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Bank on Belle at Huntingdon

Elle Est Belle can beat the boys in the Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.

ELLE EST BELLE.
ELLE EST BELLE.

Dan Skelton had his smart mare in the Betfair Hurdle until Monday's confirmation stage, off what an attractive handicap mark of 133.

However, given she is among the ante-post fancies for the mares' novices' hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Skelton clearly thought a run in a smaller field was a better preparation for that.

It does mean she is stepping up in trip, almost half a mile, but in light of how she ran in the Grade Two event won by Jonbon at Ascot that is probably no bad thing.

That day she was up against one of if not the best British-trained novice hurdlers, a leading Betfair Hurdle fancy in Knappers Hill and a very smart Irish-based novice in Colonel Mustard.

Elle Est Belle looked outpaced on the turn for home, but rather than drop away tamely she stayed on in the straight to be beaten less than six lengths.

Jonbon has won again since while Colonel Mustard ran a very meritorious race to be third behind Sir Gerhard at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Do not forget, Elle Est Belle was third behind the same horse in the Champion Bumper last March and we have not seen the best of her over hurdles yet.

Fergal O'Brien keeps banging in the winners and Hunny Moon can provide him with another in the Racing TV Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase.

A decent novice hurdler last term, she got off the mark over fences at the second attempt last time out.

That form is nothing special but she is entitled to improve on it and she was well on top at the line, suggesting she could still be a good deal better than a mark of 121.

Olly Murphy has been keen to keep Thunder Rock to a lowly level to date and he has more on his plate in the M1 Agency Handicap Hurdle. However, there is no denying he has a fair amount of ability.

Put in his place by Harry Fry's smart Might I on hurdling debut, the six-year-old has since coasted to success at Wetherby and Musselburgh.

This will be much tougher but he is in the Ballymore at Cheltenham so connections must think he has a good bit in hand off his mark of 123.

Brian Hughes looks an interesting booking by Lucy Wadham for Terresita in the Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle at Doncaster.

The five-year-old did not make her debut until November and Wadham wasted no time in bumpers, sending her straight over obstacles.

She had obviously shown she could jump at home, though, and made a winning debut at Fakenham.

Well beaten at Fontwell next time, she returned to Fakenham to win again and just failed by a head at Ludlow last time out. Good ground and three miles looks ideal for her.

Yggdrasil might be an unpronounceable name but he is a nice horse and holds solid claims in the Peter Sutton On Course Bookmakers Novices' Handicap Chase at Ffos Las.

Nick Williams' decision to go straight over fences was rewarded with a victory at Bangor and he is entitled to improve.

Jomont was denied a hat-trick last time out but he was hampered just at the wrong time when the pace was quickening.

The handicapper still nudged him up another 1lb but it should not be enough to stop him in the #betyourway At Betway Handicap at Newcastle.

SELECTIONS:

DONCASTER: 1.00 Good Bye, 1.35 Beraz, 2.10 Steel Wave, 2.45 Road Warrior, 3.20 Icone D'Aubrelle, 3.50 Terresita, 4.20 Cup Of Coffee.

FFOS LAS: 1.17 Lubeat Foras, 1.52 Drash On Ruby, 2.27 Yggdrasil, 3.02 Good Look Charm, 3.37 Alkopop, 4.07 Midnight Ginger, 4.40 Pure Vision.

HUNTINGDON: 1.25 Tremwedge, 2.00 Hunny Moon, 2.35 Judex Lefou, 3.10 ELLE EST BELLE (NAP), 3.45 Thunder Rock, 4.15 Trixster, 4.45 Kalelula.

NEWCASTLE: 4.25 Jomont, 4.55 After The Rain, 5.30 Dutch Decoy, 6.00 Crunchie, 6.30 Aberama Gold, 7.00 Clear Angel, 7.30 Magical Mile.

THURLES: 1.45 Gentleman De Mee, 2.20 Western Sea, 2.55 Barbados, 3.30 Ash Tree Meadow, 4.00 Falcon Eight, 4.30 Winston Wolfe, 5.00 O'Moore Park.

DOUBLE: Elle Est Belle and Thunder Rock.


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