Seconds out, round three: Flooring Porter and Sire Du Berlais clash again in Liverpool Hurdle

Maybe it tells you all you need to know about the current crop of staying hurdlers that the top two in the overnight market for this Grade 1 have already competed in the race twice and are aged nine and 12 respectively. There is a simple lack of up-and-coming horses in the division.

Sire Du Berlais beat Flooring Porter into second two years ago and last season it was Sire Du Berlais who came out on top again, with Flooring Porter almost ten lengths behind in third.

However, another year on and Sire Du Berlais is now 12, and he finished seven lengths behind his old rival when only fifth in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Flooring Porter was second that day and showed plenty of his old sparkle, so appears to have the upper hand.

That race was run at a steady gallop, though, with Flooring Porter dictating it, and Sire Du Berlais did remarkably well to finish as close as he did given he was last after three out. If Flooring Porter is forced to step on the gas a little earlier, Sire Du Berlais might outstay him.

Sire Du Berlais triumphed in this race 12 months agoCredit: GROSSICK RACING

While it’s great to see the old boys coming back every year, there is no doubt a new name to shake them up would be welcome, and Crambo looked like he might be it this year.

He progressed rapidly from winning a handicap over 2m4f at this course in October to land the Long Walk at Ascot in December, after which trainer Fergal O’Brien put him away for Cheltenham. However, Crambo failed to show his best there, running 9lb below par on Racing Post Ratings.

Maybe the long break after Ascot didn’t do him any favours as Crambo was a little too fresh, racing keenly off the sedate pace which Flooring Porter set before an uncharacteristically weak finishing effort. Usually the best part of his race is the last couple of furlongs.

He certainly seemed well suited to the long straight at this course when he won here in October and, with a recent run under his belt, he shouldn’t be so keen this time. This is an opportunity for Crambo to prove he belongs in the top Grade, so let’s hope he can take it.

Crambo is one of four seven-year-olds in the line-up, and Hiddenvalley Lake is equally promising judged on his impressive victory in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in February.

That was only his second run of the season, and first over hurdles – he had fallen on his sole chase outing in December – but it was a career best and there should be more to come.

Buddy One and Strong Leader are the other two up-and-comers, but Buddy One needs to improve on his fourth in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham if he is to beat Flooring Porter, and Strong Leader was behind the old boys Noble Yeats and Paisley Park on his last outing.

Strong Leader did run his best race as a novice at this meeting last season, though, when a strong-finishing second behind Inthepocket. If he is going to bounce back it might be here.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

O'Brien: hopefully we'll see the real Crambo

Fergal O'Brien is hopeful he can put a line through Crambo's "no-show" at the Cheltenham Festival and see his Grade 1 winner return to his best in the Liverpool Hurdle.

The seven-year-old was a well -fancied 7-1 shot to follow up his Long Walk Hurdle success at the festival last month, but O'Brien was left scratching his head after he finished ninth of 12 in the Stayers' Hurdle.

He said: "I had never been so excited about running a horse at Cheltenham as I was with Crambo, but it just didn't happen. 

"He's working as well now as he was then, but I actually thought he was working better before Cheltenham than he was going into Ascot. 

"He ran so flat – he was a no-show really – and I don’t really have any answers. We're very happy, but the confidence has dipped a little bit."

Crambo: disappointed in the Stayers' Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Despite his below-par effort at Cheltenham, Crambo has won seven of his 11 starts, including when winning at Aintree on his first outing this term.

O'Brien added: "He's won round Ascot and Bangor, so he's won at different sorts of tracks. I wouldn't be put off going to Cheltenham again, let's hope he was just having an off day.

"We're very hopeful that it was a bad run and that he can put a line through it and we can move on. Hopefully we'll see the real Crambo."

What they say

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Champ
He's in very good form and was always going to come here. He's run really well here before, but he runs well everywhere.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Flooring Porter
He came out of Cheltenham well and is in good form. He should be okay on the soft ground and he's been second and third in this race before.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Monkfish
He was disappointing in the Gold Cup, which was his first run over fences for a long time. He'll be a lot better back over hurdles with that run under his belt and could outrun his odds.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Sire Du Berlais
He's actually bouncing at the moment and seems to have really come to himself over the last few weeks. He was brilliant in the race last year and, while I know he's not getting any younger, there is still fire in his belly.
Reporting by Liam Headd

Read more of Saturday's previews:

'We think he's got a great chance' - the lowdown for the opening race on Grand National day at Aintree 

Record purchase Caldwell Potter makes his debut for Paul Nicholls in Mersey Novices' Hurdle  

'I'm looking forward to running him in a race we've been targeting' - analysis and trainer quotes for red-hot handicap chase  

'He's exactly where we want him to be' - top trainers on their Grand National hopes  

Can Found A Fifty boost the Arkle form and land another Grade 1 for Gordon Elliott?  

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