Who caught your eye at Newbury for the big spring novice hurdles? Our experts give their view

Teague to be feared in the Ballymore

Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden are both adamant Captain Teague will only improve when sent chasing next season, but the five-year-old showed a strong attitude to land the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle and enter the equation for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Captain Teague showed he goes well on soft ground and he will be a serious player if conditions were the same in March. Although the winning time was nothing special compared with previous years, he stuck on well against a competitive field. He’s one to be feared in the Ballymore.
Liam Headd, reporter

Wait before backing Jeriko

Captain Teague surely achieved most in winning the Challow, although the fact chief market rival Willmount went from jumping and travelling smoothly to falling away quickly puts a question mark against the form.

The bend in his knee suggests Captain Teague might always prefer deep winter ground and, rather than deciding which trip to run him over at Cheltenham or Aintree, a better question to put might be whether to skip those Grade 1s altogether if the ground proves too lively, and instead wait for a novice chasing career next season.

Jeriko Du Reponet: favourite for the Supreme Novices' HurdleCredit: Mark Cranham

Jeriko Du Reponet came to Nicky Henderson with a huge reputation off the back of a single pointing success and continues to do everything asked of him, but he’s now pretty short for the Supreme and seems likely to be available at a similar price come the week of the Cheltenham Festival, while most of the key races between now and then will be run in Ireland.
Scott Burton, France correspondent

Plenty to come from Johnnywho

They all finished in a bit of a heap in the Challow, so how good a race that proves to be I’m not sure. However, if I was in the Johnnywho camp I would be pretty satisfied with that fourth-placed effort. 

He might not be a worldbeater, but on just his third racecourse start you had to be taken by the way he kept on all the way to the line. He’s clearly got plenty of stamina and I don’t think he’s going to come into his own until he tackles three miles, while his pedigree also suggests that’s the route connections should take. 

A half-brother to long-distance chaser Doing Fine, he’s one to look forward to over fences in the future.
James Hill, tipster

Read these next:

'He’s a beauty' - courageous Captain Teague holds on to provide Paul Nicholls with record-extending sixth Challow Hurdle 

AP McCoy impressed but 'not sure where some of those quotes come from' after Jeriko Du Reponet hardens as Supreme favourite 

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