'We're happy to take our chance' - Cheltenham winner Our Champ bids to defy 11lb rise

This contest is often a stepping stone to the Greatwood Hurdle as five of the previous ten winners attempted the follow up in the autumn Cheltenham feature.

Elgin achieved the double in 2017, while two years later Gumball came within a neck of following suit. It is clearly doable and four of these have the Greatwood engagement in 15 days' time.

The entry of 117-rated Rare Middleton is speculative relative to seasoned campaigners Faivoir, Knickerbockerglory and Teddy Blue, each of whom are rated in the 130s. However, that makes Rare Middleton of immediate interest at Ascot. He will need a winner’s penalty to harbour realistic aspirations of getting into the Greatwood, while the other three are guaranteed a run.

What racecards sometimes fail to account for are runs in charity races. Rare Middleton landed a Flat contest at Wincanton last Saturday and a replay of his comfortable success can be located on X. That means he is race-fit and we know the wind surgery has worked.

Rare Middleton and Paul Nicholls after victory at Taunton in JanuaryCredit: Edward Whitaker

There are other reasons to like the Paul Nicholls-trained four-year-old off his hurdles mark. He ran to a Racing Post Rating of 97 on just his second Flat start on soft ground at Leopardstown in October 2022, while the victory earned on his hurdling debut at Taunton was 7.2s quicker than his now 127-rated stablemate Afadil's win in the second division.

Before seven-year-old Highway One O Two struck in 2022, the previous nine winners were either five or six and the biggest threats to Rare Middleton are youngsters.

Testing ground is a plausible worry for up-in-the-weights hurdler and early favourite Our Champ, a runaway Cheltenham winner last Friday, while market moves surrounding lightly raced pair Altobelli and Bad need to be heeded on their comebacks.

Altobelli returned a 12-1 SP when ninth in the 13-runner Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle when last seen and Bad was heavily supported into 5-1 for the Boodles on his stable debut for Ben Pauling two starts back.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Dan Skelton, trainer of Faivoir and Knickerbockerglory
Faivoir won the County Hurdle last season. The handicapper didn't drop him for his run in the Welsh Champion Hurdle last time out and I think he's got him high enough. He deserves his place in these fields and he does go well on soft ground so that could bring him into it more, despite not being the best handicapped in my eyes. Knickerbockerglory loves the ground, I think he's better on it than on anything else. Hopefully he can put in a really good showing.

Bridget Andrews celebrates after winning the County Hurdle aboard Faivoir at the festivalCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Gary Moore, trainer of Teddy Blue
He was unlucky at Cheltenham the other day. All he did was run to the top of the hill, so I thought we'd get him out again quickly. It's a bit of an after thought, but he should run well. He's better on better ground, but that's the only negative.

Harry Fry, trainer of Altobelli
You can forgive him his last run in the Grade 1 at Aintree. He wasn't at his best that day. I'm looking forward to seeing him back in action. He's a second-season hurdler who goes there in good shape.

Chris Gordon, trainer of Our Champ
The race comes quite quickly after his Cheltenham win, but he's in great form. He gave my son Freddie his first Cheltenham winner on his 18th birthday, so he'll always be remembered for that. Our Champ is 11lb higher in the handicap now and it's a very competitive race. However, we're happy to take our chance with such good prize-money on offer and he should run very well.

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Thereisnodubt
The heavier the ground the better, he's in great form and he always runs his race. He's a very honest horse and I'd expect him to be placed at worst.

Thereisnodoubt (left) on his way to success at Perth in September Credit: John Grossick

Ben Pauling, trainer of Bad
He's done really well, I'm delighted with how he looks and how he's been going. He's a horse I thought had a bit in hand last season and it didn't quite come together for him. Hopefully he will be there or thereabouts, as long as he doesn't need his first run.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Rare Middleton
He's in good shape, he's won on the ground and I'd like to think he'll run well.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Chance A Tune
We’re looking forward to getting him out again. He may be at the limit of his handicap mark and he’ll need a career-best performance but let’s hope he can do it.
Reporting by Scott Burton and Richard Birch

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