Willie Mullins vs Dan Skelton continues this weekend with Sunday’s Plumpton Sussex Champion Hurdle Day, and this piece highlights two selections to consider.
Saturday’s selections for the column can be filed in the ‘unfortunate’ section of the filing cabinet, mainly due to the eye-catching finish of Got Grey over at Haydock.
Let’s hope for a nice rub of the green today.
Plumpton Sussex Champion Hurdle Day
2:20 Plumpton – Alien Storm @ 7/2 with William Hill – 1pt Win
I think the second race at Plumpton on Sunday is between the market principles, and while Bob Bob Ricard has his chance, it’s Alien Storm who I like.
He’s a course specialist with three wins, one third, and one fall, and he last won at the track over two furlongs further three starts ago on soft ground.
It’s fair to say his best form comes on better ground, so that was a fair effort, and he beat Diplomatic Ash that day who has won twice since.
He comes back to 2m1f today which should be no problem as he won nicely over this course and distance in September off a 8lb lower mark.
The seven-year-old has thrived over fences this season, and I don’t think his mark of 121 is unreasonable at all. He beat the 135-rated Our Champ in a novice hurdle at the track in October 2022, and he had a chance to beat Our Champ in September 2023 when giving 7lbs away if not for falling at the last.
There’s a reasonable case to back him here, so he’s the vote.
4:05 Plumpton – Hansard @ 17/2 with William Hill (3 places) – 0.5pt EW
It’s a really warm renewal of the Sussex Champion Hurdle this year. Thank you, Mr Mullins.
Even away from Closutton, horses like Our Champ and Tounsivator represent good form, but I want to give Hansard another chance.
I backed him at both Cheltenham and Aintree this season, the latter was the most promising run when finishing a fine ninth.
It was his first try at 2m4f, and he gave me a really good run for my money until he belted the second-last hurdle and found the extra few furlongs too much work.
He’s dropped down to a mark of 139, which is 1lb higher than the rating he had when he won the Gerry Feilden in 2023, beating Brentford Hope and Bad.
He will pop up soon, and with drying conditions aiding his chance, his day can feasibly be today.
