A small but select field of five runners will head to post this weekend for the Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle worth £80,000 and run over 2m3f, including the in-form Nemean Lion who has been campaigned shrewdly by trainer Kerry Lee this season.
The 8-year-old has won two out of his three starts this campaign and showed a good attitude to deny Salver at Windsor in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle last month.
The aforementioned Salver’s recent runner-up effort behind Nemean Lion was a positive step forward after the formerly smart juvenile took a fall at Cheltenham in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day when still in with a chance. He represents a yard who have won this contest twice in recent years with Camping Ground (2017) and Botox Has (2022).
Blueking D’Oroux has work to do to reverse form with Nemean Lion and Salver who he finished just over 4-lengths behind when the trio met at Windsor. It has been an underwhelming campaign to date for Team Ditcheat but they were back in the spotlight at Ascot last weekend as Pic D’Orhy handed Paul Nicholls a much needed Grade 1 success.
David Pipe has not won the Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle since the much-loved Lough Derg landed back-to-back renewals in 2008/09. He has declared Punta Del Este who is set to make his stable debut here for Pond House after leaving the Dan Skelton yard.
The five-strong field is completed by the Dai Walters-owned Steel Ally who produced a rare below-par run when pulled-up at Ascot just before Christmas. He had looked a promising young hurdler prior to that and should subsequently not be written off stepped back up in trip.
Gates open at 12:00pm and the going is currently described as Soft-Good to Soft in places on hurdle course. Proceedings get underway at 2:00pm with the final race due off at 5:00pm.
Tickets are still available online here, or alternatively you can purchase on the gate.
