Smart stayers of the future clash in intriguing Grade 2 novice

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) | 2m5f, 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

It is asking a lot for any November novice hurdle, even one at Cheltenham, to be a dependable source of championship material. This race is no different, but with winners like Fingal Bay, Coneygree, Parlour Games and Thyme Hill on its recent roster it more than stands up to its Grade 2 status.

As the roll of honour suggests, it is primarily a race for stayers in the making. Three of the runners are Flat graduates, with Petrastar and Polish having gained experience in the spring. The Grand Visir, by far the best of them on the Flat, has also tried his hand over hurdles before. It would not be overly harsh to call those attempts abortive.

The race would appear to concern Does He Know, Grand Mogul and Wild Romance. The last-named has a lot more to find on form than her price implies. While the novice she won at Chepstow involved all the right types and she shaped like one bound to improve, the time was ordinary and they did not string out sufficiently to drop the more limited types.

The regard in which both Does He Know and Grand Mogul are held is not hard to infer. Grand Mogul clearly had his problems last year, but he was able to show much more of what he's about when winning readily at Chepstow 17 days ago.

Does He Know already has a course-and-distance win to his name. He shaped very much like the sort of budding stayer that contests this race, green and sketchy at times but powering home on rain-softened ground.

A muddling race would be one of his backers' main concerns. The best hope against that appears to be Petrastar, who has tended to prove difficult to hold on to even over shorter trips. It would not be a huge surprise if he were to get loose early on.
Keith Melrose, betting editor

What they say

Kim Bailey, trainer of Does He Know
He's a quirky creature but light on his feet and jumps like a gazelle. He surprised me at Cheltenham last time as I didn't expect him to quicken again like he did. He'll get three miles in time, but I'm not sure he wants the ground too heavy.

Sam Twiston-Davies, rider of Ballymillsy
Hopefully he'll enjoy the ground and the track and run a nice race, but it looks tough. He's one for the future.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Grand Mogul
I thought his win at Chepstow last time was great and sometimes when horses arrive from Ireland they can just take a year to acclimatise, and that performance was completely different to anything we saw last season. He was very professional and jumped beautifully.

Nicky Henderson: trains potential improver Grand MogulCredit: Edward Whitaker

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Polish
He was a bit untidy at Cheltenham last time but has previous experience of the track which is very important. He's back in trip so Paddy Brennan will ride him handy.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Wild Romance
She's taking a massive step up in grade, but we're happy with her and the race has cut up a bit.

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