Champion Hurdle hope Fusil Raffles out to boost festival claims in Elite Hurdle

Unibet Elite Hurdle (Grade 2) 4yo+ | 1m7f65y | ITV4

No bigger than 16-1 for the Unibet Champion Hurdle next March, Fusil Raffles sets out on the trail to Cheltenham with a big reputation and a suspicion that the limits of his full potential were not able to come fully to the fore in a curtailed juvenile campaign.

A sick horse over the winter after arriving at Nicky Henderson's yard from Guillaume Macaire, the son of Saint Des Saints made a huge impression when running away with the Adonis Hurdle, during which he sustained a deep cut to a hind leg.

After being forced to miss two major festivals Fusil Raffles put his name on the Grade 1 scoresheet at Punchestown with a smooth defeat of Fakir D'Oudairies.

Henderson said: "We know what happened at Kempton, which meant he had to miss Cheltenham and Aintree, and we only just got him back in time for Punchestown.

"It's a nice enough race to start in and he would have had top weight in the Greatwood, which isn't ideal for a juvenile. It's a good competitive race but he's in good form and he's grown a fair bit."

Grand Sancy the readier of Nicholls pair

Grand Sancy is two from two at Wincanton, having taken the notable scalp of Sceau Royal in the Kingwell Hurdle in February.

He came down at the last when looking potentially held by Silver Streak on his comeback run at Kempton, but has Paul Nicholls brimming with enthusiasm now he has that run under his belt.

Grand Sancy (red cap) was narrowly beaten by Elixir De Nutz in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown last JanuaryCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"We were giving him a run to take the freshness off him before going chasing with him, but he travelled very well and then just fell late on," said Nicholls. "He's done a lot of schooling since and he loves Wincanton; he's won there twice.

"He's in really good order and is sharper than the other day by a long way, so I'm hopeful of a really good run."

Christopher Wood has decent Grade 1 form from his Aintree third to Pentland Hills, although Nicholls is looking further ahead for the four-year-old.

"Win, lose or draw he’ll improve for the run," said Nicholls. "We need to start somewhere and at the weights he's about 10lb behind Fusil Raffles and Grand Sancy, so he's got it all to do and there are other races down the track for him."

Brandon Castle a reformed character

While he gave supporters a bold sighting for the first half of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle in March, Brandon Castle's fizzy front-running style proved costly on testing ground long before class became a factor at Cheltenham.

Neil King on Brandon Castle: 'He was a real tearaway last year but he’s a little more settled and friendly now and his schooling has been great'Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Neil King believes the son of Dylan Thomas is now a more tractable horse and is hoping for a decent campaign with Brandon Castle, who was rated 99 on the Flat for Archie Watson.

King said: "He's back in really good order. It’s the first break he’s had in a while this summer and we’re looking forward to getting him back on track. He was a real tearaway last year but he’s a little more settled and friendly now, and his schooling has been great."

Rain a worry for Beat The Judge

Beat The Judge was not spared mixing it with some of Britain's best juveniles last season, finishing a nine-length second to Fusil Raffles at Kempton before failing to figure behind Pentland Hills and Christopher Wood at Aintree.

Between times, Gary Moore took him out of the Fred Winter because of testing conditions and, having got runs into Beat The Judge on the Flat and back over hurdles, a similar turn in the weather would rule him out once more.

Beat The Judge (far side) needs a sound surface and won't run at Wincanton if too much rain arrivesCredit: Mark Cranham

"I'm sure he'll strip fitter now and I just hope we don't get any more rain," said Moore. "He won't run if the ground goes soft. We've had a dry day today [Friday] and hopefully it stays good because he is very ground dependent."

Top Beak is yet to win over hurdles and looks likely to struggle to be involved at the finish.

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