Today on Sky Sports Racing: Strong Leader, Nemean Lion and Gin Coco feature in Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las
Strong Leader, Gin Coco and Nemean Lion feature in the DragonBet Welsh Champion Hurdle (3.20) at Ffos Las on Sunday; Iresine bid to get back to winning ways in the Group Two Prix du Conseil de Paris (2.50); watch every race live on Sky Sports Racing
Saturday 14 October 2023 11:02, UK
It’s Welsh Champion Hurdle day at Ffos Las on Sky Sports Racing, plus there is Group Two action from ParisLongchamp.
3.20 Ffos Las - Strong Leader and Nemean Lion clash in feature
Olly Murphy's Grade One runner-up Strong Leader shoulders top weight in the feature DragonBet Welsh Champion Hurdle (3.20).
Having run in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, he put in a career-best when second to Henry de Bromhead's Inthepocket at Aintree in April and looks sure to play a role under Sean Bowen.
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He contests the top of the market with Harry Fry's Gin Coco and Kerry Lee's Tolworth third Nemean Lion. The latter followed up that Sandown effort with a Grade Two win at the Kelso and an opening handicap mark of 135 could look lenient in time.
Gin Coco was an excellent second in the Greatwood last year before finishing down in 15th in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival when the ground might just have gone a bit too soft for his liking.
Last year's winning trainer Cian Collins is well represented, both by 2022 winner Effernock Fizz and stablemate Fiveonefive. The latter looks the first string this time around under smart rider Jack Tudor.
2.45 Ffos Las - Matata meets Manorbank over fences
Four places behind Strong Leader at Aintree in April was the highly unfancied Matata, who ran a huge race from odds of 80/1 for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
The free-going front runner is an intriguing chase debutant in the DragonBet New Website Norton's Coin Trophy Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (2.45) under Daryl Jacob.
The five-year-old takes on Emma Lavelle's dual hurdles winner Manorbank, who was last seen winner here in May and also makes a first start over the larger obstacles.
Beau Balko ran well to be fifth in the valuable Novices' Championship Final at Sandown at the end of April for Paul Nicholls, while Tom Lacey's Cruz Control, Evan Williams' Out Of Office and Tom Symonds' Llandinabo Lad complete a quality field.
Nicholls and owner Johnny de la Hey have already unleashed one of their smartest novice hurdlers in Captain Teague and could be getting another underway as Wrappedupinmay starts his novice campaign under Harry Cobden against eight rivals in the DragonBet Born From The Betting Ring Maiden Hurdle (2.10).
2.50 ParisLongchamp - Travelling Brits take on Iresine in Prix du Conseil de Paris
Group One star Iresine is back in action at ParisLongchamp for the Prix du Conseil de Paris Stakes (2.50) as he bids to atone for last month's defeat to Place Du Carrousel in the Prix Foy.
The former Ganay winner should prove hard to beat under Marie Velon against eight rivals, including a pair of British raiders.
Paul and Oliver Cole's Jack Darcy won the Group Two Grand Prix de Deauville in August before chasing home the brilliant Horizon Dore in the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend.
Ralph Beckett's Max Vega looks to face a tougher test as he steps up in grade following last month's third in the September Stakes at Kempton.
Roger Varian's Modaara tops a field of 11 in the Listed Casimir Delamarre Stakes (3.25), which also features Adelaise (Joseph O'Brien) and Miss Cantik (Amy Murphy).
