12:30 Aintree

Saturday 11 November 2017

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:00

188Bet EBF Stallions 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:31 | Winning time: 5m 8.60s

Barton Knoll²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Adrian Heskin| T: J Mackie| OR: 114| D

8/1

Will more than likely need to improve on what he's done over hurdles so far with a penalty to carry here for his Wetherby win last time. Travelled well in that race although idled late on and both the second and third have been beaten since.

Form: 692-21

Delire D'Estruval²²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling

9/4

Makes his stable/GB debut here having run on bumper and over hurdles and fences in France. Only win so far came in a bumper but represents powerful connections and it will be interesting to see how the market rates him.

Form: 1P3232-

Flemenskill¹⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: W Greatrex

12/1

Makes his debut over hurdles having had three bumper runs with the best of them being his second one when he finished runner-up in a small field at Ffos Las. May well be capable of better and this trip should suit but a bit to prove at the moment.

Form: 320-

Hear No Evil²¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

5/2

Two efforts in bumpers confirmed that he had ability although he still looked a little bit of a rough diamond on the second occasion. Now goes hurdling after a break for a yard that continue to do well and he must be considered.

Form: 32-

Hidden Impact^t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: Miss R Curtis

40/1

Another one who has had a couple of outings in bumpers (8 months apart) and he looked to find the relative test of speed against him last time. Now goes over hurdles with the tongue-tie back on and over a more suitable trip.

Form: 2/2-8

Imperial Eloquence¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Shoemark| T: F O'Brien

14/1

Has had more experience than a lot of these and despite scoring on his debut in a bumper hasn't really progressed as expected. Fell on his hurdles debut and looked to need the run last time he should know more but this is tougher than those two runs.

Form: 2/320-F4

Overworkdunderpaid²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon

16/1

Winner of an Irish point-to-point where he finished alone he now makes his hurdles debut having shown promise in his only start under Rules so far (Ffos Las bumper). Travelled well in that outing but may just need further than this 2m4f.

Form: 321-3

Spider's Bite²⁰⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly

25/1

Got off the mark in bumpers at the third attempt beating a small field at Ludlow in April. Still looked to need the experience last time and could do so again making his hurdling bow; trip looks to suit but maybe a chaser in the making.

Form: R71-

The Dellercheckout²⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: S Bowen| T: P F Nicholls

9/2

Wasn't cheap at £260,000 as a four-year-old and is a big rangy horse who won his only point-to-point in Ireland on soft ground (finished alone). Has some good relations on the dam's side and sure to go well coming from a top yard.

Form: 1-

Forecasts

Delire D'Estruval (9/4), Hear No Evil (5/2), The Dellercheckout (9/2), Barton Knoll (8/1), Flemenskill (12/1), Imperial Eloquence (14/1), Overworkdunderpaid (16/1), Spider's Bite (25/1), Hidden Impact (40/1)

Quite a few of these are going to improve with this experience under their belts and it won’t be a surprise to see a lot of them showing their best over fences and 3m. The Dellercheckout wasn’t cheap and he’ll need to be pretty good to recoup his purchase price having so far won just one point-to-point but given his connections he must be respected. Barton Knoll could well put his experience to good use and he along with Hear No Evil start to give this race some depth. DELIRE D'ESTRUVAL is another with plenty of experience and his owners are no strangers to bring over a good horse from France and he’s expected to go well for the Ben Pauling yard who are 5/22 in the past fortnight.