BoyleSports Supports Safer Gambling Week EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:26 | Winning time: 5m 19.34s

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Selected odds by:

Minella Double²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| D

10/3

Successful on second of 2 starts in Irish points. Disappointing on Rules debut in a bumper, but proved a different proposition when making a winning start over hurdles at Hexham (2½m, heavy) last month. Open to improvement and merits respect, for all that this is a much tougher assignment.

Form: F/15-1

Josh The Boss^t³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Jamie Neild⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

6/4

Brother to a useful hurdler and showed fair form in bumpers, scoring at Kempton in March. Surpassed that form when routing the opposition on return/debut in this sphere at Warwick (21f, good), doing the job in the manner of one destined for better things. The one to beat.

Form: 0414-1

Flash In The Park³⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling

10/3

Half-brother to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler Foggy's Wall. Fetched £350,000 after winning an Irish maiden point by 20 lengths last November and has joined a respected yard as he embarks on a career under Rules. Interesting to see what the market has to say.

Form: P/1-

Valens Bruyee²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: Miss R Curtis

40/1

Didn't shape at all badly when fourth of 7 in what was probably a decent bumper at Ffos Las (15.8f, good to soft) last month. Likely to do better now moving up in trip for this hurdles bow, but there will be easier opportunities than this.

Form: 4

Wexford Park³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: K Brogan| T: G Hanmer

150/1

£36,000 buy after finishing in the money on both starts in Irish points earlier this year, but was only eighth of 10 starting out under Rules in a Bangor bumper (16.7f, soft). Pitched into a warm race for this hurdles debut and he's readily passed over.

Form: 33-8

Magical King³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

4/1

Third on his sole start between the flags during the spring and promising start under Rules when going close in a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter (2½m, good to soft), just undone by inexperience. Improvement on the cards and highly likely to go one better before long.

Form: 3-2

Pollyonesock¹⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Jack Tudor| T: A Ralph

100/1

Stepped up on what she showed in bumpers when third of 10 on first completed start over hurdles at Stratford (16.3f, soft) in April. However, she didn't appear to get home upped to 21.2f at Ludlow since and she looks up against it in this company.

Form: 796U3-6

Forecasts

Josh The Boss (6/4), Minella Double (10/3), Flash In The Park (10/3), Magical King (4/1), Valens Bruyee (40/1), Pollyonesock (100/1), Wexford Park (150/1)

It was hard not to be impressed by the way JOSH THE BOSS went about his business on debut over hurdles at Warwick and, with the promise of better to come from this 4-y-o, he is hard to oppose. Magical King and Minella Double are both promising, too, with the former marginally preferred for forecast purposes, while point-winner Flash In The Park is one to note in the betting.