Royal & Sunalliance Novices´ Hurdle Analysis

Philip Hobbs has never won this championship contest but this year the trainer has a leading candidate in Gold Medallist, who is unbeaten in two starts in novices' hurdles including a success on his debut at Exeter in December, when holding off Secret Ploy by one and a quarter lengths.

Charles Egerton has a brace of entries in the form of It's Just Harry and Lady Lloyd-Webber's Darkness. The former has also won two novices' hurdles this season before finding Marcel two lengths too powerful in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown earlier this month, while Darkness won a novice event at Plumpton on the second day of the year by eight lengths.

Brewster heads a five-strong entry from Ian Williams - he has won his last three outings over timber including the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park in December, when readily scoring by 12 lengths. The Williams quintet is completed by Kilgowan, Massimo, Reseda and River Phantom.

Royal Paradise, trained by Tom Foley - whose Danoli won this event in 1994 - sets the standard for the 51 entries from Ireland. He was fourth in last year's Weatherbys Champion Bumper at The Festival when trained by Francois Doumen and won a Grade Two novices' hurdle at Leopardstown just after Christmas, staying on well to beat his five rivals by six lengths.

Paddy Mullins won this contest with Counsel Cottage in 1977 and this year the veteran trainer's two possibles are Asian Maze and J P McManus's New Field. Asian Maze won four hurdles on the bounce before coming up against Washington Lad in a Grade Three novices' hurdle at Leopardstown on January 23, going down by one and a half lengths to that rival with Mr Babbage and Wishwillow Lord in fourth and sixth.

New Field won a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in November before putting in arguably his best effort when seven and a half lengths third to Justified and Kerryhead Windfarm in a Listed novices' hurdle at Punchestown the following month.

Edward O'Grady is another Irish handler to boast past successes in this race, winning with Drumlargan in 1980 and Mister Donovan two years later. He has entered Letterman and Some Legend in 2005. The former was a six-length runner-up to Queen Astrid on his hurdling bow at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, while Some Legend has yet to jump in public.

Moulin Riche, trained by Francois Doumen, and the Arnaud Chaille-Chaille-trained Ambobo are the two French possibles. The first-named won a Listed handicap hurdle as well as two chases at Auteuil last year and Ambobo also did extremely well in 2004, winning four hurdles including a Listed heat at Enghien in November.

Returning to the home defence, James Fanshawe had a brilliant latest season on the Flat and will be hoping to add one of the most prestigious jump races to his tally with Reveillez or Pole Star.

Reveillez was eased when beating Finely Tuned on his hurdling debut at Windsor in November, and remains unbeaten after staying on well to get the better of Pretty Star in another novices' hurdle at Doncaster earlier this month. Pole Star has two similar events to his name, most recently scoring at Newbury by seven lengths on January 12.

Other notable entries include Mount Clerigo, who has won his last two starts at Uttoxeter and Wetherby for Victor Dartnall, the Paul Nicholls-trained Ladalko, a Grade Two hurdle winner who found only Brewster too good when stepped up in class last time, and Howard Johnson's pair of No Refuge, another Grade Two hurdle winner, and Bewleys Berry, a five-length runner-up to Villon most recently.