Iris's Gift showed itself to be an outstanding stayer when easily winning the Gd2 Novices Hurdle at Haydock, Mar 1. Runner up Priests Bridge 119 set a decent gallop. Tees Components followed the winner when it took up the running five out, looking to be going as well. Barry Geraghty injected more pace into the race early in the straight and Iris's Gift quickly put daylight between itself and the Mary Revely trained challenger, who folded quickly. Tees Components may have been below par but there is no doubting the excellence of the winner who may now go for the Stayers Hurdle with a genuine chance if there is some give underfoot.

Iris's Gift finished a very commendable second in the Gd1 Stayers Hurdle. That performance in a strongly run race stamped it as an outstanding novice. Plans post race suggest that its attentions will be turned to chasing next season. If its jumping over the smaller obstacles is any guide it will be success.

Looking ahead to next year, Back In Front is a genuine contender for a place at least in next season's Champion Hurdle. Kicking King and Thisthatandtother would appear to be aimed at the Arkle. The latter would have prospects of reversing this form over fences. Inca Trail is almost certainly going to be aimed over fences. Despite reservations about its stamina, 2 miles would appear to be too sharp for this one in decent company. Lirfox has not been given a handicap mark yet. Ridden with more restraint its could well be seen in a better light.

The Gd1 Royal & Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle featured a number of progressive novices and it proved to be a close contest. Hardy Eustace came out on top in the end. It was not an easy victory though. When the pace quickened at the top of the hill it was outpaced and required a vigorous ride from Kieran Kelly to get it back into contention. It had moved into second by two out and overhauled longtime leader Coolnagorna on the final turn. Coolnagorna responded to urgings from Tony Dobbin and Pizzaro, who looked the winner coming down the hill kept on for pressure which meant that the winner had to be driven all the way to the line. Lord Sam hampered by Coolnagorna, who was subsequently disqualified and placed last, kept on for fourth. Next home were Foreman, Sh Boom and Nil Desperandum. Followed by Supreme Prince and Little Sport both of whom would have had a better chance in a three mile contest.

Looking to the future, it has to be said that most of the principals would have been better suited with give in the ground. Pizarro was still unexposed over hurdles going into the race and may well improve past the first two home next season. Obvious chasing pedigrees seem thin on the ground. Lord Sam, another fairly unexposed animal, would appear to have the best chance of making the grade over fences, though it is not foot perfect over hurdles. Double Honour led early but faded quickly when the pressure was turned on. Its best chance of glory next year would appear to be in the staying handicap hurdle.

The manner of Coolnagorna's easy victories in Gd2 and Gd1 Novice Hurdles at Sandown and Newbury respectly in December suggest that this horse has got a great engine. The hurdling is not perfect yet which gives rise to the hope that there is scope for further improvement.

Rhinestone Cowboy may be a novice but the focus of attention regarding this horse is its possible participation in the Champion Hurdle. Before its facile win in the Gd2 Novice at Wetherby, Feb 1, the best indicator of its ability was its second in the Bumper at last season's festival. The rating it achieved at Wetherby would not be good enough to win the Champion though it would be fair to assume that it may be possible of 150+ next time out given a strongly run race.

Rhinestone Cowboy won the Gd2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, Feb 15, with plenty in hand from Thisthatandtother with last year's Champion Hurdle winner Hors La Loi III only third. The time was not great its rating being achieved by allowing 20lb in hand. It may possibly be 160+, one thing for sure is that the Champion Hurdle, its confirmed target, will be much more competitive than this.

Hardy Eustace was an impressive winner of a 2 mile Gd1 at Fairyhouse on Dec 1 in beating Back In Front. It confirmed that improvement in beating Nil Desperandum over 20f at Leopardstown on Dec 28. That rival has gone on to win well over 2 mile at Navan on Jan 11. Despite being beaten in the Fairyhouse contest, Back in Front travelled like the winner for much of the way and should be harder to beat next time.

Since that first time out defeat by Hardy Eustace, Back in Front has won a couple of modestly run novices at Leopardstown Jan 26 and Limerick Feb 19. In latter event, Norman Williamson, who cruised into the lead just before two out, allowed the horse its head and it quickened away impressively. Being race fit and with the benefit of experience now, Back in Front could well be capable of 150+. It now goes for the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham.

The mare Solerina has been galloping her rivals into the mud with some impressive front running victories that have included a Gd3 at Navan Dec 15 and a Gd2 Leop Dec 29. The fields have been small though and she may not respond well to being taken on for the lead.

Solerina continued her winning ways by making all to win the 18f Gd1 Deloite and Touche Novices Hurdle at Leopardstown, Feb 9. Her chance at Cheltenham may depend on the ground. Hardy Eustace lost nothing in defeat with a brave second with the others, led by a keeping on Nil Desperandum, fourteen lengths and more behind.

Double Honour, very useful on the flat, made a very satisfactory debut when winning easily at Huntingdon, Jan 15. If its flat rating of 105 (Timeking's) is any guide, it will be challenging for honours at Cheltenham against Coolnagorna. As long as they don't take each other on, too early.

Jan 27 saw another demolition of a modest field of novices for Double Honour at Exeter. Phillip Hobbs is still targeting the Royal and Sun Alliance at the Festival

Foreman bounced back from a woeful effort at Ascot, Dec 20, to comfortably win an ordinary (should be Gd3) novice at Kempton from Calling Brave and Double Honour. The winning time was not great which explains the poor performance of Double Honour who was ridden with a bit too much restraint here. It only lead three out but could not find sufficient pace to pull away from his his two main rivals and was done for toe in the straight. The quick ground was a contributory factor as its best winning form on the flat last season was when making all over 2m on heavy ground at Hamburg. It did put up a decent time on fast ground at Royal Ascot last year. The distance that day at 22f+ was further on a stiffer track and that was a strongly run race. Too early to write off yet, though looking ahead, the prospect of a front running clash with Coolnagorna and Solerina in the Royal SunAlliance may be a recipe for an upset. Especially if the ground comes up fast. Foreman's best flat ratings were on good ground in Germany.

Tees Components, took advantage of a weight concession and a strong gallop to beat Royal Emperor over 3 mile at Newcastle on Nov 30. A subsequent defeat over a sedately run 2 mile is best ignored. Royal Emperor took advantage of lenient handicapping to bolt up in the mud at Wetherby on Dec 26 and again at Haydock, Feb 8.

Tees Components was a facile winner of a 3m Gd2 novices' hurdle at Doncaster, Jan 25. It's intended target is the Gd1 3m novice at Aintree and will not be running at Cheltenham this year as connections are fearful of its legs going downhill.

Thisthatandtother always looked to be going that bit better than Puntal 133 in winning the re-arranged Gd1 Tolworth Hurdle at Wincanton, Jan 18. Having failed to live with Coolnagorna over 21f at Sandown, Dec 6 this contest showed that speed rather than stamina is its greatest asset (142+ looks more than possible). Paul Nicholls is already looking forward to next season's Arkle Chase and is not particularly keen on it running at Cheltenham this year. Puntal notched a number of victories in the summer culminating with a 145 at Market Rasen, July 20. (For practical purposes these tables are showing times from early October onwards).

Puntal, comfortably won the Gd2 Dovecote Novices Hurdle at Kempton Feb 21, not before giving its a fright first. Tony McCoy appeared to set out to make all but the horse hit a flat spot and was headed and dropped back to fourth around three out. As soon as the horse was running behind its rivals it began to run on again. Leading 2 out it pulled away for what was ultimately a comfortable victory. The performance suggested that it either needs a step up in trip or it is not enjoying front running or even both.

Self Defense is one of a number of hurdlers running this season that have clocked up decent flat times in France in recent seasons. Until it gave Rooster Booster a race in the Agfa Hurdle at Sandown Feb 1 it was proving to be a little bit disappointing in not finishing its races albeit against Thisthatandtother in the Tolworth and Coolnagorna in the Challow. At Sandown it ran on resolutely only giving best against the higher rated winner in the last 50yds. Having hit form now it may well top 140 next time. Present intentions are to go for the Champion Hurdle and save it for novices next season which may well be wise as its handicap mark will not be generous.

Saitensohn is another with a good french flat time though German trained. It made hard work of winning a modestly run novice at Sandown Feb 1 on what was pretty testing ground. It is much better than that, as it demonstrated when comfortably winning a strongly run novice at Newbury Nov 13. The going that day was good to soft which probably suits it best. The going was virtually identical when following up at the same venue in a slower run contest on Nov 29.

Kicking King won a strongly run Gd2 at Punchestown Feb 2 from Central House 127. both are improving. Masteroffoxhounds was putting up a decent effort in this contest before folding quickly after 3out (eventually pulled up). It had showed enough here nevermind in bumpers to suggest that a decent handicap prize may well be on the owners wish list. Incidently it was reported to be lame after the race.