Recommended bets: 1pt win Shaama Grise in 2.45 Exeter at 9/4 (General)
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I can understand that some would be tempted to lay Global Stage in the opening EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle at Warwick.
After all he was turned over at short odds last time and faces a Listed winner in the form of Coo Star Sivola (conceding 10lbs) as well as a potential improver from Paul Nicholls' stable.
You could also argue that he was flattered to finish as close as he did in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle but I'm more inclined to take that form at closer to face value with the six-year-old having also shown a decent level of form in his sole bumper start.
He may just have found the run at Leicester coming too soon after being set such a stiff task on his hurdling debut and he can set the record straight.
He doesn't get the nod for this column though with Shaama Grise preferred.
She, too, heads the market and can justify favouritism in the Brewin Dolphin Mares' Handicap Hurdle having dotted up at Chepstow last time.
She's a stone higher than for that success so will have to improved considerably but it was just her second start for David Pipe having joined from Guillaume Macaire and the stable have enjoyed plenty of success with this type of purchase in the past.
Indeed, it looks significant that she has, this week, been given entries in the Coral Cup and County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and she will need to win well this afternoon to have any chance of getting a run in either contest with the weights announced next week.
Indeed, with a handful of firms, including Sky Bet, offering non-runner no bet on the Cheltenham Festival you could do worse than throw a pound at her for those races if you fancy her today as there's sure to be a reaction if she wins impressively and if she doesn't, she won't be running.
Posted at 0845 GMT on 24/02/17.
