Newbury Hennessy Meeting - StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle

12.25 Newbury
StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) (4YO plus)
Winner £51,309 - 5 run

Pick: Peddlers’ Cross (win)

Binocular: Reached his true potential when storming to impressive victory in Champion Hurdle romp last year (rated as the best winner of the Champion Hurdle since Istabraq on BHA rating), having been below par for a large par of the season, putting in blow par efforts in this race (5th) and the Christmas Hurdle (3rd); Will win this well at best but last season still fresh in memory and this no open goal.

Bygones Of Brid: Impressed as a novice hurdler in Scotland, relishing soft ground conditions when slamming Softly Spoken Guy by 9 lengths in Grade 2 at Kelso; Well beaten behind Peddlers Cross at Aintree last terms and looked seriously amiss when pulling up last time.

Nearby: Has made huge strides in handicap hurdles this season, round off an impressive hat-trick with excellent win in the Elite Hurdle, coming clear of some useful types; Should continue progressing but this steep rise in class.

Peedlers Cross: Changed hands for £100,000 after winning an Irish point at Liscaroll and has maintained peerless 100% record with wins in bumper at Haydock, novice hurdle at Bangor, Grade 2 at Haydock, Neptune investments Hurdle and Mersey Novice’s Hurdle last year; Massive potential and while this is toughest test yet, he looks to have speed to burn and well worth shot at this division.

Starluck: Went some way towards fulfilling potential showed as a juvenile hurdler last season, winning easily at Cheltenham before coming a close second to Go Native (flattered);5th behind Binocular in the Champion last year as an excellent run and will be much harder to beat with conditions tailored to his liking (goes well fresh; this track suits more than Cheltenham).

VERDICT: An excellent renewal and credit must be given to the BHA for moving the race quickly. Binocular will win this well if fit and on his best form, but he wasn’t right up until the Champion and it’s not easy to forget his blowouts in this and the Christmas Hurdle last season. With that in mind, it may be worth chancing PEDDLERS’ CROSS to make a serious mark in the Champion Hurdle division as he’s got the speed to burn and may well still have more to come, following a very impressive novice season. Starluck is the fly in the ointment with conditions tailored to his liking.