Mydaddypaddy and Alexei clash in five-runner Molyneux Hurdle at Aintree

Update, 6 November: Mydaddypaddy has been withdrawn because of the going, leaving four runners. Full story.

Five runners have been declared for the William Hill Molyneux Hurdle, a Grade 2 over two miles and a furlong at Aintree on Saturday (1:45). The race was formerly registered as the Elite Hurdle and is worth £41,608. The going is good to soft, good in places.

The main contenders

Mydaddypaddy (Dan Skelton, ridden by Harry Skelton) is rated 153 and has form figures of 1123. The five-year-old gelding is by Walk In The Park and carries 11st.

Alexei (Joe Tizzard, ridden by Harry Cobden) is top-rated on 158 and carries top weight of 11st 4lb. The six-year-old gelding's form reads 13143, and his stable has had 6 winners from 21 runners in the last 14 days.

Mange Tout (Gordon Elliott, ridden by Mark Walsh) is the only four-year-old and the only filly in the race. Owned by Robcour and rated 138, she has won four of her last five starts and gets weight from all four rivals, carrying 10st 10lb.

The rest of the field

Lucky Place (Nicky Henderson, Nico de Boinville) is rated 151 and was second on his last start. Melon (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, Robert Dunne) is rated 129, the lowest in the field, and ran 28 days ago.

Why it matters

The race is one of the first Grade 2 hurdles of the jumps season and comes a week before the Cheltenham November Meeting (13 to 15 November). Our IQ ratings for every runner are on the Aintree racecard.