Dual Coral Cup winner Langer Dan takes a step into the unknown as he tackles Grade One company for the first time in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle.
The eight-year-old had struggled for form during the winter but trainer Dan Skelton reported the gelding had suffered from stomach ulcers over that period.
He was right back to his very best at Cheltenham, however, winning by three and a half lengths to become the first dual winner of the ultra-competitive handicap and he now faces top-level scorers Bob Olinger and Impaire Et Passe in a field of eight.
“He’s up in class, running in a Grade One for the first time I think, which is very exciting,” said Skelton. “I’ve got a lot of respect for first two in the betting (Bob Olinger and Impaire Et Passe) and they’re not going to be easy horses to beat, but our horse is in great form and put up a career-best in the Coral Cup last time.
“I think think he’s a player anyway, but whether he can beat the two fancied ones or not we’ll see.”
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Henry de Bromhead’s Bob Olinger missed the Cheltenham Festival having finished second in the Irish Champion Hurdle as this has been his main target all season, over his ideal trip of two and a half miles.
“I’m really looking forward to riding Bob Olinger in the Aintree Hurdle,” Rachael Blackmore told Betfair. “He was really good in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. It was great to feel the old Bob Olinger spark again this season. He really felt back to himself. When you have ridden a horse who has the ability that he has, it’s great when you get that feeling from him again.
“He ran very well then in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, he did well to keep on to finish second to the Champion Hurdler State Man. He’s in great form at home, and hopefully he can continue running like he has been running all season. We couldn’t be happier with him, we’re really looking forward to him.”
Nicky Henderson’s Luccia ran a massive career-best to finish third in the Champion Hurdle when many of her stablemates were under a cloud, with her trainer eager to try a longer trip.
“The line of thought with stepping her up in trip is that we haven’t really got anywhere else to go other than Punchestown for the two-mile mares’ hurdle where you’d expect Lossiemouth to turn up,” Henderson told Unibet.
“We were third in the Champion Hurdle so it would be interesting to find out where we compare with Lossiemouth to find out whether Lossiemouth would have been fourth or first in the Champion Hurdle.
“State Man didn’t exactly get a million miles away from Luccia which is probably the bit that chews us as we know where Luccia would sit with Constitution Hill and five lengths wouldn’t bring them together.
“I thought Lossiemouth was brilliant the twice we’ve seen her this season, so not only are we not keen on taking her on, I’ve been dying to step Luccia up in trip as this is an opportunity to see if she stays as it will make next year much easier.”
Beacon Edge, Mahons Glory, Nemean Lion and Marie’s Rock complete the field.
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