Must-have hurdlers: side with top Irish novices for multiple wins

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Do not get suckered into a stable full of sexy chasers. It is crucial to have the perfect balance in your Tote Ten To Follow entry with a mixture of proven Grade 1 superstars and up-and-coming sorts.

The emerging talent is especially important as you are trying to find an edge over other entries.

It is key to not forget the crux of the matter, though. You need to score points to win and the best way to do so is by pinpointing the winners of the 15 selected bonus races.

Granted only four of them come over hurdles but coming up trumps in those races will likely be the difference between winning the competition and finishing out of the money.

The most obvious race to start with is the Champion Hurdle which has been farmed by Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins in recent years.

The 2m speed test has proved easier to predict than the majority of the Grade 1s and it could well be a three-horse contest come March.

Ante-post market leader Buveur D'Air, who will make his return to action on Saturday, could easily get supporters off to a flying start as he seeks his third consecutive victory in Betfair Fighting Fifth (2.05).

Buveur D'Air: could be worth overlooking in your listCredit: Mark Cranham

Winner of 17 races from 23 starts, Buveur D'Air would have been a mainstay in Ten To Follows over the last few years but he is an eight-year-old now and some holes appeared in his previously unblemished CV last season when beaten on three occasions.

The inclusion of Henderson's star is certainly understandable but, with spaces thin on the ground, it might pay to stick to the Irish and side with reigning Supreme star Klassical Dream.

The five-year-old took the hurdling scene by storm last year, notching three Grade 1 victories and finishing the season unbeaten. A powerful mover who handles all kinds of ground, Klassical Dream has the potential to step into mixed company and dominate.

He was beaten at odds of 2-5 on his reappearance by stablemate Saldier – not a bad selection in his own right – but Klassical Dream put in his worst jumping display and much more will be expected with a run under his belt.

I would not be surprised to see him run a few times before a potential crack at the Irish Champion Hurdle, the second bonus race for hurdlers, in a bid to get his season back on track.

Hopefully he can kill two birds with one stone and notch the big-race double, although it has only been done four times since the turn of the century, thanks to Istabraq (2000), Brave Inca (2006) and Hurricane Fly (2011 and 2013).

Paisley Park: has a huge chance of winning the Stayers' Hurdle in MarchCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The two remaining bonus races are the Aintree Hurdle and Stayers' Hurdle and while finding the winner of the former at this stage of the season is as tough as solving a Rubik's Cube blindfolded, one name sticks out for the latter contest and that is Paisley Park.

It would almost be a sin not to consider the inclusion of Emma Lavelle's stable star, an extremely stout stayer who rallied from an unpromising position to win the Long Walk Hurdle and the aforementioned Stayers' Hurdle last season among a total of five victories.

He seems to have an extra gear when the going gets tough and is surely set for another big campaign.

However, it would be foolish to consider it done and dusted already and others worth a second look from the staying division are City Island, winner of the Ballymore last year, and Bacardys, who won impressively on his reappearance in the Lismullen Hurdle.

Away from the bonus races you want to target hurdlers that are going to rack up the wins and the best chance of doing that is to look at the novice division.

Envoi Allen: can rack up the wins in novice hurdlesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The eye is obviously drawn to Champion Bumper one-two Envoi Allen and Blue Sari, both of whom made impressive hurdling debuts and should pay their way this year, while you could certainly do worse than selecting either of JP McManus's Dlauro and Andy Dufresne, who have unbeaten records to maintain.

An attractive mares' programme is also worth noting and Benie Des Dieux is almost certain to produce a useful amount of points if staying healthy.

She has not had much racing, which is a worry for a competition like this, but she is the standout in the mares' division and would be unbeaten for Mullins if she had negotiated the final hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Chasing is not in the plan for her this season so get clicking the add button next to her name.

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