'They look top-class horses' - King and Skelton ready for cracking Sidney Banks

Thursday: 3.10 Huntingdon
Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle (Listed) | 2m3½f | 4yo+ | RTV

This famous novice event is right up there with the Peterborough Chase when it comes to the best races run at Huntingdon all season and, in 2020, Shishkin landed this Listed event en route to victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. So could we be about to witness another star?

We might just be because, if you turn the clock back to March last year, Elle Est Belle was an eyecatcher when a fast-finishing third in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

Last weekend's Leopardstown Grade 1 winner Sir Gerhard dominated that race from the front, and Elle Est Belle had an impossible task after being held up at the back off a moderate pace.

She actually ran the final half-mile quicker than Sir Gerhard, but she was too far out of her ground to mount a challenge and ended up seven lengths behind both the winner and Kilcruit.

That is pretty hot company to be keeping, though, and Elle Est Belle shaped like she needed a stiffer test when again finishing strongly off a slow pace behind Jonbon over two miles at Ascot last time. This intermediate trip promises to be her optimum and the sky's the limit.

Wonderwall was seven lengths and four places behind Elle Est Belle in the bumper at Cheltenham last year, and he stamped himself a smart prospect when winning a maiden hurdle at Doncaster last time. That has connections dreaming of a return to the festival next month.

Wonderwall: has 1lb to find with Elle Est Belle at the ratingsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

He has 1lb to find with Elle Est Belle at these weights on RPRs and the pair are closely matched in a race where it's hard to discount any of them. Even the lowest-rated, Harbour Lake, is unbeaten in two runs, so this might just prove to be another stellar Sidney Banks.

What they say

Stuart Edmunds, trainer of Gentleman At Arms
If the handicapper is right with his ratings they should all finish on top of each other so he deserves to take his chance. He's won around there so we know he likes the track and also the ground. It was either this or a race at Kempton on Friday when the ground might have dried out too much.

Alan King, trainer of Harbour Lake
Although it's a small field, they look like top-class horses and they're all rated higher than he is so we're under no illusions about the size of the task he faces. He's a lovely horse who is two from two and will be suited by this step up to two miles three. He's entered in the Supreme and the Ballymore at Cheltenham and this will tell us where we're going for the rest of the season.

Gary Moore, trainer of Jerrash
It was no surprise to us that he won at Ascot last time despite being sent off at 20-1 as he ran a good debut in a bumper prior to that. He enjoyed the step up in trip at Ascot and this will tell us a bit more about him.

Richard Spencer, trainer Wonderwall
We had a couple of options where to run him en route to the Ballymore at Cheltenham in March and this looks a good fit timing wise. As he showed at Doncaster, he travels well in his races and is not short of pace, and the track should be fine for him. Hopefully he can make the step up in class.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Elle Est Belle
I've been desperate to step her up in trip and we opted for this race rather than the Betfair Hurdle. She gets a bit of weight from the others but has the penalty. I'll be very disappointed if she doesn't go very close.
Reporting by David Milnes

Racing Post Live is your ultimate racing watchalong every Saturday and during major festivals. Our experts offer uninterrupted tips, analysis and reactions to the ITV action. Subscribe to the Racing Post YouTube channel here and never miss a minute