starsports.bet Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 4m 5.1s

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Selected odds by:

Cracking Destiny²⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Ian Williams

14/1

Irish point-to-point winner who cost £100,000 and has failed to live up to expectations in two bumpers and a hurdle. Has left Nicky Henderson and debuts for an in-form yard with headgear left off.

Form: 1/946-

Khage³³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: H Whittington

11/4

Showed promise on bumper debut but failed to build on that next time. Has been given time since and has switched to a yard that have been quiet lately.

Form: 35-

Markhan^t⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: G Elliott

6/1

Triple Fat winner shaped lot better last time than he did on hurdling debut. Trainer has a 3-5 career record with hurdlers here.

Form: 03

Melekhov¹⁷¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

1/1

Dual bumper winner from a stable in form. Will be facing quicker conditions and he shapes as though needing further, but definitely one to consider.

Form: 211-

Shantaluze²¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| BF

8/1

Picked up for £40,000 in November following his 2L victory at Tinahely a year ago. Impressive on debut but finished a well-beaten third of four next time under similar conditions. Arrives with trainer and jockey in excellent form.

Form: 5/113-

Soldier Of Love²⁰⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N D Fehily| T: F O'Brien

10/1

Only just came up short in a steadily-run bumper at Ascot (2m, good) when trained by Mark Pitman in November and that form has worked out well. Disappointing in the mud next time and interesting to see if there is market support.

Form: 27-

Forecasts

Melekhov (1/1), Khage (11/4), Markhan (6/1), Shantaluze (8/1), Soldier Of Love (10/1), Cracking Destiny (14/1)

Melekhov and Shantaluze are promising recruits from the bumper ranks. Both represent yards in excellent form but it may pay to side with the hurdling experience of MARKHAN who was fairly useful on the Flat. He may have too much speed on this ground for his rivals who may want further and who have only proven themselves on soft ground.