Edinburgh Gin Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 6.8s

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Selected odds by:

Birch Vale³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 112

2/1

Off the mark at the second time of asking over hurdles having previously filled the runner-up slot in bumpers. Has to cope with a penalty here but this doesn't look a strong contest and she should go well.

Form: 60-2241

Floral Bouquet^t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: T J O'Brien| T: Jamie Snowden| D

8/13

A tongue-tie and a wind op appeared to work the oracle when she took a 2m Ludlow novice hurdle last time out. That form hasn't so far looked that strong and her jumping needs brushing up but she looks capable of further progress.

Form: 023-361

Blue Baton²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

10/1

So far has shown little in her three bumper runs and is failing to live up to her pedigree. Now makes her debut over hurdles but much more needed on the evidence so far.

Form: 354

Hidden Dilemma⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: S R B Crawford

16/1

Hard to ignore the runners from this stable here although this one hasn't so far shown that much over hurdles. She's so far finished well held in two big field Fairyhouse novice hurdles and looks one for the longer term.

Form: P300

Koala Keel^t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander

33/1

Placed in point-to-points she showed a little more ability when second in an Exeter bumper. Well held on both her hurdles starts so far she needs to have progressed further to take a hand in this.

Form: 2-43555

West Coast Lass³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: R M Smith

80/1

Offered very little on her recent bumper debut and she now makes her hurdles debut with little more expected.

Form: 0

Chouquette⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

20/1

Her pedigree suggests that she should have a future in this sphere although her two runs in bumpers (went backwards from debut) showed she had plenty to learn. May well be one more for the future.

Form: 56

Midnight Kate¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs J Stephen

40/1

Little to report on her two starts in bumpers and not much more from her sole hurdles start. She did travel a little better than the ones that were well beaten and there could be a little to come.

Form: 895

Forecasts

Floral Bouquet (8/13), Birch Vale (2/1), Blue Baton (10/1), Hidden Dilemma (16/1), Chouquette (20/1), Koala Keel (33/1), Midnight Kate (40/1), West Coast Lass (80/1)

There looks to be very little strength in depth in this with the penalised runners the ones to concentrate on. FLORAL BOUQUET might just have a little improvement left in her than Birch Vale although in truth there’s not much between the two on form. The two Lucinda Russell runners look as though they may battle out the minor placing with Chouquette being the pick of the pair her pedigree suggesting she is capable of better.