Unbeaten Gibbs Island declared for Haydock on Saturday!

Gibbs Island has been declared to run at Haydock this Saturday in the Class 2 Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle, a race that has been won by the likes of the hugely popular pair Frodon and Top Notch in the past.

Our horse-in-training purchase from Tattersalls in the autumn made a winning hurdles debut at Sedgefield last month, beating Surrey Belle, who had the benefit of experience with a run under her belt. But she couldn’t hold off Gibbs Island, who kept her at bay in the closing stages despite a couple of understandably inaccurate jumps under pressure. Surrey Belle won at short odds on her next start at Uttoxeter, so the form has stood up since.

We will take on four rivals on Saturday - two previous winners and two who are yet to win. The Gary Moore yard has won the last three runnings of the race and are aiming for a four-timer with Give It To Me Oj, who was third to a classy horse on his hurdles debut. Lavender Hill Mob and Marche d’Aligre both have more experience and already have handicap marks of 121, while Sophie Power - who is likely to be a big outsider - is yet to trouble the judge in three starts so far over timber.

Gibbs Island holds a Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle entry at the Cheltenham Festival, which was purely a speculative entry as it had to be made prior to him making his debut at Sedgefield. Hopefully, he can make that a more realistic target come Saturday afternoon.