Mark Rowntree's five Monday tips: "should stamp his authority over these rivals"

Harry Cobden travels to Newton Abbot to partner Explode in the maiden hurdle. 

The former champion was also aboard Faye Bramley’s four-year-old when last seen over hurdles at Taunton in January. 

The winner of that race, Crest Of Stars, has enjoyed further success, and is now rated 115 while, post wind surgery, Explode has taken back-to-back 1m4f Flat handicaps at Catterick and Newbury.

Gordon Elliott took this novice in 2022 with The Friday Man, and last year with Chortal, and his summer Cork maiden hurdle winner Cosmos d’Ainay sets a solid benchmark. 

This strong-travelling six-year-old, a point and bumper winner, has an official rating of 126, so should be able to get the better of fellow Irish-raider Puppet Master, and Patrick Neville’s Datstheholyallofit, who blew a winning opportunity at Sedgefield recently.

Shadwell’s Raaheeb is the class act in the feature Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes and is likely to be priced accordingly. 

Brother to the brilliant Baaeed, and the top-class Hukum, Owen Burrows charge has been given a ten-week break since finishing fourth to Benvenuto Cellini in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. 

Dropping back two furlongs should suit the ready Sandown Classic Trial winner, who could have the Group One Qatar Racing Champion Stakes at Ascot as his primary late-season objective.

Stablemate Yamnah, a 300,000euros foal, makes her debut, while Richard Hannon’s Aura Champagne is on a retrieval mission following a modest Nottingham third. 

However, Without Prejudice, a half-sister to the 2023 Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn, ticks all the boxes. 

The Starman filly finished strongly to make a winning debut on the July Course at Newmarket, downing one (Aleatrix) with prior experience. 

She can defy a penalty under William Buick before kicking onto better things.

Blood Destiny produced a fine weight-carrying performance when scoring over fences here last time, and his trainer Willie Mullins has identified a suitable follow-up opportunity reverting to hurdles. 

The seven-year-old, who is by his trainer’s own admission “difficult to place over fences” from a mark of 156, hasn’t raced over the smaller obstacles since finishing runner-up to Enjoy The Dream in a Grade 2 Juvenile at Fairyhouse in April 2023 but, on these more favourable terms, should stamp his authority over these rivals.