Matchbook Betting Exchange Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:20 | Winning time: 4m 6.1s

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Selected odds by:

Great Tempo^p1⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 125

8/1

Ran well behind some useful performers in France and justified long odds-on favouritism when seeing off two rivals at Hexham in early December. Has proven a disappointment since however and wears cheekpieces for the first time here. Also entered at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Form: 5421

Hygrove Percy¹⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 122

4/1

In fine form of late and jumped well when making all last time. Will be hard to beat if returning in the same form. Trainer and jockey have struck up a fruitful relationship in recent times.

Form: 121214

Zalvados^t²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Jake Greenall| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 120

5/2

Both wins were on heavy going in France on the Flat at trips of 1m2f and a mile. Has put in three decent efforts to be runner-up at both Newbury and Carlisle since joining current stable but will need to improve to win this off his opening mark.

Form: /22233-

Gregarious^h,t²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham| OR: 113

7/2

Improving all the time but will need to do so again after winning a small field affair last time and opening mark demands more. Needs to learn to settle better.

Form: 7311

Deauville Crystal^t²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 112

6/1

Flat winner in Germany as a two-year-old and stepped up on hurdling debut in december when finishing runner-up at Ludlow. Improved again to win a Sedgefield maiden hurdle and the second from that race has come out and won since. Very much respected off a fair looking mark.

Form: 212115

Hollywood Ken^t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Woollacott| OR: 110

40/1

Shown very little over obstacles to date and finished either pulled up or tailed off on all hurdles starts. Hard to fancy.

Form: 94P683

Shrubland^b²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 103

14/1

Regally bred by the Niarchos family, it was surprising and disappointing that he was just a low grade handicapper on the Flat. Finished tailed off on most of his hurdles starts and this handicap mark looks too high.

Form: 7346P-0

Pension Madness^v⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽⁷⁾| T: M D I Usher| OR: 100

16/1

Very little shown in either sphere to date, still a maiden after 14 starts and first time visor didn't do much last time. That headgear is retained and it will have to make a difference this time if he's to get involved.

Form: 736P56-

Forecasts

Zalvados (5/2), Gregarious (7/2), Hygrove Percy (4/1), Deauville Crystal (6/1), Great Tempo (8/1), Shrubland (14/1), Pension Madness (16/1), Hollywood Ken (40/1)

HYGROVE PERCY has been in fine form recently and he will take all the beating if he arrives in the same form that saw him win at Fontwell last time. The first time cheekpieces could well make a difference for Great Tempo who has shown plenty of ability on some of his starts while Deauville Crystal could be the main danger to the selection having come from what looks like a decent race at Sedgefield last time.