Top class field for International race

MELON, My Tent Or Yours and The New One feature among seven contenders for the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Willie Mullins-trained Melon had a big reputation long before he made a successful hurdling debut at Leopardstown in January and, despite his inexperience, he was joint-favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

While he came up short in the Festival curtain raiser, he was far from disgraced in finishing second.

Now, having made a successful re-appearance at Down Royal last month, he would be a fascinating runner if making the journey across the Irish Sea for this weekend’s intriguing Grade Two contest.

While Mullins has not previously won the International Hurdle.

However, Nicky Henderson, the trainer of My Tent Or Yours, has saddled three previous victors of the race in Geos (2000), Binocular (2008) and Grandouet (2011).

My Tent Or Yours was runner-up in last year’s International to the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained The New One and has finished second in three renewals of the Champion Hurdle.

The New One also won this event in 2013 and 2014 and looks set to bid to win it again off the back of finishing fourth under a big weight in last month’s Greatwood Hurdle.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Old Guard is another previous winner of the race, having struck gold in 2015, and could bid to regain his crown.

Evan Williams’ John Constable, Dan Skelton’s Ch’Tibello and Dell’Arca from David Pipe’s yard complete the entries on what is sure to be a fascinating card of top class National Hunt racing raced in front of a big crowd.

NICKY Henderson would like to see a sound surface at Kempton on Boxing Day to boost Might Bite’s bid for glory in the 32Red King George VI Chase.

The eight-year-old has looked a likely candidate for the prestigious contest ever since falling at the final fence when on his way to what would have been a dominant victory in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase over the course and distance a year ago.

He displayed both his remarkable ability and his quirkiness when somehow getting back up to beat his stablemate Whisper in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, having looked like throwing the race away when hanging violently after the final fence.

However, his subsequent triumph at Aintree was more straightforward and he was as good as gold on his seasonal re-appearance at Sandown last month.

Henderson said: “I think Haydock plays to his strengths in that he gets into a solid gallop. We’re very much hoping for good ground.”