Aintree 2011 - Aintree Hurdle

2.50 Aintree

John Smith's Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1)  (4YO plus)

Winner £90,432

Pick: Peddlers Cross (win)

Binocular: Reached true potential when storming to impressive victory in Champion last year having been below par for a large par of the season, putting in blow par efforts in Fighting Fifth (5th) and Christmas Hurdles (3rd);Travelled very well considering condition in Fighting Fifth behind Peddlers Cross first time out and looked scarily close to his best given it was mid-season when putting together brilliant jumping display to win the Christmas Hurdle easily in January; Awful prep for this when making hard work of beating Ruthenoise last time but much better can be expected today; Unfortunate absence from Champion but will be fresh here, although not certain stayer.

Celestial Halo: High class hurdler (second and fourth in Champion Hurdles) who was the top rated chasing recruit this season until a fall and lacklustre third ruined things on that front; Ran a perfectly satisfactory race in the Reelkeel Hurdle and again behind Oscar Whisky; Continued revival when pushing Mille Chief to a head in the Kingwell Hurdle (should have won) and bolted up in National Spirit Hurdle last time out; Nearly cantering when falling in this race last year and could go very well, although this race promises to be tougher.

Oscar Dan Dan: Made hay 2 seasons ago, his biggest moment coming when he won Grade 1 event last year; Not run to that level since and has too many too good for him.

Oscar Whisky: Made smooth progress as a novice last season, winning his first 2 starts with contemptuous ease and then running fourth in the Supreme Novice Hurdle despite inexperience; Made an impressive return when cantering all over decent middle distance staying hurdlers at 2m4f here on New Year’s Day and had nothing to do when hacking up in Welsh Champion Hurdle; Ran cracker in Champion and likely to get closer to Peddlers Cross at this trip.

Peddlers 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; Put up best performance yet when beating Starluck and Binocular to win the Fighting Fifth at Newbury; interrupted preparation meant that he’d only run once before Champion Hurdle, in which he finished close second to Hurricane Fly; Has a big shot at Compensation here.

Ronaldo Des Mottes: Justified strong support when building on promise as a juvenile at Kempton and ran a blinder when second to Get Me Out Of Here in this race last year (not disgraced in any way when 7th at Punchestown Festival afterwards); Run with credit on two starts this year but this different task although he has a lot of talent.

Salden Licht: Posed to play a big part when brought down in the Totesport Trophy, and close fifth in hot renewal of Country Hurdle ; Step up in trip will suit but this far harder than his last two assignments.

Thousand Stars: Improved out of all recognition last season, landing 2 handicap hurdles before bouncing back from his Pierse Hurdle disappointment with a win in the Country Hurdle and a third behind Solwhit and Hurricane Fly in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle; Has taken good steps forward in all starts this year and can run as well as he did at Cheltenham, possibly without winning.

VERDICT: Another strong renewal of a great race. It’s so hard to desert Binocular after all he’s done for us but a slight stamina doubt means that PEDDLERS CROSS gets the choice to gain deserved compensation for his close defeat to Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle. He’ll be hard pushed to beat Oscar Whisky and Celestial Halo at their natural distances but he completed a double when landing the novices equivalent here last year.