Only the four runners but not an easy novice chase to solve with little to chose between the quartet on official BHB hurdle ratings. Only Nicky Henderson's Got One Too has yet to race over the larger obstacles but, as 50-rated mile-and-a-quarter winner on the flat who showed plenty of speed over hurdles, he would appear to be the most natural recruit to the chasing ranks. One Nation, representing the Henrietta Knight stable, failed to jump with any fluency in two starts over fences last term and, while those errors may have been ironed out now, he remains a risky proposition. The Seamus Mullins-trained Farmer Jack showed some progressive form over hurdles last season and could be the type to make the grade in novice chase company this term. However, the six-year-old was well beaten behind Montreal on his chasing bow at Exeter earlier this month and the last mentioned should again have his measure. Martin Pipe's gelding has always looked likely to make a better chaser than a hurdler and showed enough at Exeter to suggest that would be the case. Given his chasing experience, form and current well-being he gets the TEAMtalk vote.
