Excepting any mishap this should be a match between Oracle Des Mottes and MASSINI'S MAGUIRE and we will take the latter to score. The selection is a former conqueror of Tidal Bay, doing so when landing the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival and he was very consistent and high class in that sphere. The jury is out to some extent so far over fences as he jumped left at a few obstacles when making a winning debut at Ascot and then was not entirely fluent when runner-up in the Feltham at Kempton on Boxing Day. Hopefully Philip Hobbs will have worked on that in the interim period and this return to 2m 5f is probably a plus, so we will side with him. Oracle Des Mottes represents Paul Nicholls and is already looking exposed over fences. He is probably somewhere around the mid 120s in terms of ability and the trainer will know how he compares to Breedsbreeze, who conquered the selection at Kempton, but it seems unlikely he would be good enough to give weight and a beating to the Hobbs horse. New Team has trip and ground to suit and will have learned plenty from his chase debut but he needs to improve a fair bit if he is to trouble the selection, and with the other pair looking well out of their depth we'll side with Massini's Maguire.
Oracle des Mottes (FR) 9-4 (11-12) Held up, ridden approaching 2 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 8, 9l behind Pretty Star (10-2) at Fontwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Dec.
Massini's Maguire (IRE) 6-1 (11-7) Jumped sketchily early, led to 4th, chased leader, led 8th, hit 12th, driven and headed 2 out, weakened after last, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Breedsbreeze (11-7) at Kempton 3m nov chs Grd 1 (1) gd in Dec.
New Team (FR) 10-3 (11-1) Chased leader until 4 out, soon ridden inside and no chance after, 3rd of 5, 21l behind Panjo Bere (11-7) at Plumpton 2m 4f nov chs (3) sft in Nov.
Nostradamus (USA) 20-1 (9-7) Always in rear, 10th of 13, 22l behind Dolzago (10-0) at Plumpton 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (D) gf in Sept '04.
Prince De Lacour (FR) (10-3) Led 5 out, weakened quickly when headed 2 out, 5th of 9, 29l behind Ouh La La (10-3) at Auteuil 2m 2f ch in Nov.
