Rio Gold Syndicate Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 5m 23.30s

Balibour³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle

40/1

Moderate in four bumpers although best effort his last when fourth of seven at Worcester. Sixth of 12 on hurdles debut at Uttoxeter beaten 27L over 2m4f. Not seen enough to recommend him at present.

Form: 970-46

Good Man Pat²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| BF

1/1

Comfortable winner of a 3m point-to-point was just touched off on hurdles debut at Exeter when third beaten ¾L. Extra 3½f in his favour here and on similar going he will surely be thereabouts again.

Form: P-13

King Calvin^t1²²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber

16/1

Won back to back point-to-points in March both over 2m4f on good to soft ground. Interesting debutant for a trainer who is two from three over hurdles this season.

Form: 85211-

Linenhall²²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| BF

10/3

Ran well in first three bumpers including when 3L third at Exeter (soft) in February. Well beaten as favourite on final start in that sphere and making his hurdling debut today after summer break.

Form: 2435-

Shanroe In Milan¹⁹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 120| BF

11/4

Placed in four of his six hurdle races last summer. Should win a race like this with his experience and this is his going so surely go well.

Form: 242372-

Brockton Gandt²²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Mike Hammond

250/1

Tailed off eighth of 11 in lone racecourse outing to date, a bumper at Southwell last March. Best watched on hurdles debut.

Form: 8-

Non-Runners

Spider's Bite¹⁹¹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: H D Daly J: R Johnson

Forecasts

Good Man Pat (1/1), Shanroe In Milan (11/4), Linenhall (10/3), Spider's Bite (6/1), King Calvin (16/1), Balibour (40/1), Brockton Gandt (250/1)

An interesting race to start things off and it may pay to side with GOOD MAN PAT who ran well on his hurdles debut. This extra distance should suit as a 3m point-to-point winner so he can improve on that effort at Exeter. Spider's Bite won a Ludlow bumper over 2m but this should be much more to his liking distance wise and it will be no surprise if he goes well on debut with the champion jockey booked. King Calvin is an interesting recruit from point-to-pointing where he won twice and he is not ruled out either.