London is set to grab the Prize
The winners contunue to flow for Ian Williams from his Worcestershire yard. London Prize could be difficult to pass in the Greatwood Hurdle.
Cheltenham’s feature event is offered class by the participation of The New One, but that allows London Prize to receive 24lb from the Grade 1 regular.
He ran a cracker in the Cesarewitch two runs back, getting much closer in second to handicap good thing, Withhold, than entitled to.
Last Saturday, he confirmed his liking for hurdles when staying on inWincanton’s Eilte Hurdle to win decisively from Nicky Henderson’s Lough Derg Spirit.
Colin Tizzard’s Fox Norton will be bidding to set the record straight with Irish raider, Special Tiara, when the two reprise their rivalry in The Shloer Chase.
They met at the Festival in March, when Henr y de Bromhead’s 10-year-old just held on by a head from Fox Norton in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Since then, Tizzard’s runner has won Aintree’s Melling Chase and then crossed the Irish Sea to take Punchestown’s Champion Chase in April.
The Tizzard yard may well grab the cheque for the novice hurdle with Slate House, who has the impressive Uttoxeter winner, Dame De Compagnie, to beat.
The latter won easily for JP McManus at the Midland’s track, but Slate House may have beaten more when taking a Class 3 maiden hurdle at today’s venue.