14:20 Aintree

Friday 7 April 2017

All13:4014:2014:5015:2516:0516:4017:15

Crabbie's Top Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 4m 3.1s

American Gigolo⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: C J Mann

50/1

Jumped badly right and unseated rider on hurdles debut at Sandown but better last time when runner-up at Doncaster. Looks up against it at this level though and plenty more improvement required.

Form: 54/1U27-

Bulkov¹⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 139

100/1

Running okay at Enghien for previous yard but very much in at the deep end on GB debut and likely to struggle on all known form.

Form: 254-833

Chti Balko¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 140

28/1

Career best last time out in heavy ground but looks very well suited to those conditions and this is a different test entirely. Needs to improve to figure.

Form: 35

High Secret¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133

12/1

Respectable on the Flat and made a nice start over hurdles for this yard. Clearly has plenty of ability but trainer has made no secret of how hard he's been to train. Work to do on official figures but likely to have improvement in him and well suited to good ground so plenty to like about his chances.

Form: 1314-

Moon Racer²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 148

4/1

High class hurdler who won the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in 2015. Struggled in the Champion Hurdle last time but gives the impression there's more to come. Jumping was a little untidy last time but this looks an easier race and sets a good form standard.

Form: 11/211P

Mount Mews³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: J M Jefferson| OR: 145

9/4

Won five of his six starts and highly regarded by his trainer. Only blemish was an odds-on defeat at Wetherby when he hit the front too soon. Should take this step up in class in his stride and jockey has a good record at this track.

Form: 1-11

Pingshou²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 133

16/1

Gone downhill since winning at Cheltenham in December and struggled badly in the Supreme last time. Looks out of his depth at this level and yard have been unusually quiet recently.

Form: 8/41401

River Wylde²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 147

9/4

Good third in the Supreme last time and while he was no match for the front two, he beat the rest of the field well enough. Versitile ground wise and should be more to come so looks like an obvious contender with the yard in flying form.

Form: 23-10

The Unit³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 140

7/1

Stayed clear of Cheltenham but very interesting piece of form at Taunton finishing not far behind Air Horse One. Backed that up with a win back at that course and he looks like he relishes faster ground but drop back in trip is a slight concern.

Form: 311213

Forecasts

Mount Mews (9/4), River Wylde (9/4), Moon Racer (4/1), The Unit (7/1), High Secret (12/1), Pingshou (16/1), Chti Balko (28/1), American Gigolo (50/1), Bulkov (100/1)

MOUNT MEWS has won five of his six starts and this looks to have been the target for some time. His only blip was a disappointing Wetherby run at the start of the season but that can be forgiven and his trainer and jockey have an impressive record when teaming up. The Unit loves quicker ground and avoiding Cheltenham looks like the long term plan. High Secret may prove to be value in the market, he has something to find on form but his trainer may have found the key to him. Moon Racer needs to bounce back from a lacklustre effort last time out in the Champion Hurdle.