Frome Scaffolding Group EBF Stallions 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 3m 44.3s

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Selected odds by:

Edwardstone²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

6/1

Runner up on all three Bumper runs last season showing a similar level of ability on each occasion on good to soft/soft. Likely to need further in time and stiff task on hurdling debut.

Form: 222-

Espion¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

33/1

Green on only start when midfield in Bumper on this card last year. Presumably had issues as not seen since and others may have too much knowhow at this stage.

Form: 5-

Fiddlerontheroof²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard

4/6

Off the mark at third attempt in bumpers when trained in Ireland when scoring on soft ground at Navan. Subsequently sold for £200,000 and encouraging start over hurdles for these connections when runner up in 2m4f Grade 2 at Chepstow last month.

Form: 4/5321-2

First Lord De Cuet²³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe

9/1

Point-to-point winner and easily off the mark in Plumpton Bumper in March (good to soft). Nice prospect for hurdling but this looks a tough assignment st make debut in.

Form: 121-

Flic Ou Voyou²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| CD

2/1

Pair of Bumper wins here last season before finishing down the field at Cheltenham. Raced keenly from the front when beaten a neck on hurdling debut at Chepstow recently but third has franked the form and return to this venue will suit.

Form: 4/110-2

Folly Gate^t1

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Chester Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J WilliamsWS

50/1

Dam won over 3m over fences and is related to plenty of winners who all stayed well so likely to find this too sharp on racecourse debut.

Form:

Starsky²¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Katie O'Farrell⁽⁵⁾| T: P F NichollsWS

20/1

Placed in pair of good ground bumpers in the spring. Wind operation since and now goes hurdling but yard have more obvious candidate in Flic Ou Voyou.

Form: 23-

Who Shot Jr¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁷⁾| T: C L Tizzard

100/1

50/1 when third on second start in bumpers last spring but showed little on recent hurdling debut and hard to make a case for in this stronger contest.

Form: 93-0

Forecasts

Fiddlerontheroof (4/6), Flic Ou Voyou (2/1), Edwardstone (6/1), First Lord De Cuet (9/1), Starsky (20/1), Espion (33/1), Folly Gate (50/1), Who Shot Jr (100/1)

FIDDLERONTHEROOF was thrown in at the deep end on hurdling debut in the "Persian War" last month but ran really well to be second and can cope with this drop in trip. Paul Nicholls usually unleashes a smart type in this race and has won it four times in the last five years, and Flic Ou Voyou showed more than enough on hurdling debut to be considered a big threat. Edwardstone is another who has shown promise but may have to settle for minor honours in this warm contest.