Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 5m 42.9s

Mizen Master^t⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Fergus Gregory⁽¹⁰⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 125

11/10

Unsurprisingly showed improvement on his handicap/stable debut with a first-time tongue strap on off a mark of 104. Failed to follow-up under a penalty but may have shown more progression last time out when landing a Market Rasen novice giving weight all-round.

Form: 388-121

Boy In A Bentley^p,t²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 117| BF

6/5

A record of 0/10 with six placed efforts probably start to tell you something about him and he clearly threw away a good opportunity last time out at Stratford. Despite travelling strongly he was outbattled on the run-in and his attitude is questionable.

Form: P623-22

Dubh Des Champs²³³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Dowson⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby

33/1

Only had the one start for Harry Fry before joining his current stable and looked badly in need of the experience and finished well held at Wincanton in January. First run for this yard and he'll need to improve to trouble the principals here.

Form: 0-

Strong Resemblance³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: James Moffatt| OR: 102

7/1

Form in three novice hurdles all over C&D can only be described as modest with his best effort coming on his penultimate start when a 4L runner -up. Failed to match that form last time out and would be better in low-grade handicaps.

Form: 53-524

I'll Run With You¹⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer

33/1

Cost €5,000 as a three-year-old with the dam a maiden half-sister to the useful/hurdler chaser The Railway Man. Three runs in Irish point-to-points showed little (fell on second start) and best watched on Rules debut.

Form: 3F5-

Forecasts

Mizen Master (11/10), Boy In A Bentley (6/5), Strong Resemblance (7/1), Dubh Des Champs (33/1), I'll Run With You (33/1)

No depth at all to this opening contest and it looks to boil down to a straightforward contest between MIZEN MASTER and Boy In A Bentley. The former has to give a fair amount of weight away here but looks to be capable of that with the attitude of the latter in question here and the long run-in could prove a challenge for his rider. Of the others Strong Resemblance just edges the vote for the minor placing ahead of Dubh Des Champs who may well yet improve for his new yard.