12:45 Kempton

Tuesday 26 December 2017

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

32red Casino Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 4m 0.5s

If The Cap Fits⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 139| D

6/4

Impressive winner of hurdles races at Exeter (2m2½f, good) and Bangor (2m½f, soft) already, form of latter win franked when runner-up Solomon Grey scored wide margin success since. Big player though yard quiet lately (1-17).

Form: 114-11

Diese Des Bieffes²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: S Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 128| D

4/1

Has done things nicely in scoring at Fontwell (2m1½f, good) and Taunton (2m½f, good) so far over timber. Champion trainer usually has decent prospect in this race, soft ground would be an unknown.

Form: 5-11

Irish Prophecy²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 131| CD

10/1

Dual bumper scorer last term and winning start over hurdles in Sandown maiden (2m, good to soft) in November. Chased home useful sort next time at Doncaster and should be in the mix again.

Form: 11-12

Solomon Grey²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 129| D

7/1

No match for If The Cap Fits at Bangor last month but stepped up on that effort to score ready success at Plumpton (2m, good to soft) 22 days ago. Yard in super form but is 4lb worse off with that rival now.

Form: 232-221

Airtight⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: G & J Moore

66/1

Runner-up in Fontwell bumper in May and too keen on reappearance in that sphere at Ascot last month, fading to be 5¼L sixth of six. Must settle better on hurdles bow and facing some useful opposition.

Form: 26

Ar Mest²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| BF

66/1

May lack the pace to go with some of these based on bumper runs at Ascot and Lingfield (AW) recently. Second runner for the Moore team in this and both have plenty to work on seemingly.

Form: 53

Simply The Betts²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Cooper| T: H Whittington

3/1

Well-backed to land a Market Rasen bumper in September on debut and didn't let supporters down, fair debut over timber at Newbury this month (2m½f, soft) in finishing third and should be more to come.

Form: 13

Storm Home³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard

16/1

Sound effort on debut at Wincanton (1m7f, good) to be second having pulled hard early on, may have found 2m5f on soft ground too far back there 33 days ago and not discounted now dropped in trip again.

Form: F/25

Forecasts

If The Cap Fits (6/4), Simply The Betts (3/1), Diese Des Bieffes (4/1), Solomon Grey (7/1), Irish Prophecy (10/1), Storm Home (16/1), Ar Mest (66/1), Airtight (66/1)

IF THE CAP FITS was most impressive when accounting for Solomon Grey at Bangor last month, making it two from two over hurdles in the process. The runner-up came up with an improved performance of his own to win readily at Plumpton since, ensuring the form looks strong. Given that Harry Fry's charge is now 4lb better off with Solomon Grey and likely to improve again, he's hard to oppose in this opener. Anything sent to this race from Seven Barrows is respected, so it would be churlish to write off Diese Des Bieffes, ready winner of both hurdles starts to date, though yet to race on soft ground. Irish Prophecy is also entitled to be involved when it matters while Storm Home should find this shorter trip more to his liking.