13:15 Newbury

Saturday 10 February 2018

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:40

Read Paul Nicholls Exclusively At Betfair Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 4m 17.82s

Whatswrongwithyou^h²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 133| CD

11/8

Bumper winner was an impressive scorer over C&D last month on second start over hurdles, making smooth progress to take things up at the last flight and seeing off previous wide-margin winner. Strong claims again.

Form: 1012-21

Air Navigator⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| D

9/2

Two wins from three in bumpers, sole defeat when close second in Listed Cheltenham contest in November. Defied penalty to score at Haydock in heavy going in December. Yeats gelding is notable newcomer to this discipline.

Form: 1-21

Another Crick^h²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: Noel Williams

14/1

Some useful bumper form and finished best of the rest behind easy winner Brianstorn in Novices' Hurdle over this trip last month at Taunton on second hurdles start. Further improvement needed here.

Form: 4-56242

Filemon^h1,t⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Page Fuller⁽⁵⁾| T: Jamie Snowden

33/1

Promising debut effort in Fontwell bumper on good to firm in May but well held in pair of novice hurdles since returning from summer break, both over C&D and beaten combined tally of more than 100L. Hood added today.

Form: 480

Grapevine⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson

6/1

80 rated dual 1m2f winner on the flat for Charles Hills, weakened late on in hurdles bow at Taunton (2m½f, soft) in December. Must improve and looks second best of Henderson pair here.

Form: 5

Hardness⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

25/1

French import, not unfancied for Chepstow debut for Hobbs team in November but finished tailed off. Similar tale at Wincanton a week ago. Better ground may help but much to work on right now.

Form: 87

Nelson's Touch²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J W Mullins

12/1

Some fine efforts in defeat last season in bumpers, including in Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. Unable to open account in four Flat runs and beaten thick end of 20L behind Whatswrongwithyou on debut for this yard over jumps this C&D last month.

Form: 33240-5

Rockpoint⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 121| BF

4/1

Consistent in four starts over timber this season without opening his account, close-up third in Exeter handicap (2m2½f, soft) before Christmas and no surprise if he makes presence felt here.

Form: 5-4353

Skinflint⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Michael Heard⁽⁵⁾| T: D Pipe

25/1

Six-year-old has taken a while to make the track having joined this yard after promising point-to-point run in March 2016. Spent 647 days off and not achieved enough in pair of Taunton novice events to warrant support in this field.

Form: 2/P8

The Premier Celtic⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Phelan

66/1

Sent off 100/1 chance on hurdles bow at Kempton (2m, good to soft) in November and never managed to get into contention having been held up. Seemingly facing similarly tough task here.

Form: 77

Forecasts

Whatswrongwithyou (11/8), Rockpoint (4/1), Air Navigator (9/2), Grapevine (6/1), Nelson's Touch (12/1), Another Crick (14/1), Skinflint (25/1), Hardness (25/1), Filemon (33/1), The Premier Celtic (66/1)

Air Navigator is a potentially very useful recruit to the hurdling ranks based on his bumper efforts and he is much-respected on this first test over obstacles. Equally, Rockpoint has done little wrong in four starts over flights and should be off the mark somewhere soon. He ran well in an Exeter handicap before Christmas and is a danger receiving weight from his likely market rivals now. There was a lot to like about the manner in which WHATSWRONGWITHYOU saw off a previous winner to open his account over C&D winner last month however and, with the champion trainer enjoying a rich spell, he should take the beating again. Nelson's Touch was a fair way behind the selection in that contest, but could easily have more to offer with the benefit of that hurdling debut under his belt.