2.05 Haydock: can classy chaser Erne River make an impact in Rendlesham Hurdle?

The natural assumption is that a Grade 2 for established hurdlers 24 days before Cheltenham would act as a Stayers' Hurdle trial.

However, the only Rendlesham runner with a confirmed festival entry is the rank outsider Inis Oirr and that is in the Albert Bartlett. 

The two best runners based on BHA figures are rated just 143 and it is likelier the Rendlesham will instead provide pointers for the Pertemps Final. Third Wind finished a tailed-off third in this on heavy ground before winning the Pertemps last season and four of these are already qualified for that. 

The pace set-up of this race makes an already difficult puzzle even trickier to solve with so many hold-up performers in the field. This could be a slowly run affair, but the prospect of significant forecast rain should ensure stamina is still tested.

Green Book’s attempt to make the running in the Prestige over course and distance on this card last season backfired as Hillcrest exposed those early exertions. A 4lb penalty dents his claims, while the revitalised Itchy Feet is another who is far from guaranteed to get home over this distance if the ground is testing. He was well positioned to land a slowly run Pertemps qualifier at Huntingdon on good to soft last time. 

Ashtown Lad is probably Grand National-bound and the runner with the most fascinating claims is Erne River.

Nick Kent’s stable star equalled the Racing Post Rating recorded by Itchy Feet at Huntingdon on his own return to hurdles (also carried top weight) when going down on his shield for a narrow defeat at Doncaster and boasts high-class form on soft. 

A classy novice chaser who was sent off an 11-4 chance to beat Ascot Chase-bound Pic D’Orhy and Millers Bank in an Aintree Grade 1 last season, Erne River’s jumping lacked consistency and this looks a great opportunity to provide Kent with a first Graded success. 

This lightly raced eight-year-old is capable of much better as a stayer. That statement is questionable for the remaining contenders.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Murphy itching for another win

Olly Murphy is confident resurgent stable star Itchy Feet can follow up his first success in almost three years at Huntingdon last month with victory in this Grade 2 event.

The nine-year-old had not won since landing Murphy's sole top-level victory in the Scilly Isles' Novices' Chase at the beginning of February 2020.

Olly Murphy: trainer of Itchy Feet, who was back to winning ways at HuntingdonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Itchy Feet returns to Graded company for the first time since pulling up in last year's Betway Bowl at Aintree in April and Murphy is hopeful of another bold show.

"It was great to see him get back to winning ways as he's a popular horse for us. It would have done his confidence the world of good as it had been such a long time since he had won," he said.

"He's in good form and at the weights he has a good chance if he reproduces his Huntingdon run. The trip should be fine and he won't mind a bit of good ground if it's like that."

What they say

Dan Skelton, trainer of Ashtown Lad
He's very good, we're very happy with him. It's unusual for a winner over the National fences to be going back over hurdles, but he looks fantastic. I'd like to think he has a good chance.

Nick Alexander, trainer of Elvis Mail and Wakool
Elvis Mail finished last of three at Kelso on Friday so won't run unless something drastic happened. Wakool is in very good form and we're really looking forward to running him. It's nice he'll be running off level weights after being in handicaps. He ran really well at Musselburgh last time and a smaller field should suit him better, as well as possibly a bit of rain.

Nick Kent, trainer of Erne River
We gave him a wind operation and did not have plans for him until he came all right out of it, but he seems fine now and this looks the right race for him. He'll mix it between hurdles and fences, but this looks wide-open and he's versatile ground-wise. He has every chance.
Reporting by Matt Rennie

Read these next:

2.40 Haydock: 'You wouldn't know he's 12' - can evergreen Bristol De Mai continue amazing track record?    

3.35 Ascot: 'Fantastic' schooling session gives Henderson hope for Shishkin revival in Ascot Chase    

Tom Segal had a 16-1 winner last Saturday - get 50% off for three months and access his expert advice  

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.