'Lots of people have doubted him, but I haven't. I know he's a good horse'

Saturday: 3.20 Wincanton
Wincanton Matchbook Betting Exchange Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2) | 1m7f |4yo+ | ITV/RTV

Goshen may be only a six-year-old but you will struggle to find a horse with a better following. Racegoers simply love mercurial talents like him and I don't know anyone who would begrudge him or his equally popular connections further success in the hurdle division.

The Goshen story already feels like a novel, even if it is only barely into its junior years. His unfortunate exit at the last in the Triumph Hurdle with the race at his mercy has served only to endear him to the public's imagination and none of his erratic runs since have put us off.

He has had days when he has pulled, days when he has hung right and ended up all over the course, but everyone knows when he is on song, Goshen is among the best in Britain.

Trainer Gary Moore's wish that the Champion Hurdle were run at Sandown, Wincanton, or a clockwise course will never come to fruition, but that doesn't mean Goshen can't pick up some big prizes along the way, and he was at his brilliant best when winning this last year.

It took six runs for him to return to form but, according to Racing Post Ratings, he equalled his career best when winning at Sandown last time and, on that form, he is the one to beat.

Goshen is no old-timer, but he faces an even younger gun in Adagio, who is just a five-year-old and also comes into the race on the back of a career-best effort on RPRs.

Adagio improved 8lb on his previous highest figure when second to West Cork off top weight in the Greatwood on his return, and his exemplary Cheltenham record and progressive profile has made him a lively outsider for the Champion Hurdle. So can he cement his claims here?

It is often said that five-year-olds coming straight out of their juvenile year face a tough task against their elders, but the last three winners of this race were aged five and Espoir D'Allen proved Champion Hurdle success wasn't out of reach for the youngsters by winning that race in 2019.

We are set for a great match between one top-class hurdler and one potentially top-class one.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

'Goshen is as good as he's ever been'

It has often seemed during the last two years that more words have been written about Goshen than almost any other horse in training.

Since unseating Jamie Moore when ten lengths clear and set to win the 2020 Triumph Hurdle with total authority, Goshen has managed just two wins from ten subsequent starts, both over jumps and on the Flat.

He has sometimes looked barely steerable on left-handed tracks such as Cheltenham and Lingfield, but his trainer Gary Moore has never lost faith, maintaining that he remains a uniquely talented racehorse.

Many punters had lost faith by the time Goshen ran at Sandown two weeks ago, but it proved to be their loss as the six-year-old produced a rampant performance which confirmed the fire still burns.

Goshen may have had only four rivals in that Contenders Hurdle, but the runner-up Guard Your Dreams is a highly progressive performer and he found himself destroyed by 15 lengths.

That was a sweet moment for the Moores, and they will be hoping that Goshen can build on that display when he returns to Wincanton, scene of his other success in the last two years, for the Grade 2 Wincanton Matchbook Betting Exchange Kingwell Hurdle.

A 22-length conqueror of Song For Someone in the race 12 months ago, he clearly likes the right-handed track and is likely to enjoy the underfoot conditions.

Gary Moore said: "I hear that Adagio is well fancied, but Goshen goes to Wincanton with every chance. It was good to see him win like he did at Sandown. Lots of people have doubted him, but I haven't. I know he's a good horse.

"He's going the right way now – I'm sure he would have won at Lingfield if it had been right-handed. I believe he's as good as he's ever been. We'll see."

What they say

David Pipe, trainer of Adagio
We wanted to get a run into him before the Champion Hurdle and it was either this or the Betfair Hurdle last weekend, but we felt the smaller field would help him on his return. He did extremely well last year and backed that up with another very good run for the first time at Cheltenham this season in the Greatwood, which has had some very strong form lines.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Faivoir
He's back over hurdles because there's not really a stand-out chase for him. I don't want to run him in handicaps off 145. He's not going for an Arkle or to Aintree and there are valuable hurdles around to try and nick some money in, so we'll give it a go.

Tom Symonds, trainer of Llandinabo Lad
He's got it all to do on ratings, I know that. However, he wants the ground on the softer side and, in an under-subscribed race, it's worth a go. We're under no illusions about what he has to do, but he's in very good form and a reproduction of his Ascot second to My Drogo would give him a chance of being a bit closer than the betting might suggest.
Reporting by Richard Birch

Read more previews:

1.50 Ascot: National Hunt Chase credentials on the line as Does He Know bids for Grade 2 win

2.05 Haydock: Olly Murphy 'can't be sure' if well-fancied Thomas Darby will handle the ground

2.20 Gowran Park: Triumph Hurdle hero Quilixios out to earn spot in Champion Hurdle line-up

2.25 Ascot: 'He could be a bit better than a handicapper' - can Fiddlerontheroof come good?

2.40 Haydock: Well-treated Sam Brown near-perfect at Haydock and has more improvement in him

3.30 Gowran Park: Melon might never get a better chance to add another win to his impressive CV

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