Snow Falcon aims to swoop in Newbury Snow Falcon is an interesting Irish challenger in the bet365 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury today for trainer Noel Meade. Turning out just 12 days after winning the Grade Two Lismullen Hurdle, the six-year-old was seen running a blinder in defeat when fifth in the ultra-competitive November Handicap on the Flat at Leopardstown two starts ago. Evidently on good terms with himself, a big run from the six-year-old is anticipated. "He's travelled over well and the girl that is with him is very happy with him," said Meade. "He's been in good form and his weight is good, so hopefully he's had enough time since his last run. "If he gets a clear round and everything goes well, we'd be hopeful he'll give them something to think about." Trainer Harry Fry is keeping his fingers crossed the prolific Unowhatimeanharry can raise his game this season ahead of his return to action in the Grade Two feature. The eight-year-old enjoyed a spectacular campaign last season, winning each of his five starts culminating with Cheltenham Festival glory in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. Leading owner JP McManus has since snapped up the much-improved staying hurdler and having missed the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby and last weekend's Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on account of unsuitable ground, he is now ready to make his seasonal reappearance. Fry said: "He had a great season last year and never stopped improving. "He's going to have to improve again if he's to hold his own in the three-mile hurdle division this season, but he seems in good form at home and this will tell us exactly where we are with him. "He's ready to start. We declared him last Saturday, but the ground was very heavy and he'd have had to carry top-weight, so we decided to wait for this. "This race will probably tell us a bit more about where we stand." Snow Falcon faces eight opponents, with the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyoptic heading the market. He won his first three starts for the Naunton handler last season, including a Grade One victory at Aintree, and impressed on his comeback at Chepstow. The six-year-old was not completely done with when falling at the final flight in the West Yorkshire Hurdle and jockey Ryan Hatch is hopeful he can return to winning ways. He said: "He was staying on well at Wetherby. I obviously think he would have won, a few of the other jockeys might have thought differently. "He's schooled well since, I'm looking forward to riding him and hopefully he goes to Newbury and runs a big race."
