Supreme hopefuls set to test their festival credentials

3.00 Kempton

Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) | 2m, 4yo+ | ITV4/RUK

In recent seasons this race has been dominated by the training triumvirate of Alan King, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, and Saturday's race could fall to one of the three again.

Capitaine found only Finian's Oscar too good in the Tolworth last time and could punch his ticket for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle with a good performance.

The Nicholls-trained five-year-old is already a Grade 2 winner having defeated the reopposing Captain Forez in the Kennel Gate at Ascot in December.

Elgin was also second last time out with King's runner meeting the smart Neon Wolf at Haydock in a Grade 2. The Barbury Castle trainer won this contest last year with Winter Escape.

River Wylde is up markedly in class having won a maiden and novice hurdle on his previous two starts at Ludlow, but Henderson's last winner of the race, Days Of Heaven, followed a similar path in 2015.

Take note of the market
Following the favourite has been profitable, with four of the last five obliging.

Course record
Nicky Henderson's strike-rate with hurdlers at the track is an impressive 26 per cent for the last five seasons (31 from 120)

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Capitaine
I saved him for this race as I didn't want to run him in testing ground last week. The track should suit him and he's in good shape.

Alan King, trainer of Elgin
He won well over the track at Christmas and was then not disgraced against the smart Neon Wolf at Haydock. He's settling better now and this should tell us whether we're being realistic in considering a tilt at the Supreme.

Neil Mulholland, trainer of Peter The Mayo Man
We were happy with his run at Musselburgh, he was coming back from a break and the tight track wouldn't have been ideal for him. Hopefully he can continue going in the right direction.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of River Wylde
He has to have good ground. He won his two novices nicely and is talented. It's a huge step up in class but this has always been in the back of our mind for him. He's a sharp horse.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Captain Forez and Mister Universum
Captain Forez is a very nice horse who will hopefully run well. He's a maturing horse who's getting better all the time. The track will probably be tight enough for him and he's one we're looking forward to next year more than this year. The track will be more to Mister Universum's liking than Newbury as he's got lots of speed and I'm looking forward to getting another run under his belt.