Plumpton each-way tips: Lario can make Harry Cobden’s journey worthwhile

15:15 Plumpton: Structured Communications Maiden Hurdle (2 miles)

The bookies are unsurprisingly all over HMS President, who makes his hurdling debut after an impressive career on the Flat that included victory in last year’s Howden Stakes at York and a close-up second in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Anything like that level of performance over obstacles should see Alan King’s seven-year-old home with room to spare, with the biggest threat likely to come from Koenigsstern, who has shown progressive form over hurdles, culminating in a close-up third at Warwick a month ago.

However, a more interesting prospect looks to be the five-year-old gelding, Lario, who proved to be a useful performer on the Flat in Germany before joining Anthony Charlton’s string late last year.

He was well-backed to make a successful hurdling debut at Sedgefield on Boxing Day, only to be badly hampered at the very first obstacle and parting company with jockey Harry Reed before the race had even taken shape.

Effectively running fresh again here, he is now piloted by Planet Sport Bet’s racing ambassador Harry Cobden, whose two wins over the weekend have drawn him level with Sean Bowen on 121 wins in the race for the Champion Jockey title.

The in-form jockey boasts a tidy 30% win rate at Plumpton, which climbs to an even more impressive 61% in terms of rides making the frame (45 from 74 rides), and of even more interest is that he is making the trip to the Sussex course for this one solitary ride.

Among the others, there are few carrying each-way potential, with Gary Moore’s Inigo looking likely to build on a modest hurdling bow at Huntingdon 18 days ago, while Military Tycoon is another likely to improve on his second attempt, especially with Sam Twiston-Davies booked to take the reins.