THE IMPOSTER (3.00) is in the form of his life and is fancied to follow up his smooth Lingfield victory last month when he returns to the Surrey track on Wednesday.
The five-year-old, trained by Nigel Hawke, had a couple of today's rivals - Brandisova (4th) and Delgany Monarch (7th) - behind when running out a comfortable winner over an extended 2m3f here last month, and should take all the beating from just a 4lb higher mark.
He was always prominent under today's rider Tom Buckley and took the lead just after the last before keeping on well to beat Roger Rarebit by two-and-a-half lengths.
Brandisova was beaten over 27 lengths and Delgany Monarch trailed in 65 lengths adrift, so it would be a huge shock if my selection could not confirm his superiority over them in the At The Races App Form Study Novices' Handicap Hurdle, especially as he will be even better suited by the step up in trip to 2m7f.
Captain Claude and Gold Clermont may emerge as his main rivals.
At Taunton, MISTRAL LADY (12.53, nb) looks the one to be on in the 2m3f Summerfield Developments Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
The Philip Hobbs-trained four-year-old ran reasonably well in three bumpers, with a third place at Plumpton his best effort in October.
And she showed a lot more on his hurdles debut last month when second of 10 to Felicie du Maquis at Lingfield over just short of 2m4f.
With more improvement sure to come and on a decent mark for her first foray into handicapping, the daughter of Shirocco is expected to get off the mark.
WEDNESDAY'S SELECTIONS
HEREFORD
12.15 IDEALDES VILLERETS
12.45 SHOMEN UCHI
1.15 MAGIC DANCER
1.45 MR VANGO
2.15 CREDO
2.45 NAVEGAON GATE
3.15 CAP DU MATHAN
3.45 MAGIC SEVEN
LINGFIELD
12.30 KAY TARA TARA
1.00 HOLD UP LA COLMINE
1.30 MUCHO MAS
2.00 EXECUTIVE POOL
2.30 GALLIC GEORDIE
3.00 THE IMPOSTER (NAP)
3.30 ECHO WATT
TAUNTON
12.53 MISTRAL LADY (NB)
1.23 FLYING VERSE
1.53 LALLYGAG
2.23 BOLD REACTION
2.53 PARRAMOUNT
3.23 IMPERIAL JOE
3.53 THE HEIGHT OF FAME
WOLVERHAMPTON
5.00 ATTRAZIONE
5.30 FINE BALANCE
6.00 CAILIN SAOIRSE
6.30 DIVINE CONNECTION
7.00 BILLIAN
7.30 MUSCIKA
8.00 SPANISH ANGEL
8.30 CAPPOQUIN
NEWSBOY'S DOUBLE: THE IMPOSTER and MISTRAL LADY
