It looks a walk in the park for Henderson's rising star Duc
Duc de Regniere can continue to progress up the ranks of the staying hurdlers by taking the BGC Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot tomorrow, writes John O'Hara.
Champion jockey Tony McCoy again gets the leg up on Nicky Henderson's rising star and a repeat of the six-year-old's recent impressive Long Distance Hurdle success at Newbury would make Duc De Regniere very difficult to beat.
Ironically, the biggest threat could come from stablemate Punchestowns, the mount of Henderson's No1 jockey Barry Geraghty, who, despite seven months off the track, was an emphatic winner at Cheltenham last time and is clearly on the upgrade.
The five-year-old could not have won with more authority, but the opposition was not in the same league as those dispatched by Duc De Regniere last time.
Mobaasher, Pettifour and Blazing Bailey filled in the places behind the selection at Newbury and each meet their conqueror on better terms.
However, McCoy's mount could be called the winner a long way out on that occasion and Duc De Regniere can extend the winning run.
David Pipe's Lough Derg took this contest last year, but the gelding's recent form is poor and makes him easy to overlook.
