Smarkets Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 5m 29.4s

King Calvin^t¹²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber| D

6/1

Acted on soft ground between the flags, where he won twice before making a decent debut when 16-1 and 9L fourth (2m6f, good) at Stratford in November. Should come on for that and possibly also this softer ground. Not ruled out.

Form: 85211-4

Samburu Shujaa²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 127

11/8

Placed in a bumper (soft) and two novices' hurdles, also both on testing ground. Steps up a bit further in trip again here, which could help and looks to have place claims again at the very least.

Form: 02-33

Secret Investor^t²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls

10/11

Made a decent start over hurdles when placed at Ascot (2m3½f, good to soft) and Kempton (2m5f, good), though beaten 19L (3m½f, soft) back there next time. Dropped out quickly at Doncaster last time and could be vulnerable on this ground.

Form: 12-227

Sustainable Star¹²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: R P McLernon| T: Mrs R Ford

250/1

Well beaten in a bumper and two novices' hurdles so far and is impossible to recommend on that evidence in a field like this.

Form: 909

Waitinonasunnyday⁹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Philip Donovan⁽⁷⁾| T: M Blake

200/1

Has beaten just one opponents home in three runs so far, pulling up in his last two. Can't make any sort of case for him on that basis.

Form: 60PP

Forecasts

Secret Investor (10/11), Samburu Shujaa (11/8), King Calvin (6/1), Waitinonasunnyday (200/1), Sustainable Star (250/1)

Secret Investor sets the standard here and if able to reproduce his second run at Kempton, he would probably win. However, he faded fast at Doncaster last time, which is a concern, as is his ability to act on soft ground given that his best effort and his point-to-point win were on good. Conversely, KING CALVIN may be better suited by a bit of cut and he is taken to build on a promising debut and come good this time. Samburu Shujaa is the other obvious contender and is certainly not ruled out.