Owner JP McManus holds a strong hand in Saturday’s Howden Long Walk Hurdle as Impose Toi and Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider Honesty Policy head the 11 declarations for Ascot’s pre-Christmas feature.
The former is one of two in the Grade One event for trainer Nicky Henderson alongside Doddiethegreat, and announced himself as an emerging force in the division by winning Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle last month.
He got the better of Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader on that occasion and he will reoppose once again as one of two for the Warren Chase handler, who also saddles Gwennie May Boy, while dual-race winner Crambo is back in search of a third-straight Long Walk victory representing Fergal O’Brien.
Honesty Policy meanwhile is no stranger to success on these shores having landed the Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring and makes his first outing in open company with the Cullentra House team in rude health of late.
He is joined on a raiding mission from Ireland by Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard, who made it two from two for the current campaign in a Navan Grade Two last month and now goes back up in distance.
Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies’ Potters Charm was third behind Wodhooh in the Ascot Hurdle here over shorter last month and is another moving up in trip when joined in the race by stablemate and last year’s third Beauport.
Harry Fry’s course regular Altobelli who was two places behind Potters Charm here last time and is another exploring three miles for the first time this term, while French raider Jet Blue (David Cottin) completes the line-up.