Coral Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle

1.10 Chepstow
Coral Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) (4YO only)
Winner £19,954

Pick: Sam Winner (win)

Dolatulo: Impressed when winning by 6 lengths on final French start and continued in same vein when winning by 23 lengths in a demolition job at Sandown; Pulling very hard under big penalty didn’t help him on last start when slammed by Smad Place on last start, and not hard to see him getting much closer here.

Houbloun Des Obeaux: Has run to a decent level of form in France, coming runner up twice on her last on his last 2 starts and having also won back in May; Could hardly have been handed a stiffer assignment for British debut.

Kalamill: Lost nothing in debut when good second on debut to decent horse but won’t be holding his own here based on his sixth behind Sam Winner in Grade 2 at Cheltenham last time.

Marsh Warbler: Turned out very quickly following a promising third on hurdling debut when thrashing opposition at Bangor; Didn’t have to do much more to go in last time and capable to making this grade at a push.

Royal and Ancient: Not always looked straightforward and booked for a struggle against some of the best seen in this division so far.

Sam Winner: Had shown useful form when coming second on all three French starts and duly built on that when romping home in JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial by unextended 15 lengths, the best juvenile performance of the season so far; Wasn’t pushed too hard to go in at Cheltenham last time and has to be best seen in division so far.

Smad Place: Came to top stable having been runner-up on second of starts over hurdles in French Provinces; Made a hugely impressive debut when slamming Doulatulo by 27 lengths at Newbury and has to go close here.

Flighty Francis: Fairly useful on the flat for David Elsworth but form tailed off for that yard and he’s got it too tough here on all evidence.

VERDICT: It will be fascinating to see how Doulatulo and Smad Place get on in massively different conditions, but they’ll both have to go some to stop SAM WINNER from landing the hat – trick after 2 impressive wins with good form to back himself up.