Taking the view that his performance deserves upgrading and he shaped like the second best horse in the race, it makes little sense why he should be quoted at a bigger price than the likes of Duc Des Genievres (picked up the pieces late on to finish a flattering second), Sharjah, Early Doors and Real Steel. Moreover, with the likelihood that Samcro will now be stepped up in trip and go for the 2m 4f Ballymore on the Wednesday of the festival, it’s not outrageous to suggest the six-year-old gelding, Getabird aside, arguably holds the best singular piece of Irish 2m novice hurdle form going in to the curtain-raiser. Looking at raiders from the home contingent, If The Cap Fits rates the clear pick on his Kempton form, but as of yet he’s yet to run anywhere near the standard of Grade 1 company, Claimintakinforgan ran as though his tires had been deflated at Musselburgh the other day, while Kalashnikov would need to be winning the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury off his handicap mark to justify going down the Supreme route. Now Espoir D’Allen blew out of the Triumph Hurdle picture in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, talk of Apples Shakira being re-routed to come here instead of lining up in the opener on day-four have been extinguished, while Mengli Khan looked as though he saw a ghost when running out at Leopardstown and got readily put in his place by Getabird at Punchestown last time.
