'We've been targeting this race all year' - which trainer has their eyes set on the Lanzarote Hurdle?

The 2023 Lanzarote became a surprise contender for one of last season's most gruelling affairs. Only four of the 20 runners finished and 14 were pulled up, although the ground is drying all the time at Kempton and lightning striking twice is unlikely.

Perhaps the type of test the previous Lanzarote presented is what Nemean Lion needs over hurdles. Back-to-back withdrawals on account of quick going must raise doubts regarding his claims, for all he could have a bigger prize in him at this distance as a strong stayer on the Flat (second in the 2020 Prix Chaudenay on Arc weekend).

The others at the top of the market are logical. Nicky Henderson fields two lightly raced second-season hurdlers in Impose Toi and King Alexander. Impose Toi is particularly interesting after finishing a narrow second to his stablemate Luccia at Ascot three weeks ago, despite clattering through the last two flights.

He needs to sharpen up his jumping, while Sonigino is rock-solid after an impressive strike at Aintree in December. A 6lb rise leaves him in with a good shout in deeper handicaps over intermediate trips.

With bookmakers paying up to seven places, there are a couple at double-figure odds who catch the eye. Both are conditional-ridden in a race that has launched a few big careers in the saddle over the past decade, with Charlie Deutsch, James Bowen and Jonjo O'Neill Jr among the six victorious claimers in that timeframe.

Bottomweight Good Look Charm (Ben Godfrey) produced a cracking effort from 5lb wrong in a good mares’ race at Cheltenham last time and can be seen to better effect at this sharper track. Her recent improvement shows little signs of slowing, while Quinta Do Mar also merits a second look.

Quinta Do Mar found the ground too testing when pulled up in last season’s quagmire, but gets his conditions and the 5lb claim of Beau Morgan. He also shaped well on his seasonal return and first start following wind surgery last month.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Lion on the prowl for Lee

Kerry Lee is hoping the step up to the Lanzarote trip can see the Grade 2 winner Nemean Lion produce another bold performance.

The seven-year-old won the Welsh Champion Hurdle in October before finishing an honourable fifth in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham the following month.

Nemean Lion: will step up to 2m5f for the first time at KemptonCredit: John Grossick

"It's his first time at this trip but he felt in great form when I rode him out on Friday morning," Lee said. "We're hopeful of a good performance. He was doing all his best work at the finish in the Premier Novices' Hurdle over two miles and two furlongs at Kelso last year, so two miles and five furlongs around Kempton should be within his reach.

"We've always had a dynamic approach with his career and we could have run in a lesser race, but we're giving it a go. He would have run by now but we took him out of Ascot on December 23 when the ground was horrible and a few days later at Kempton when it had dried out too much."

What they say

Tom Messenger, assistant to Dan Skelton, trainer of Langer Dan and Jay Jay Reilly
Langer Dan has got a lot of weight and is not a very big horse. He has good form in these big-runner handicaps and we're hopeful of a competitive run. Jay Jay Reilly is coming back over hurdles having been chasing and hopefully that will suit him. I think he's got an each-way chance.

Charlie Davies, assistant to Paul Nicholls, trainer of Sonigino and Irish Hill
We think the track and trip will suit Sonigino. He was very good at Aintree and the handicapper certainly didn’t miss him. This has been the target and Paul does very well when he targets a race. He couldn’t be in better form and hopefully he’ll run very well. We were slightly nervous about the really heavy ground up at Aintree and he handled it better than we expected. I think he’s okay on most types of going. Irish Hill would have an each-way chance. He has stepped up his level of form for the application of blinkers and ran well behind a horse of Olly Murphy’s who was probably quite well-handicapped last time.

Gary Moore, trainer of Mark Of Gold, Teddy Blue and Hermino AA
They all would appreciate softer ground really so the fact it's drying out is not in their favour. Of the three, Hermino AA looks well handicapped whereas the other two are less so.

Ben Pauling, trainer of Quinta Do Mar and Samuel Spade
They're lively outsiders. Quinta Do Mar ran a mighty race when not fit at Exeter the other day and will like the ground. Samuel Spade won what wasn't a bad race last time and is at the right end of the weights.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Up For Parol
We’ve been targeting this race all year. He was only beaten eight lengths in it off 133 two years ago, and finished third last year off 129. He’s 126 this time, and ran well in his prep run at Fontwell. Ideally I would have preferred softer ground, but he’s in good form.

Joe Anderson, rider of Mothill
It's a super-competitive race, and he'll have to step up again, but he's a progressive young horse that has the right sort of profile for a race like this as he's a strong traveller who stays very well.  He went up five pounds for his last win but my claim takes care of that, and he did it nicely up at Sedgefield. He has a good chance.

Anthony Honeyball, trainer of Good Luck Charm
She's had a lovely season back over hurdles and was just run out of it at Cheltenham last time. She's won right-handed at Wincanton so the track and trip should suit her.
Reporting by David Milnes

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