Leicester
2.00 Alderley Rover is quite well handicapped on his best form and wears blinkers for the first time.
Market Rasen
1.20 This is probably between the two ex flat horses Hawk Mountain and Crackentorp. There is little to choose between them but Crackentorp may be able to make his weight advantage tell.
2.25 Dual hurdle winner Night in Milan showed promise on his chase debut when 2nd at Sedgefield. Lucky Landing won a Uttoxeter bumper on heavy ground and looks a stayer. He looks the danger to the selection.
3.00 General Ting has run a couple of solid races this season and is creeping down the weights.
Wincanton
1.10 Runner up at Exeter recently Water Garden looks the one to be on here.
1.40 Sang Bleu is well thought of by champion trainer Paul Nicholls and can score here at the expense of Habbie Simpson.
From the archives
Bula won the Champion Hurdle in 1971 and 1972 in brilliant style and set a record by going 13 hurdle races without defeat, a record that was equalled by Big Bucks last weekend. Possessed of remarkable speed he was best held up and was ridden to great effect by Paul Kellaway.
He graduated to chasing and ran a brave race in appalling conditions to finish 3rd behind Ten Up in the 1975 Gold Cup when ridden by John Francome. He started favourite for the Gold Cup the following year but was disappointing behind Royal Frolic. In 1977 he dropped back to 2 miles for the Champion Chase, again run in awful conditions. He fell heavily and injured his shoulder so badly that he later had to be put down. He won a total of 34 races from 50 starts.
ahorse 