'He's one of the best horses I've had' - which 16-1 shot has the Betfair Hurdle on his radar?

Victor Dartnall's small Devon stable came within touching distance of a 50-1 Cheltenham Festival shock two decades ago, but hope to finally pull off a major success with Aurigny Mill in next month's Betfair Hurdle.

The number of runners from the Exmoor yard have dropped significantly over the last ten years, but they have punched above their weight in the sport's most stamina-sapping handicaps, notably winning the Midlands National in 2009 with Russian Trigger and Haydock's Grand National Trial three years later with mud-loving Giles Cross.

Yet the stable's new star is believed to be one of the best in Dartnall's training career and is so quick that he could be tested on the Flat. Aurigny Mill produced an exceptional display at Kempton on December 27, clocking a time just 1.8 seconds slower than the once-in-a-generation Constitution Hill's Christmas Hurdle victory over the same course and distance a day earlier.

The handicapper reacted with a 9lb hike and that festive performance has pushed connections towards a tilt at the £155,000 Newbury contest on February 10, a race for which he is a general 16-1.

Newbury: home of the Betfair Hurdle and Aurigny Mill's likely next stopCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dartnall compared to Aurigny Mill to Hawadeth, who got within half a length of winning the County Hurdle in 2004. He said: "He's one of the best horses I've had – I even think he'd be quick enough to go on the Flat. We'd have to see about that later on but he's exciting. Hawadeth was our best hurdler but this horse is getting up to that class though, definitely.

"He trounced them at Kempton, it wasn't a bad performance at all, and it was in a very good time compared to Constitution Hill. The ground got slower the next day too. He'll go to Newbury all being well. He's in good form and we've freshened him up since Kempton."

Sally Weld's seven-year-old has always been held in high regard but injury issues had held him back. He had bruised feet after each of his runs last season, while a bacterial infection was blamed for his disappointing start to the season when fifth at Sandown.

However, he was in peak shape for his Wincanton victory last month and maintained his form when following up at Kempton 15 days later under Fergus Gillard.

Dartnall said: "Sean Bowen rode him in his second bumper and came back and said he'd win us loads of races. He's always shown us a lot of pace but getting him to settle had been the issue.

"When he had problems with his feet we couldn't train him for more than one race at a time which was really unsatisfactory. He also had a bacterial infection and blew up at Sandown but since then it's been plain sailing though and he's looked really exciting."

Betfair Hurdle (3.35 Newbury, February 10)

Betfair: 7 Luccia, 8 Lookaway, Iberico Lord, Impose Toi, Altobelli, 9 Ocastle Des Mottes, 10 Nemean Lion, Brentford Hope, Go Bante, 12 Tellherthename, 14 bar

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