Greenhead Hotel Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:18 | Winning time: 6m 11.79s

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Selected odds by:

Fortune The Brave¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: G Sheehan| T: J C McConnell| OR: 103

5/1

2½m bumper winner. Little impact in maidens but likely campaigned with handicaps in mind. Unseated at first hurdle on handicap debut at Punchestown (wore cheekpieces) but still appeals as the type to do better now handicapping, with Gavin Sheehan an interesting jockey booking (sole ride here).

Form: 3109-7U

Brave Adam^p1,t⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: J Candlish| OR: 103| D

7/1

Fair chaser and operates from 2 lb lower over hurdles. Didn't see his race out (following 3 months off) when pulled-up on final start over hurdles for Thomas Cooper in April. Wears cheekpieces (alongside usual tongue strap) for stable debut and it would be no surprise see him competitive here.

Form: 01954P-

Man Of Action¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Dylan Johnston⁽³⁾| T: Gary Rutherford| OR: 96| CD

1/1

Has improved for longer trips/handicaps, successful on handicap debut over this C&D last month and followed up when strong at the finish at Perth 2 weeks ago. Should make a bold bid for the hat-trick.

Form: 04-411

Balally Park^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Menzies| OR: 95

16/1

Ex-Irish maiden hurdler who shaped as if back in form when fourth in maiden hurdle at Sedgefield in December and shaped better than bare result following 6 months off at Cartmel last time, in fourth when losing all momentum at the last. Could outrun his odds.

Form: 7/9684-9

Perfect Poli^t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Lizzie Quinlan| OR: 88

33/1

Shaped like a stayer on hurdle debut in November 2023 but absent for 17 months prior to this season. Showed a bit more than on her belated comeback when fifth of 8 in a Cartmel novice (22.1f) last month but it remains to be seen whether she can build on that now handicapping.

Form: 466/P-5

Foxwood^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Joe Williamson⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 77

13/2

Longstanding maiden made an unpromising return to action over this C&D in May and while he did step up plenty when fourth in a 2½m handicap here 15 days ago, he looks exposed. Will need to improve for the step back up in trip.

Form: 3/735-F4

Belladinotte¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Bannister| T: Sara Ender| OR: 76

15/2

Little impact in 5 starts for Mark Walford and well beaten in 2 Points in March. Immediately bettered those efforts on stable debut when runner-up at Southwell (24.3f) from 1 lb out the weights earlier this month. That remains just poor form and she'll need to step forward again to win this.

Form: P57P7-2

Forecasts

Man Of Action (1/1), Fortune The Brave (5/1), Foxwood (13/2), Brave Adam (7/1), Belladinotte (15/2), Balally Park (16/1), Perfect Poli (33/1)

C&D winner MAN OF ACTION arrives in excellent heart having landed the double at Perth 2 weeks ago and he's taken to complete the hat-trick at the expense of Fortune The Brave, who has likely been campaigned with handicaps in mind and may well be better than he's shown so far, while Brave Adam isn't ruled out from his slightly lower hurdles mark on stable debut.