3 minute read

Leading staying hurdler Lil Rockerfeller is on course to return in the £40,000 bet365 Hurdle (2.40pm, 12 entries) over three miles at Wetherby on Saturday, November 4, day two of the bet365 Meeting.

Lil Rockerfeller (Neil King, Evs fav with bet365) was third behind Silsol (Paul Nicholls, 6/1) in this contest 12 months ago before going on to finish second in both the G1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December and the G1 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old ended last season with a rare lacklustre performance in the G1 Champion Stayers Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, trailing in 10th of the 12 runners.

Wiltshire-based trainer Neil King said today: "Lil Rockerfeller is very, very well and is ready to go on Saturday.

"It has been the plan all along to start at Wetherby and it looks the ideal starting point for the season. He is more forward this time around than he has been in the past.

"The plan is to remain over hurdles and he will follow a similar programme to last year with the main aim being the Stayers' Hurdle again.

"For me, the second most important race of the season for him will be the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot [in December], which is another nice prize to go for."

Somerset trainer Paul Nicholls could bid for a fourth bet365 Hurdle success in six years with French G1 scorer Ptit Zig (9/4) and Silsol, who has not raced since capturing this race last year.

Wholestone (Nigel Twiston-Davies, 6/1) was a high-class novice last season, landing two G2 contests at Cheltenham before finishing third in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in March. He finished a close fourth on his reappearance in the G3 Silver Trophy at Chepstow on October 14.

Fountains Windfall (Anthony Honeyball, 16/1) ended last season with a quick-fire hat-trick, culminating with an eight-length success in a G3 handicap hurdle at Aintree's Grand National Festival in April.

Other eye-catching entries include 2015 Coral Cup scorer Aux Ptits Soins (10/1), who could have his first start for Dan Skelton, Perth Listed scorer Gayebury (Evan Williams, 20/1) and talented mare Colin's Sister (Fergal O'Brien, 20/1), who won four of her five starts last season including a G2 contest at Sandown Park.

bet365 Hurdle - bet365 prices: Evs Lil Rockerfeller; 9/4 Ptit Zig; 6/1 Silsol, Wholestone; 10/1 Aux Ptits Soins; 16/1 Fountains Windfall; 20/1 Colin's Sister, Gayebury; 28/1 Missed Approach; 66/1 Royal Vacation, Theatre Guide, Trustan Times

Each-way 1/5 odds, 1-2-3

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