'We've kept him specifically for this race' - Munir and Souede team hoping Impaire Et Passe can bounce back at Aintree

The double-green team of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede hope Impaire Et Passe can put a disappointing campaign behind him and bounce back to his brilliant best when he takes on seven rivals in what is likely to be his final start over hurdles in Thursday's William Hill Aintree Hurdle.

Things haven't gone to plan for last year's imperious Ballymore Novices' Hurdle winner, but his form was comprehensively boosted at the Cheltenham Festival when two of his recent conquerors, Teahupoo and State Man, took the Stayers' Hurdle and Champion Hurdle.

However, connections had lofty ambitions at the beginning of the season and the margins of his defeats have grown each time, prompting plans for a chasing campaign in the autumn after he takes on three-time Grade 1 winner Bob Olinger and Cheltenham Festival scorer Langer Dan in Thursday's feature hurdle (3.30).