Graeme Rodway analyses Champion Hurdle contenders in intriguing Haydock trial

The New One Unibet Hurdle | Grade 2 | 4yo+ | 1m7½f | ITV4/RTV

Tipster analysis

Pentland Hills might head the market but he is the lowest-rated of the four runners judged on Racing Post Ratings and needs to improve to justify his lofty reputation.

Last year’s Triumph Hurdle hero travelled like the best horse in the race on his reappearance in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham and was matched at a low of 1.61 in running, but a weak finishing effort meant he faded to fifth and three places behind the reopposing Ballyandy.

Ballyandy (red) chased home Epatante to be third in the Christmas HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ballyandy has solid claims of confirming that form on the same terms and heavy ground will bring his stamina into play. He is also race-fit having run well in Graded company twice in the space of just 12 days last month and that could count for plenty in such testing conditions.

Fitness is the big question mark over Champion Hurdle dark horse Darasso, who has been tipped as a possible Cheltenham contender by none other than Ruby Walsh in recent weeks.

Darasso returns from 306 days off and is back over hurdles having last been successful over fences at Navan. He is there on RPR’s on these terms and might be the fly in the ointment.

Cornerstone Lad: looks the likely pace angle but could struggle to hold off the finishersCredit: Grossick Racing (racingpost.com/photos)

A quality field is completed by Fighting Fifth winner Cornerstone Lad, who made all to inflict defeat on Buveur D’Air that day and looks the likely pace angle. Henry Brooke dictated the speed to perfection on heavy ground at Newcastle but faces a deeper, more competitive field and might struggle to hold them off up the long straight.
Graeme Rodway

Henderson confident heavy ground will be fine for Pentland Hills

Nicky Henderson would not have chosen ground as testing as Haydock's for Pentland Hills' next step towards the Unibet Champion Hurdle, but he believes last season's dual juvenile Grade 1 winner will cope with it and he is very happy with the form he has been in at home.

Henderson, already a seven-time winner of the Champion Hurdle, has the clear ante-post favourite again in Christmas Hurdle winner Epatante. Pentland Hills is disputing second favouritism with Saldier at around 7-1, despite finishing only fifth on his reappearance last month, where he was a bit too exuberant after eight months off the track.

It can be difficult for the top juveniles in their second season, but Pentland Hills, who is the the pride and joy of the 3,000 or so members of Owners Group 031, ran much better than his finishing position suggested and he is the one to beat.

Pentland Hills (right) jumps the last in line with Ch'Tibello and Call Me Lord in the International HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Henderson said: "We know Cornerstone Lad goes on heavy ground as he beat Buveur D'Air on it, but I should think the rest of us will all have some misgivings about it. We think Pentland will go on it though and he's certainly won on soft ground.

"I'm desperate to run him and there are no alternatives. He's in great form too, otherwise he wouldn't be running. He was the eyecatcher in the International Hurdle and just didn't get home. He's come on a lot for it."

What the stats say

The New One dominated recent runnings of this race by winning it four times in succession under a penalty and it would be risky to read too much into the significance of penalties.

However, it's interesting to note that while Cornerstone Lad has a 6lb penalty for his sole Grade 1 win in the Fighting Fifth, favourite Pentland Hills has only a half penalty for two Grade 1s as they were gained while he was a juvenile. If successful, Pentland Hills will be the first five-year-old to score since Songe in 2009.

What the trainers say

Micky Hammond, trainer of Cornerstone Lad
I said in the winner's enclosure at Newcastle that this would be next and we've been very pleased with his progress since. His penalty makes it more difficult, but we'd like to think he's improved again since and he prefers this soft or heavy ground. He's in really good form and we are looking forward to it.

Darasso: needs very soft ground according to Frank BerryCredit: Patrick McCann

Frank Berry, racing manager to JP McManus, owner of Darasso
Joseph [O'Brien] is very pleased with him and he'll like the ground but it looks a very competitive race. He needs very soft ground and that's why he doesn't run very often but it will suit him here. We're hoping for a good run.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Ballyandy
He's been running superbly all season and soft ground doesn't upset him so I think he has a good chance. I was thrilled with his second at Cheltenham, and there was nothing wrong with his third in the Christmas Hurdle.
Reporting by Graham Dench

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com