Recent form of note is pretty hard to come by in this opener, and so the confidence gained by Curtins Hill when winning at Ludlow last time could be the decisive factor in determining where the money goes. Tom George's yard are in superb form at present, so provided the gelding handles this rather specialist circuit and some cut in the ground he is our selection to score again. His main rival is likely to be top weight Super Sammy, who was second here to Glenmoss Tara last time out over course and distance. Trainer Mick Easterby has not been in such good form lately and though the mare won't mind the ground, she might find one too good again. Talarive comes here after being short headed by Park City at Warwick a week or so ago. That was a career best performance over timber for the gelding, and if he can reproduce that level of form he should be thereabouts. One who will appreciate some cut is the Roselier gelding Ross Park. Tried unsuccessfully in better company than this so far, he takes a slight drop in class after falling when just about looking held here last time out. However, with Howard Johnson being another stable in form, expect Ross Park to be much closer in this. Lease is a very interesting runner who has made the trip from Ireland. Owned by the shrewd Ted Walsh and trained by Tom Taaffe, the four-year-old was rated 90 on the flat and though he hasn't matched that yet over hurdles, few would dispute his capabilities, and it seems unlikely that he will have made the trip for the travelling experience. He should go close.
