Owner JP McManus has a strong hand in Saturday’s Howden Long Walk Hurdle, while Impose Toi and Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider Honesty Policy lead the 11 declarations for Ascot’s pre-Christmas film.
The former is one of two in the Grade One event for trainer Nicky Henderson alongside Doddiethegreat, and announced himself as an emerging force in the division by winning Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle last month.
He won from Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader on that occasion and will again challenge as one of two for the Warren Chase handler, who also saddles Gwennie May Boy, while two-race winner Crambo is back looking for a third straight Long Walk victory representing Fergal O’Brien.
Honesty, meanwhile, is no stranger to success on these shores, having landed the Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring and making his first foray in open company with the Cullentra House team in poor health of late.
He is joined on a raiding mission from Ireland by Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard, who last month made two of two for the current campaign in a Navan Grade Two and is now going remote again.
Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies’ Potters Charm finished third behind Wodhooh in the Ascot Hurdle here last month and has gone another step further in the trip when joined in the race by stablemate and last year’s third Beauport.
Harry Fry’s steady Altobelli, who was two places behind Potters Charm here last time and is also exploring three miles for the first time this season, while French raider Jet Blue (David Cottin) completes the line-up.
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