Ladbrokes 'Where The Nation Plays' Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 12:05 | Winning time: 3m 54.25s

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Selected odds by:

Silver Forever²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139| CD

9/4

Useful novice who continues to improve and is 2-2 over hurdles. Has won on soft, and stays further than this. Made all over this sort of trip last time and should again be a big player.

Form: 1312-11

Early Morning Rain²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: Jamie Snowden

11/1

Bumper winner who scored on her hurdles debut in a mares' maiden at Fontwell last time (soft). That was a decent improvement, and she will need the same again now immediately upped in class.

Form: 7215-1

Floressa²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138| BF| D

10/11

Easy winner of a Worcester mares' novice hurdle on her debut in this discipline and then went down by a short-head to Silver Forever here last time. Has to prove she handles slower ground, but if doing so, she is a contender again.

Form: 12-12

Heaven Help Us²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: P Townend| T: P Hennessy| D

16/1

Scored at Cheltenham on her hurdles debut last month, but held in third when beaten 13L behind both Silver Forever and Floressa here last time. Can't rule her out of the frame again but improvement required to be winning.

Form: 168-013

Jeremys Flame^h²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: G P Cromwell| D

5/1

Listowel maiden hurdle winner on her hurdles debut in September. Improved both starts since and the form of her Grade 3 second at Down Royal last time reads well. Contender.

Form: 13-9142

Martha Brae¹⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex

66/1

Won a good ground Bangor mares' bumper in May. Half-sister to two hurdles winners at up to 2m4f, and out of a 2m3f-2m5f hurdle and chase winner. In good hands, and interesting she is pitched in at this level on her hurdles debut. Market check.

Form: 7-1

Nikap^h²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 119| D

66/1

Improving with each start over hurdles and won at Uttoxeter (soft) last time. However, that form is some way short of the required standard here, so much more needed.

Form: 2/R-441

Valse Au Taillons¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: J Farrelly| OR: 124| D

33/1

Took a while to notch her first hurdles win, but arrives seeking a hat-trick after scoring at Ffos Las (good) and Stratford (2m2½f, good to soft). Needs significant improvement on both those efforts to make an impact in this field.

Form: 4/336-11

Forecasts

Floressa (10/11), Silver Forever (9/4), Jeremys Flame (5/1), Early Morning Rain (11/1), Heaven Help Us (16/1), Valse Au Taillons (33/1), Nikap (66/1), Martha Brae (66/1)

A cracking race in prospect and it should chiefly concern Silver Forever, Floressa and JEREMYS FLAME, and while the English-trained pair are very much feared after their tussle here last time, the Irish-trained runner could take some beating after a very good Grade 3 run last time, and gets the vote.