1st - €29,500.00 2nd - €10,000.00 3rd - €5,000.00 4th - €2,500.00 5th - €1,500.00 6th - €1,000.00 Dry and bright

Formscan By Gary Carson - The road to the Champion Hurdle starts here for SAMCRO and it would be a major disappointment if he couldn't put on a show on his seasonal debut. The Germany gelding is one of the most exciting prospects in recent years and has done nothing wrong to date, when he has stood up. His only blip came at Punchestown when he fell three from home in their version of the Champion Hurdle, when trying to make ground up on his first attempt in open company. He probably wasn't at his best, despite winning, at Cheltenham previous to that, having lost a front shoe in the closing stages, but his performance at Leopardstown was spectacular and marked him out as a bit special. It would be great to see him turn up here and announce himself as a proper Champion Hurdle contender. Galway Hurdle winner Sharjah actually comes out best at the weights and is race fit so he sets a good standard to surpass. Obviously though if Samcro is going to be a Champion Hurdle horse he needs to beat these rivals. English raider Bedrock has more on his plate now than he faced at Tipperary last month.

A hurdle race for five yrs old and upwards that have not won a hurdle race before 30th April, 2017
Weights - 11st 2lb; Mares allowed 7lb
Penalties - (handicaps excluded) Winner of three hurdle races or a Grade 3 hurdle race 3lb extra; Of two Grade 3 hurdle races or a Grade 2 hurdle race 6lb extra; Of a Grade 1 hurdle race 8lb extra; Allowance Horses that have not won a hurdle race before 1st February, 2018 allowed 4lb