The Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle takes place at Fontwell on Sunday. It is the West Sussex track’s feature race day of the season and GG have previewed the six-runner field along with an exclusive 888sport sign-up offer of Up To £150 AS a Deposit Bonus with 888sport!.
BREWIN’UPASTORM 2/1
Last year’s winner may have been enjoying an unbeaten season had he not fallen at the last at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
BREWIN’UPASTORM was a ready winner at Aintree to begin the season before his tumble in the Relkeel Hurdle. Having drawn upsides the winner of that race, Stormy Ireland, before the final flight, he looked set to kick on when coming down.
However, connections did not dwell on that result and Brewin’upastorm was victorious once again at Lingfield next time out. That was on the inaugural Winter Million card and saw him defeat Darver Star and Goshen. The latter has significantly franked the form since.
Neither of his successes this term have come in Graded company and he was under no penalty when winning this a year ago. Nevertheless, he is broadly showing better form now than at any point in his career.
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GUARD YOUR DREAMS 14/1
It has been a busy but successful season for GUARD YOUR DREAMS to this point.
He began with a handicap success at Cheltenham over 2m4f but has mixed intermediate and shorter trips throughout this term. He was third to both Buzz and Stormy Ireland over further, while in between, he took the International Hurdle over 2m1f.
Yet, he probably is a slightly better horse when given slightly more of a trip. His second to Goshen last time out was significantly below his best and he is certainly capable of better.
The Grade 2 penalty he shoulders here will be tough, however Brewin’upastorm was the first winner carrying no penalty since 2015 when he won 12 months ago. Recent form at a similar level has proven key.
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MONMIRAL 5/2
MONMIRAL quite simply did not turn up when only fifth in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
However, that run has become more and more forgivable by the week. He returned lame and did visually look like he was adversely affected in some way. Moreover, as a then four-year-old stepping up to open Graded company, that race wa always going to represent a culture shock.
SImilarly, he had been so impressive as a juvenile, that more can certainly be expected. He was also only beaten 16 lengths despite initially looking like he would be beaten by the length of the straight.
Paul Nicholls sees him as a future chasing type, perhaps even over staying trips. As such, this step up in trip is viewed positively and he might be in with a real chance here if putting everything together.
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ALLMANKIND 6/1
Although he is a Grade 1 winning chaser, ALLMANKIND operates at a similar level over hurdles and is reverted to the smaller obstacles by Dan Skelton here.
He also ran over hurdles at the start of this season, finishing third in a Chepstow handicap off a mark of 150. He took a couple of starts to really get going last season and the form of his Old Roan Chase success at Aintree in October has been franked all over the place since.
That said, he flopped next time out in the Peterborough Chase and due to his exuberant front-running style, he is not always the easiest to predict. For all of his exciting victories, there are some surprisingly below-par efforts, seemingly out of nowhere.
He does carry no penalty and could find himself getting away on the front end. Not ruled out from showing his best.
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BOTOX HAS 25/1
His last victory may have seen him overcome Allmankind over hurdles, but BOTOX HAS has failed in eight starts since.
Seven of those have been handicap hurdles, the last two of which have been off marks in the 130s. They have also come since being upped to three miles by Gary Moore.
Much more will be required for him to challenge here, especially back down to 2m3f. This is a decent renewal of the National Spirit and he feels like the outlier in terms of class.
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DARVER STAR 11/4
Credit to Gavin Cromwell, who placed DARVER STAR really well on New Year’s Eve to get the ten-year-old his first win for over a year.
That came by 20 lengths in an admittedly unreliable field in Ireland and there would have been great disappointment that he could not win at Lingfield in receipt of 6lb from both the winner, Brewin’upastorm, and Goshen, who surely would have beaten him too had he not hung horrendously to the right.
That race was a slightly trappy, tactical affair given there were only three runners and he will not be making his own running here. That is likely to be a help and ensure that he will not have to compete in too much of a sprint finish.
Better is expected on last time and he does get 6lb from Olly Murphy’s charge again. On his form of two starts ago, he will be extremely dangerous.
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Big Race Verdict
It is worth giving another chance to MONMIRAL, who had excuses aplenty when returning in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. He should be suited by this step up in trip and his top juvenile form is outstanding. Brewin’upastorm is feared most as he seeks to defend his title.
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