Star novices in action at Sandown
Smurfit Champion Hurdle fourth Self Defense faces six rivals in a cracking renewal of the William Hill Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown tomorrow.
Emma Lavelle’s six-year-old lost his "best maiden in training" tag when getting the better of Albuhera in a thrilling finish at Cheltenham on his latest start.
That form has worked out particularly well with the runner-up and third, Contraband, going on to register wins.
But Howard Johnson’s costly purchase Inglis Drever, an impressive winner on his jumping debut at Aintree last month, adds plenty of spice to the equation, as does the Martin Pipe-trained Control Man, formerly a smart bumper horse and also unbeaten in his sole start over timber.
