3.35 2m. 14 Declared. Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2 ) of £110,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €57,233.00 2nd - €26,312.00 3rd - €13,156.00 4th - €6,578.00 5th - €3,289.00 6th - €1,639.00
Formscan - Dan Skelton saddles a quarter of the field and, on jockey bookings, Live Conti would appear the main hope, although he raced far too keenly on his return in a valuable handicap at Ascot. Great Fleet, who has proven versatile with regards to distance, and LISTENTOYOURHEART both make plenty of appeal and it is the latter who gets the vote following a tough success here over 2m4f on New Year's Day. Heidi Palin's 7lb claim negates her 5lb rise and that effort suggested she had more in the locker. Wilful won the aforementioned Ascot contest just before Christmas and isn't discounted off 7lb higher, while the progressive Saligo Bay deserves his chance in a race of this nature.