'He keeps on improving and is definitely in the mix' - analysis and quotes for the EBF Final

Something the increasingly bloated Cheltenham Festival programme does lack is a top-class handicap for novice hurdlers. Thankfully, Sandown has that covered three days before the start of the jump season’s flagship meeting with another fiercely competitive running of the EBF Final.

Last year's running was yet another vintage renewal with four horses in particular progressing rapidly through the ranks the following season. That contest unearthed Complete Unknown, who is now rated 16lb higher over fences, Marble Sands (17lb), Thunder Rock (20lb) and subsequent Grade 2 winner Knappers Hill (15lb).

With the exception of Gaelic Park, Hugos New Horse and Mexico, this season’s field consists of youngsters who have either raced just three or four times over hurdles and up to ten handicap debutants. Given the heavy ground, stamina will be crucial and conditions will come as a shock to many in the line-up. It will be interesting to see who sinks and who swims.

Churchills Boy, Crambo, Cuthbert Dibble, Grey D’Alco, Hugos New Horse, Mexico and Cerendipity are the only runners with heavy-ground experience. Those who have encountered those conditions over 2m4f can be whittled down further to Grey D’Alco, Mexico and Cerendipity.

Each-way cases can be made for all three at massive prices in a race that has produced only one winner at odds shorter than 8-1 in the past ten seasons, although that statement may be most applicable to bottomweight and rank outsider Grey D’Alco. Trainer Richard Rowe operates with a small string, but nailed a 7-1 winner with his only runner this week and has enlisted the services of Grade 1-winning 3lb claimer Niall Houlihan to ride this six-year-old, whose standout hurdling effort on Racing Post Ratings came on heavy two starts back at Lingfield. His point-to-point second to Albert Bartlett favourite Corbetts Cross on soft to heavy last February also reads particularly well.

A slower surface appears crucial for this future staying chaser and while he could manage only ninth over this course and distance behind reopposing rivals Inneston, Twin Power and Gaelic Park last time, that came on good to soft. This will be a completely different kettle of fish on a contrasting surface.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Champion takes aim

No matter how Paul Nicholls' novices fare at Cheltenham, you can normally rely on them on the eve of the meeting. The Ditcheat trainer has won this traditional target for progressive first-season hurdlers four times since 2010, including in twice in the last three years, and the 13-time champion looks to be going all out to make it three of the last four years, saddling three course winners who have scored six times between them this season.

Hugos New Horse has contributed four of those victories and gone up 13lb in the handicap as a result. Angus Cheleda claims 5lb for this return to the track where he scored the second of those wins in December.

Stable jockey Harry Cobden is on Henri The Second, who has earned top weight through wins in a Grade 2 event here and fourth place in the same company at Cheltenham, while Adrian Heskin riding last month's novice handicap winner Twin Power for the McNeill family.

Nicholls said: "We’ve had our sights on this race for Henri The Second, and qualified him at Warwick. He's a Grade 2 winner at Sandown. Hugos New Horse has been progressive. We qualified him at Market Rasen, and have had this race on the radar for him for a while too. Twin Power has run two nice races at Sandown this year. He keeps on improving and is definitely in the mix."

What they say

Jonjo O'Neill, trainer of Crebilly
He's in good form, he's done nothing wrong and I think he'll get the trip, but you don't know until you run them.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Cuthbert Dibble
He likes the soft ground and he's got very good form. I just hope it's on!

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Crambo
He's got good form on soft and heavy ground from his bumpers so we're looking forward to him running.

Sue Smith, trainer of Cerendipity
It's obviously a step up but he's got a sensible weight and he's in good order. He can handle soft ground but I don't know if he handles heavy – the ground he won on at Catterick wouldn't be the same sort as this. They were very tired there on Tuesday.

Nick Gifford, trainer of Churchills Boy
He's in great form and it's the right race, trip and track. But I'm a bit twitchy about the ground, he was pulled up on heavy at Lingfield first time and it has to be a question mark.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Etalon
He's quite a big, strong horse and it's going to be a bit of a survival race. He's fresh and well, has a nice mark and has to have a semblance of a chance. He wears a tongue-strap as I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Charlie Longsdon, trainer of Gaelic Park
The softer the ground the better for him.

Gary Moore, trainer of Inneston
He’s a nice horse. My only concern is whether he'll go on the ground. He’s very French and the family says he should be okay on it, but I do have concerns. He’s in good order and is improving.
Reporting by David Carr

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