188bet.co.uk Juvenile Hurdle

Off time: 13:35 | Winning time: 4m 14.7s

Albert's Back²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: M & D Easterby| CD

5/4

Sent off at 18-1 but impressed when beating a field of maidens on his debut over C&D (soft) last month. Front pair had 7L to spare over third that day and it is a fair bet that he will improve for it, so could again go well under his penalty.

Form: 1

American Craftsman⁵⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-6| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| CD

11/4

Rated 9lb inferior to Albert's Back on the Flat but like that rival he also made a good debut over C&D (good) when scoring in October at 16-1. Third (beaten 5½L) in Listed company here last time. Should be very competitive under a penalty.

Form: 13

Cornerstone Lad³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| D

3/1

Of similar ability to the top two on the Flat, where he won over 1m4f (soft) at Pontefract in October. Made successful hurdles debut (2m, heavy) at Hexham last month. Bare form of that suggests he needs a fair bit of improvement to defy penalty.

Form: 1

About Glory⁶¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: A Nicol| T: J Riches| BF

50/1

Conditions were much quicker when he recorded his sole success in a 1m2f Brighton handicap in June for Richard Hannon, though handled cut well enough back there in October. Tough enough assignment, however, on hurdles debut.

Form:

Turning Gold⁹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

12/1

Won two in quick succession over 1m (including on soft) at Yarmouth in July for Sir Mark Prescott. Rated 79 and therefore the best of these on the Flat going into this. WIll be well prepared and can give a good account if stamina holds up.

Form:

Wishmaker²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: W T Kennedy| T: T Coyle & K Wood

16/1

Showed a bit of ability in bumpers (both on good ground) in October/November, though well beaten on hurdles debut (soft) at Newcastle earlier in the month. Will need plenty of improvement on that in this field.

Form: 344

Forecasts

Albert's Back (5/4), American Craftsman (11/4), Cornerstone Lad (3/1), Turning Gold (12/1), Wishmaker (16/1), About Glory (50/1)

Intriguing despite the small field. Principal players should be the penalised trio of Albert's Back and American Craftsman, both of whom who have already won over C&D this season, and Cornerstone Lad, whose win at Hexham was perhaps not quite as strong. However, all three have proved that winning on debut over hurdles is far from impossible and the suggestion in receipt of weight from that trio is TURNING GOLD. If Nigel Twiston-Davies's charge can transfer his Flat abilities to this sphere, then he could take plenty of beating.