EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 5m 43.1s

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Selected odds by:

Skandiburg⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: G Sheehan| T: O Murphy| OR: 123

1/1

Comfortably justified short odds when scoring on his second hurdles start at Fakenham (2m4f, good to soft) in December; upped in trip (should stay); encounters similar ground conditions around another sharp circuit.

Form: 4-131

Stoney Rover²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: K Scott| OR: 120

11/2

Stable star for Galashiels trainer Katie Scott and retains plenty of potential for the future; handles a sound surface but has stepped up a notch or two under softer conditions at Hexham (2m4f) of late; likeable type.

Form: 83U212

Trixster³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Charlie Price⁽⁷⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 125

6/4

Has ample experience over hurdles (2-8) having bypassed the bumper options early in his career; clearly following an upward trajectory, recording a second win in game fashion at Chepstow (2m7f+, heavy) latest.

Form: 5F5-121

Strathy¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Lucy Alexander| T: J S Goldie

200/1

Light on ability in bumpers with no further improvement since switched to hurdling (pulled up on two of his three starts); tries a new trip; very unlikely.

Form: 70-0PP0

Top Of The Charts^p1⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex

20/1

Still searching for that elusive number one spot after a couple of what can only be described as poor attempts over hurdles (2m-2m3f+) so far; tries a new trip with cheekpieces applied and the Champion Jockey booked to ride.

Form: 030P

Forecasts

Skandiburg (1/1), Trixster (6/4), Stoney Rover (11/2), Top Of The Charts (20/1), Strathy (200/1)

Top Of The Charts has proved to be more of a miss than a hit so far and Strathy can't be considered in any shape or form, so the likeliest winner is one of the penalised trio. Skandiburg and Trixster are potentially slightly better suited to the forecast ground conditions than STONEY ROVER but Katie Scott's 6yo is a promising individual who chased home an above average type (Highland Hunter) at Hexham (2m4f). He can take this step up in trip in his stride around a far less demanding circuit.