McConnell with two chances at Haydock John McConnell snared both maiden hurdles, with Ottoman Style and Wild Shot, on last night's Downpatrick card and is represented by two fancied runners at Haydock's valuable mixed meeting this afternoon. Anna Bunina, who landed last month's Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr having finished runner-up in that race in 2021, lines up in the £100,000 Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle at 3.00pm. The Poet's Voice mare is towards the head of the market this morning at around 5/1. McConnell said: "We are claiming the 5lb back off her (through Mark McDonagh) to take her back down to what she won off. "It is a tough race but she is in great nick. She won't mind a bit of cut in the ground, I hope it stays dry from now on. "She definitely goes there with a chance." The ground is described as good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles course at Haydock. Thirty-five minutes earlier, the Stamulllen handler runs Bronson In Blue (a general 10/1 chance in morning betting) under regular partner Cian Walsh in the £50,000 Pertemps Network Long Distance Handicap Hurdle. The nine-year-old has won his last two races over hurdles at Leopardstown and Hexham and warmed up for this assignment with a spin on the Flat at his local track of Bellewstown a couple of weeks ago. "He is entitled to take his chance in a bigger race," said McConnell. "We could have gone to the likes of Fairyhouse but we said we would wait when we were going with Anna (Bunina). "He's in good form and he won't mind the ground. He has plenty of stamina and I wish it was a four-mile hurdle, he'd win that no problem! "He goes there with a chance." Additional reporting by Michael Graham
