Wodhooh and company promise to make Ascot Hurdle informative

The Ladbrokes Ascot Hurdle could provide vital clues for Gordon Elliott, who sends his Cheltenham Festival winner Wodhooh on another raiding mission to Britain.

Winner of the Martin Pipe at the Festival, she would go on to finish second to Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle in the spring, and having also won at Newbury, Doncaster and Cheltenham’s December meeting last term, is no stranger to a UK audience.

She now heads to Ascot where only Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo is rated higher for their Grade Two Hurdle and could provide her handler with a handy guide for the rest of the season, attempting to become the first Irish winner since Faugheen in 2014.

Elliott said: “She’s in good form and we’re looking forward to running her, she travelled over on Thursday and everything has been good.

“It looks the ideal race for her to start her season. She’s done well in Britain before and we’ll learn a bit from this and then be able to make some decisions moving forward. We’ll get the weekend out of the way and see how we go, then make a plan afterwards.”

Elliott’s great rival Willie Mullins has won this with Annie Power (2013), as well as Faugheen, and this time will be represented by the Harry Cobden-ridden Winter Fog.

Sterner opposition to Wodhooh could be provided by the home contingent, however, with Sam Thomas saddling his Welsh Champion Hurdle hero Celtic Dino having seen the form of that Chepstow victory enhanced by recent Greatwood Hurlde winner Alexei.

Thomas said: “It’s a good looking race on paper and we’re excited to run in it.

“I think he’s as good a two miler as we’ve ever had. I don’t know if he’s improved since Chepstow, but he’s in very good form, that’s all I can say.

“I’m not worried about stepping up in trip, especially round Ascot. If anything, it will be a help to him.”

Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies send out Potters Charm, who was a Grade One winner last term and is seen as a Stayers’ Hurdle candidate for this season.

He was an early faller on his return at Wetherby, but his training team are “not too worried about the opposition” ahead of this drop back in trip.

Willy Twiston-Davies said: “He’s in good shape and came out of Wetherby very well. He went for a little gallop the other day and Sam (Twiston-Davies) got off him with a very big smile on his face, so we think we’ve got him right back to his best.

“It wasn’t his fault at Wetherby. He actually jumped the hurdle fine and I don’t know if he caught his shoe or tripped or something – it was very bizarre. I’ve watched it a few times and still can’t work out what happened because his jumping is actually faultless.

“We’ve beaten Celtic Dino before and we’re not too worried about the opposition, it’s about knowing where we are with him. If he’s as good as we hope he is he should be winning on Saturday.

“He’s won over two miles and won over two and a half, so he’s trip-versatile. We’re viewing him as a Stayers’ Hurdle horse, but this looks a good opportunity with good prize-money.”

Both Fergal O’Brien’s dual Long Walk Hurdle winner Crambo and Harry Fry’s Altobelli bring smart Ascot form to the table, with the latter up in class with most of his successes coming in the handicap ranks.

“This has been the target all autumn and he obviously has really good course form, winning twice there earlier in the year,” said Fry.

“It will be interesting to see what happens, with a view to whether he stays over hurdles or go chasing.

“Gordon Elliott’s mare is obviously very well-in at the weights with the conditions of the race, but we’re all systems go and he has such a good record at the track we’re excited to see him back.”

The field is complete by Dan Skelton’s Wetherby winner Kateira, Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion and the Olly Murphy-trained Gwennie May Boy.