27th-Nov-2020

I think that there is a good angle into this race, I think that McFabulous is taking out more of the market than he should be taking out.

He is obviously a talented and progressive horse, and he was impressive in winning the Persian War Hurdle on his seasonal debut, and he will handle the ground, but he is very short in a race of this depth for a horse who hasn’t contested a Grade 1 race yet.

Paisley Park is rated a stone superior to McFabulous, and he was tempting, but he is short too and he was so disappointing in the Stayers’ Hurdle in March.  He could bounce back, but he has been priced up defensively …

Thyme Hill was one of the top staying novice hurdlers last season in what looks like a very strong division.  He won the Persian War Hurdle last year, and he won the Challow Hurdle at this track, and he finished a close-up fourth in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

He was a tiny bit unlucky in that race.  He was wide throughout and he was squeezed on the run to the last and he had to switch again outside Fury Road.  In the end, he went down by just over a length to Monkfish and Latest Exhibition and Fury Road, form that is working out already, with Latest Exhibition winning his beginners’ chase and Fury Road easily landing a Grade 2 hurdle at Punchestown two weeks ago.

Thyme Hill goes well at the track, and he handles good ground, and he goes well fresh.  His record after a break of 100 days or more reads 131.  And he has the potential to improve this season.

THYME HILL WON (ADV 7/2, SP 7/2)