'I think he'll run a very good race' - quotes and analysis for prestigious £100,000 Swinton Hurdle

Running a progressive four-year-old against his elders in a handicap hurdle is often a shrewd thing to do – and if Charles Byrnes does it you can be doubly hopeful of its wisdom.

The younger you are, the more likely you are to be improving faster than the handicapper can keep up with, and the weight-for-age is an extra bonus for a relatively mature horse.

Although no juvenile hurdler has won the Swinton since Ballyglasheen in 2014, only four have tried in that time and Act Of Valour had just hit the front when falling two out five years ago.

Byker looks an obvious candidate to run a big race, as a useful middle-distance handicapper who progressed with just about every outing on the Flat and has continued on the up since bought for hurdling and joining Byrnes.

Even if the trainer's reputation is invariably factored in his runners' odds, Byker's close second of 21 in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham suggests he should go very well off a mark just 4lb higher here.

Brentford Hope is another decent Flat performer with a progressive profile as a hurdler.

That said, he has done his winning from the front on his last two starts and that will be much harder here. No horse has made all or most of the running to win a race that dates back to 1978.

Nor does history suggest that it is at all easy to concede lumps of weight to a big, competitive field and only one winner has carried more than 11st 2lb since 2012.

As in most handicaps, an in-form, handily treated contender is normally the way to go and a couple of others take the eye at double-figure prices.

This is when to catch Black Poppy, who has three wins, a second and a third to show from five outings in the spring. Kerry Lee's seven-year-old won well enough at Cheltenham last time to suggest he can cope with a 5lb rise in the weights.

Parisencore is 4lb lower than when finishing fourth behind some classy sorts in the Scottish Champion Hurdle as he was racing from out of the handicap that day.

He'll be suited by the return to Haydock – he is a course-and-distance winner – and is another with plenty of spring form.

'Caoilin has got an amazing record there'

If it is a big handicap hurdle at Haydock, it must be Caoilin Quinn, or at least that is how it has worked out of late.

The 5lb claimer had only five rides here last season but won three races, including valuable events like this on Botox Has and Aggagio for Gary Moore.

He is out to do it again on Teddy Blue and Moore said: "Caoilin has got an amazing record there and it's his favourite track. He's a very talented jockey."

Caoilin Quinn: jockey has a superb record at Haydock Credit: GROSSICK RACING

Teddy Blue won the Sussex Champion Hurdle at Plumpton last time out and the trainer added: "I'd be hopeful for him, especially if they get some rain to slow them down because it's a speed track round there.

"It all depends on what sort of mood the horse is in. He's a bit moody and if you watch the Plumpton race it took a long time to get him down to the start and for him to get warmed up in the race. As long as he travels early, he'd have a chance but if he doesn't pick up the bridle and run early then I think we're in trouble."

What they say

Chris Gordon, trainer of Aucunrisque
He has quite a task as he has a huge weight, he's a small horse and it's the end of a long but wonderful season.

Charlie Longsdon, trainer of Parramount and Jamacho
If you take away Parramount's run at Aintree on ground that was too soft he'd have a good chance on his previous form. It will be nice ground and I'm looking forward to running him. Jamacho is at the beginning of his season and will be aimed at the big summer races but I hope he could run into fifth or sixth.

Neil King, trainer of Onemorefortheroad
Spring is his time of year and the quicker the ground the better. He's back on a favourable mark, he'll be suited by the track and he's wearing cheekpieces as we thought we'd try something different.

Nicky Richards, trainer of Parisencore
He's a very consistent horse and he didn't surprise us with how well he ran at Ayr. He's in the handicap this time, he's won on the course and I think he'll run a very good race.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Washington
It's the end of a long season but he seems well and in good form. He ran a good race at Aintree and I hope he has an each-way chance.

Harry Derham, trainer of Brentford Hope
Obviously it's nice that it's a big race but it feels like a suitable one for him. He's got good Haydock form, a high cruising speed and you'd like to think that perhaps he's not quite shown how good he is over hurdles just yet.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Lunar Sovereign
We didn't really know what to expect first time for us and he probably needed it after a long lay-off but he ran a nice race. This is highly competitive but I hope he can be in there pitching off his low weight.

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