Dovecote Novices' Hurdle Tips: Dino Can Roar

An intriguing novice clash over hurdles awaits on Saturday in the Dovecote at Kempton, with plenty of smart looking prospects colliding for this Grade 2 prize. Billy Grimshaw has scoured the field and provides his best bet...

Stuart Edmunds' favourite Miami Magic is the obvious place to start when analysing this race, as his second place last time out at Aintree in the Grade 1 Formby Novices' Hurdle is the standout piece of form in this competitive looking affair. He ran a cracker that day on very soft ground and was only beaten by a horse who had looked to be one of Britain's leading novice lights in Potters Charm, until he was unexpectedly beaten at a short price at Cheltenham last time out. He is probably better than that and to have run him when on song to just over 2 lengths was a fine effort from Edmunds' charge, who will expect to win here especially at the weights.

He will carry 11st5 while the two horses behind him in the market are tasked with carrying 11st8, which makes their task of wrestling the race away from him more difficult. Tripoli Flyer will have plenty of supporters for Fergal O'Brien on the back of a promising campaign which has arguably seen him improve with each run. His win last time out at Musselburgh when a 2/5 favourite was pretty much the archetypal run you'd like to see from a horse priced so prohibitively short, as he jumped well and put the contest to bed in a matter of strides before scooting home clear by eleven lengths.

He's done very little wrong, however I worry that he has not been adequately tested before this big day out and could just find things happening a bit quickly for him with the favourite and my fancy CELTIC DINO much more experienced in terms of clashes with horses their equal or better in ability. Sam Thomas' horse was also in the Formby last time out and was no match for the winner, or indeed Miami Magic, with a tame display in fourth. At the prices, however, I am willing to ignore that run on very soft considering this race will be run on good or good to soft at a speed favouring track like Kempton and think Celtic Dino is worth supporting to reverse form with the fav.

Before that somewhat disappointing fourth placed effort at Aintree, he had been unbeaten over obstacles and both of his wins came on good at Wincanton and Ascot respectively. There must be a chance this horse is just very ground dependant and with conditions hopefully coming right for him on Saturday I am hopeful we see him back to his best and repeating how well he won particularly at Ascot on his penultimate outing.

Admittedly, like Tripoli Flyer, he has been odds-on in both starts prior to his crack at graded glory when winning well but I loved the manner of his Ascot win, with Dylan Johnston always looking composed in the saddle (something he has shown off again this week!) and never really showing a wobble for odds-on favourite backers. I liked his jumping that day and he seems the type of horse who will be really suited by a sharp speed test like Kempton will offer, while most of the rest of this field are big chasers in the making to my eye.

This is by no means a three horse race and Andashan also interested me somewhat as although he is taking a marked step up here, he has won round this track in his bumper days before just a fortnight ago absolutely laughing at his rivals in a novice over this course and distance. You'd want most of these to have won that race in the same manner, however it was a taking performance and if he sees market support he could be the one to have onside as a saver.