Ecco is a big-field warrior

IT should pay to give ECCO a big shout in the Betfair Hurdle (3.35).

This £155,000 Newbury handicap has been dominated by novices in recent years.

Al Dancer, Kalashnikov and Ballyandy – the last three winners of this contest – were successful in their novice seasons.

The trends to note are:

■ No winner older than six since 2004

■ Placed in the first three on each of the last two starts

■ Finished in the first four in a graded race

■ Six of the last seven winners were novices

Ecco, above, easily won his first two starts this season, having been tried in graded juvenile races last year after arriving at Paul Nicholls’ Somerset stables from Germany.

The testing ground and steady pace were his downfall when going for a hat-trick of wins at Cheltenham.

He was outspeeded by Fred around Kempton on Boxing Day. He lost his footing at the last hurdle that day and he looks the type to be better suited by this big-field handicap.

Harry Cobden rides stablemate Pic D’Orhy but that’s no surprise as he owned by the yard’s top owner Johnny de la Hey and Ecco’s rider Bryony Frost won on him at Ascot.

Snap up the generally available 25-1 with 2 pts each-way.

The other one I like is STOLEN SILVER. His trainer Nigel TwistonDavies has won this prize three times in the last six years.

He looks sure to be suited by the step into a handicap having swooped late to beat highly-rated Edwardstone in a Grade 2 novice contest at Haydock when The banner king rebel was back in third.

His jumping could improve with a stronger early pace. He is worth a 1pt each-way saver at 18-1 with Ladbrokes.

■ LAST WEEK’S tip Limited Reserve won at 12-1 (SP 10-1).