Grade Two International Hurdle Guide 2021

Last year’s winner and the stable star for Tom Symonds, was an impressive winner of the race 12 months ago, beating Silver Streak by just a nose, but he jumped and travelled very nicely that day and was a real eye catcher.

The yard has tried stepping him up in trip with his last two runs which looked like it would suit this horse, but it doesn’t look to have worked out for them (Finished pulled up and a well beaten second since going up to 2m4f which is pretty decent form in itself but was well beaten) so the drop back to, two miles today will suit at the stiffer track of Cheltenham.

He is a previous winner of on soft and arguably this looks to be his conditions, with a run already in the bag this season he will be fit and ready to go in a race he has won before.

Winner of this race last year, has already had a run this season so fitness is on his side. Could be the one to take this race again.

The ultra-likeable Sceau Royal lines up in this for the second year running (Finished 5th in the race last year behind Song For Someone) and he arguably looks the one to beat this year.

He has been in top form for the brilliant dual purpose trainer Alan King, notching up two wins out of three starts since going back over hurdles for this season.

A winner on seasonal debut at Sandown in a listed contest, beating Silver Streak by just under five lengths, then one of his best performances to date in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton in early November, winning that Grade Two contest by five and a half lengths.

He beat a Cheltenham Festival and Grade One winner that day in the shape of Belfast Banter so the form behind that race is strong, and although he finished third in the Fighting Fifth last time out, it was a decent performance in very testing conditions ground and weather wise.

He probably didn’t appreciate the softer conditions last time out (Both his wins have been on good ground this season) and it was the last race of the day, so the ground was really cut up.

In this lesser field than the last the predicted going of GS shouldn’t be any issues for him, He’s a solid jumper and the highest rated in the field making him the one to beat.

Highest rated in the field, two-time winner this season including a Grade Two at Wincanton.

Creditable third in the Fighting Fifth last time out with conditions not suiting then. Very much the one to beat.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies mount was well fancied in the Coral Hurdle last time out, when finishing two and a quarter length behind Song For Someone in second and a further three lengths behind Buzz.

He did weaken in the final stages of the race so a step back down to two miles for this at a stiffer track will suit, at a venue where he won well at in October beating some good sorts by two lengths plus.

He likes to be held up at the back and usually travels nicely through the field to contest at the last, but that might prove difficult in this race with the expected fast pace throughout and classy opponents lined up in the race.

He does have a 6lb weight allowance from the main two protagonists but is quite a way lower rated than them so would need to improve on his mark to land a blow in this.

Has course form but lacks some decent form at two miles compared to a few of these, was well fancied in a Grade Two last time out and was beaten into third.

Needs to improve on that to land a blow in this but has a capable trainer.

One of two Irish raiders coming over for the race this year, who is going back over the smaller obstacles after not looking like a natural chaser in his only two starts over fences (Fell and a disappointing second when well fancied on second chase start) Its interesting they go back hurdling with him and bring him over for this.

He was a horse with a lot expected from him going into last season when making a start over hurdles, but he kept bumping into Appreciate It who beat him on two occasions by a combined 27 lengths.

He is one of the lesser experienced horses in the race, with only 10 starts under rules (6 Over hurdles) but with no horse like the talented Appreciate It in this race and getting a 3lb weight allowance, he could run a big race over the smaller obstacles that seem to suit better at this stage of his career.

Two wins over Hurdles early on in his hurdling career, bumped into Appreciate It twice last year, Gets 3lb allowance to the main protagonists.

Could be the one to take the prize back to Ireland for a trainer/Jockey combination that can’t do no wrong at the moment.

The second Irish raider in the race who also has Danny Mullins coming over to ride.

A very interesting runner who was a big priced Coral Cup winner at the festival last season for her adoring owners and trainer, but she has slightly disappointed on her first two starts this season at Punchestown, a well beaten 10th on seasonal debut and 6th when well fancied in a listed mares race in November, but wasn’t beaten to far.

She does have a fair bit of weight off a few of these and does have Cheltenham form but is usually seen to best effect when running at slightly longer trips.

She did make all in the Coral Cup last season however to win going away by eight lengths, so she may try to apply these front running tactics in this to utilise her stamina and know the stuffing out of these.

But she does need to improve on her last few runs to land a blow in this.

Coral Cup heroine at the festival last season, has been sent to best effect over longer trips but does a weight allowance on most of these.

Could have each way places if her stamina comes to play.

The outsider who is the old boy of the field with the more experience to boast in the race with 20 starts under rules, he has had a few issues over the years with injuries and is a real stalwart for the Olly Murphy team, being the first big winner for Olly Murphy when he first started out training a few years back.

He was a brave winner last time out at Bangor, but that was only a handicap hurdle, so would need to improve a lot to take this Grade Two and being 11 years of age that might be a hard task, but does have some good form back in 2017 when a Grade Three winner at Ascot beating Silver Streak.

Was an easy winner last time out, but that was only a handicap hurdle, steps into Grade Two company today and needs to step up form wise to take this.

Probably best watched.

An interesting runner for the inform Skelton team who has some decent form in his career with four wins over hurdles out of seven runs, including a Listed Hurdle win beating The Glancing Queen at Exeter in February, winning that race by just under eight lengths with some good horses in behind.

He slightly disappointed last time out however on his seasonal reappearance at Aintree, not travelling to well and found nothing when asked of after hitting the last before fading from second to last place in the run-in, that mistake looked to have knocked the stuffing out of him and he faded tamely to be beaten by just over 10 lengths.

He probably needed the run and should come on for it but it may be a slight concern how he emptied like he did and didn’t particularly jump with any fluency throughout the race especially at the business end of it.

Has four career wins over hurdles, including a listed win last season so has some good form.

But last of six runners on seasonal reappearance after emptying when hitting the last hurdle.

Will need to have improved from that run to win this against some classy sorts.