Three Potential Market Movers Before The Weekend

The seven year old gelding had four runs last season winning three of them and only getting beat in a thriller at the Cheltenham festival in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle.

Champ started his season at Newbury in a 15 runner Class 2 Handicap Hurdle where he looked a class above the field that included some smart runners.

He went back to Newbury for his first taste of Grade One company and stayed on the best to take the Challow Novices Hurdle and be primed for a crack at the Ballymore at the festival.

He could only manage a narrow second to Irish raider City Island who stayed on better up the hill to take the spoils but it was still a highly credible run from Henderson's horses.

He finished off his season in superb style by picking up his second Grade One over hurdles in the Doom Bar Sefton Novices Hurdle at the Grand National meeting.

Champ was bought to be a chaser over three miles and on his debut over fences he was very impressive again again Newbury seeing off a decent field of runners showing plenty of temperament over the bigger obstacles.

He heads back to that track on Friday in the Berkshire Novices Chase and looks seriously the one to beat with him going to improve for his first run of the season.

His price of 11/8 will not be around forever with many in the field

A horse set to make her return is the very likeable Epatante who looked a serious prospect last season when winning both her starts over hurdles before unfortunately flopping at the Cheltenham festival.

The Nicky Henderson trained mare won nicely at Kempton before romping the field at Exeter to put her favourite for the Grade Two Mares Hurdle.

It was said that she was not quite right before that race having her flu jab just weeks before the meeting with the Equine Flu saga still in the air and it obviously unsettled her.

Now back for a fresh new season she can get back to her best and currently at 9/2 she looks a huge price for this race she is capable of winning.

Benie Des Dieux has only suffered one defeat in her eight contests for the trainer since joining the yard from France and that came when crashing out at the last flight in last seasons Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham.

She is set to make her seasonal debut in the Grade One Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse and she is the star runner on show in a difficult field of runners that she already has beat in the past and knowing how good she is first time out she should be a strong contender here.

The early market indications see her as the favourite at 13/8 but we believe with certain horses set to not be declared the market will change and the Grade One winner could go off odds on.