THE defection of Hansard from today’s Betfair Hurdle because of a poor scope means that trainer Gary Moore’s team for the day’s feature race in Britain has been reduced from three to two, but that may be enough, because both horses go there with live chances.

Yorksea is a bit of a monkey, but he is a talented monkey on his day. He has refused to jump off in each of his latest two races, and you obviously have to tread warily today as a consequence.

But, rated 72 on the flat, he did well in last year’s renewal of this race to keep on as well as he did to finish fourth, and he is back down to a mark of 123 now.

In rear from early in last year’s renewal, a race in which Aucunrisque made all the running, he was out-paced when they quickened at the top of the home straight, he was in a share of last of the main group of runners on straightening up for the third last flight.

Still only 10th or 11th jumping the second last flight, he stayed on well from there to take fourth place.

The ground was good last year, and Yorksea should be better suited by today’s contest, with the emphasis that the heavy ground should place on stamina.

He was just three-quarters of a length and one place behind his stable companion Teddy Blue in last year’s race, which further enhanced Gary Moore’s record in the Betfair Hurdle. He won back-to-back renewals of the race in 2007 and 2008 with Heathcote and Wingman, and he won it again in 2015 with Violet Dancer.

More palatable

You can see Yorksea running well if he puts his mind to it, but his stable companion Spirit D’Aunou is a more palatable betting proposition.

Winner of four of his five hurdle races last season, the Triple Threat gelding could only finish fourth in a four-year-olds’ hurdle at Chepstow on his debut this season, but he was keener than ideal through the early part of the race, which was won by Blueking D’Oroux, who won the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle next time.

Spirit D’Aunou wasn’t as keen last time at Sandown, he travelled well through his race on the heavy ground, and he came away from his rivals from the second last flight.

He was raised 10lb by the handicapper for that win, but you couldn’t really have argued with that.

He won with plenty in hand. Also, he has only just turned five, and he has raced just seven times over hurdles. He is on a nice upward trajectory now, and there is every chance that he can continue to improve.

The ground should suit him well, he is two for two on heavy ground and one for one on soft ground, and the big field and relatively fast pace that they should go should suit him well.

He does have plenty of weight on his back, but Caoilin Quinn’s 3lb claim takes him down to 11st 10lb, and this is a race in which the high-weights have done well of late. Five of the last six winners carried 11st 4lb or more.

Also, in 2022, three of the top five in the handicap filled the first three places, while in 2019 three of the top five in the handicap filled three of the first four places. Spirit D’Aunou could take another step forward today.

Novices’ handicap chase

Rock My Way could take a step forward today too in the novices’ handicap chase later on the card, now that he steps up to almost three miles for the first time over fences.

Syd Hosie’s horse is the outsider of the whole field here, but he was a classy staying hurdler last season, and there could be more to come from him now over staying trips over fences.

He won the Grade 2 Classic Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and four and a half furlongs at Cheltenham’s Trials meeting last January, and he was considered good enough for connections to allow him take his chance in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

He made his chasing debut at Plumpton in early January when, out-paced when they quickened, he stayed on well to finish second to Scarface, beaten by three lengths, and he might have finished closer to the winner had he jumped the final fence a little better.

There was always a chance that two miles and five furlongs on good to soft ground at Hereford last time was not going to be a stiff enough test for him and, sure enough, he came under a ride early, and just kept on.

He should be suited today by the step up in trip, and by the move to a more galloping track and by the switch to softer ground. Also, the handicapper has dropped him to a mark of 131, which is 7lb lower than his peak over hurdles last year.

Inch House sets a good standard, and we know that he goes well at the track. Jonjo O’Neill’s horse will be difficult to beat if he is in the form that he was in when he won the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase at Newbury on Coral Gold Cup day, but he is 7lb higher now than he was then and, anyway, Rock My Way should not be the outsider of the entire field.

Spirit D’Aunou, 3.15 Newbury, 9/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes) or 8/1 (generally), 1 point each-way

Rock My Way, 3.50 Newbury, 9/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook) or 8/1 (generally), 1 point win