Helen happy for Harry but Stayers' scene is murky

Thanks to a thick fog that hung around from dawn to dusk the picture at Ascot on its festive Saturday was far from clear. The picture for the sport's championship long-distance hurdle is only slightly more crisp.

What we do know is the race that was known as the Stayers' Hurdle before its World Hurdle rebranding will this season become the Stayers' Hurdle once again. It is much harder to be confident about the likely make-up of its field, nor indeed who will start favourite, even after Unowhatimeanharry's success in the JLT Long Walk Hurdle.

On Saturday morning favourite with almost all bookmakers at between 5-2 and 9-2 was Faugheen. He, however, has yet to be sighted this season, and if he is seen in March it could be in the Stan James Champion Hurdle, for which some firms also have him heading the market.