Deepbridge Capital Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 6m 32.2s

Carlos Du Fruitier²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 127| BF

3/1

Won a bumper and a novices' hurdle (2m3½f, good to soft) in 2017. Sent off favourite for reappearance/handicap debut at Doncaster in December but fell there and then dismounted when pulled up last time. Not easy to get back on track under penalty.

Form: 20-21FP

Good Man Pat⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| OR: 127| BF

7/2

Point-to-point winner who is 0-4 under rules but has nonetheless been improving. Stays 3m and handles soft ground and a repeat of either of his last two efforts would see him right in the mix again.

Form: P-13224

Knockrobin^t1²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 123

5/1

Irish maiden point-to-point winner who improved for his rules debut when beaten under 4L into second at Kelso (2m6½f, soft) last time. Will need to take another step up on that, but tongue-tie may help and he is short-listed.

Form: 1-42

Well Smitten²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex

8/1

Still in there pitching when unseating this jockey two out at Lingfield (2m3½f, soft) in November. Tailed off in an Ascot maiden hurdle (2m) last time. Plenty of stamina in pedigree and interesting now stepped up to this trip. Potential improver.

Form: 726-U7

Applesolutely^h1³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: M G Nolan| T: R Mitford-Slade

7/4

Returned successfully to rules competition for the first time in 20-months when winning a Taunton maiden hurdle (3m, soft) comfortably at 20-1 last month. Runner-up has since franked the form and she will be tough to beat in receipt of weight.

Form: 0342-21

Forecasts

Applesolutely (7/4), Carlos Du Fruitier (3/1), Good Man Pat (7/2), Knockrobin (5/1), Well Smitten (8/1)

APPLESOLUTELY's Taunton win may have come out of left field at the time, but she had the top two in the market in second and third there. The beaten favourite in that maiden hurdle has since won one at Musselburgh by 6L, so it does look to be a fluke and the mare is taken to follow-up. Carlos Du Fruitier has the ability but needs to get back on track and with Good Man Pat a likely danger, Knockrobin likely to be on plenty of short-lists and Well Smitten far from written off, this is not an easy race despite being back against novices.