The Champion Hurdle is the highlight of the opening day and I believe Kyber Kim is the forgotten horse in the race and the one the all have to beat at 8-1.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' eight-year-old has won his last two races in terrific style and has all the right attributes needed to win the two mile hurdling showpiece.
He is reported to be in terrific shape, and on a line through Celestial Halo has the beating of the majority of the field.
Selections:
1.30pm: Dunguib - has looked somehting really special in all his races and cannot be opposed. He has a huge engine and is yet to come out of second gear in his four hurdle races. The others look to be running for place money and Get Me Out Of Here and Blackstairmountain look the likely ones to chase him home.
2.05pm:Somersby - I was very impressed by his victory at Sandown where he jumped superbly to beat a top class field. Henrietta Knight has resisted the temptaion to run him since to keep him fresh and spot on and he looks sure to run well. The Irish pair of Captain cee Bee and Sports Line look the dangers.
2.40pm: The Package - David Pipe and David Johnson love to have a tilt at the ring in big handicaps and this one looks to have been laid out for this. Won very well at the course when last seen and has all the right attributes in that he travels powerfully and has a turn of foot. He looks impossible to keep out of the frame and is the one they all have to beat.
3.20pm: Khyber Kim - Nigel Twiston-Davies has done wonders to get the former Nicky Henderson's inmate back to his best, and his defeat of Celestial Halo in the Boylesports marked him out as a leading contender for this. He has a great turn of foot and looks to be terrific value having been overlooked by many.
4.00pm: Garde Champetre - Bidding for a hat-trick in a race which he has made his own and it's very difficult not to see Enda Bolger's charge going in again. Has the asssistance once again of Nina Carberry in the saddle and a worthy favourite.
4.40pm: Voler La Vedette - Colm Murphy's mare is highly progressive and showed how good she was when beating Go Native by 13 lengths earlier in the season. She comes into the race in tip top shape and is facnied to get the better of last year's runaway winner Quevega who has been off the track for far too long for my liking.
