NEWBURY hosted three decent two-mile hurdles last Thursday week, which make for interesting comparators. The handicap hurdle won by the Henderson-trained French Crusader (134) was strongest run, but lacked strength in depth, with the Skelton-trained odds-on favourite flopping. French Crusader will likely struggle now reassessed.

Mister Fisher (127), also hailing from Seven Barrows, was a talking horse last year and predictable favourite for the novices’ hurdle, which was the slowest-run of the three contests, and also the least impressive on the clock.

Mister Fisher looked all but certain to win up the run-in but the French horse, Ecu De La Noverie (125), who was making his British rules debut for Philip Hobbs, rallied gamely to snatch the prize.

It was left to the mares to clock the best performance when sectionals are taken into account. Posh Trish (135) was favourite for the race having won impressively on her hurdles debut, and she ran respectably in second, but it was the Henderson-trained Lust For Glory (136) who won the race, travelling supremely well and keeping going well. She looks a talented mare and will undoubtedly be aimed at the mares’ novice hurdle at the Festival. She wouldn’t have much to find to be competitive there.

One of the things I use sectional analysis for is the profiling of horses, and Posh Trish looks ready for the step up to the intermediate trip. In spite of the well-run contest, which renders tactical speed less important, she lacked pace when first asked to quicken and was doing her best work up at the finish.