Fry confident If The Cap Fits can upset Paisley Park in Cleeve Hurdle showdown

Harry Fry is confident his stable star If The Cap Fits has the qualities needed to defeat Paisley Park in Saturday's clash in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.

The pair make up two of Britain's three highest-rated hurdlers –Buveur D'Air is second – but Fry is optimistic that If The Cap Fits is still unexposed having raced only once, and winning, over three miles.

On ratings, he has 3lb to find with Paisley Park, winner of his last six starts and the reigning Stayers' Hurdle champion. Fry is aware of the challenge he faces at Cheltenham, but is looking forward to taking on the division's leader with his talented pretender.

Fry said: "He worked very nicely at the weekend, so it's all systems go. It'll be the first time at the track and we're looking forward to it; he's taking on a very worthy favourite in Paisley Park.

"Paisley Park has been there and done it, he's a worthy champion. We've only ever had one start at the trip – that was at the highest level at Aintree last spring – but we're looking forward to it and hopefully he's still relatively unexposed.

"He's got a great attitude and real battling qualities; he'll need all of those on Saturday. It'll be interesting to see where we stand with him. The handicapper makes it 3lb, so we'll see. It's a fascinating clash."

Bookmakers make If The Cap Fits a 7-2 chance for Saturday's Grade 2. On his only outing this season Paul and Clare Rooney's eight-year-old ran out a brave winner of the Coral Hurdle.

That victory – carrying a 6lb penalty for winning at the top-level at Aintree the previous season – was even more impressive as second-place Call Me Lord won next time out.

Fry added: "His form at Ascot couldn't have worked out any better, giving 6lb to Call Me Lord, who then won the Grade 2 International Hurdle."

If The Cap Fits: showed great courage to defeat Call Me Lord at Ascot last timeCredit: Mark Cranham

"We haven't run him since Ascot – it took a bit more out of him than we thought at the time – but we're very happy with him. We're lucky to have a horse of his calibre to run at the big meetings on a Saturday."

Although Paisley Park presents the major challenge, Fry stressed that Saturday's race had quality in abundance.

"It certainly isn't a two-horse race," hed added. "There are some very good hurdlers in there. Apple's Jade would be interesting if she came over; we've got form with her. Summerville Boy too among others. It looks a really good race."

Read The Lowdown from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post app for all the day's going updates, news and tips