin Quinn
Dubrovnik Harry Bryan Carver
Green Glory Philip Byrnes
Rathmacknee Nico de Boinville
Scarface Brendan Powell
Whizz Kid Luke Scott
Hermes Boy David Noonan

Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase runners and riders

ThreeunderthrufiveAdrian Heskin
Dingo DollarAlice Stevens
IwilldoitStan Sheppard
Lord Du MesnilPaul O'Brien
FortescueHugh Nugent
Mr IncredibleBrian Hayes
Grumpy CharleyJames Bowen
CommodoreCharlie Deutsch
Nestor ParkLuca Morgan
NotachanceTom Cannon
WouldubewellTom Bellamy
Grand MogulBen Poste
Guetapan CollongesRichie McLernon
VolcanoBen Jones

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