14:00 Market Rasen

Sunday 11 March 2018

All14:0014:3015:0515:3516:1016:4017:10

188Bet Cheltenham Festival Preview Evening 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:07 | Winning time: 4m 32.6s

Ballyvic Boru⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: C R King| T: B Ellison

6/4

Promising gelding who won a Perth maiden hurdle in July and was back to form last time when winning a 'jumpers' bumper' at Newcastle. Carries a penalty here but there should be more to come and he may be able to defy it.

Form: 213-151

Brianstorm⁵⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 11-8| J: Unknown| T: W Greatrex| OR: 132

Form: 1-53231

First Drift¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁵⁾| T: B I Case| D

6/4

Has improved with each run over hurdles and broke his duck in this discipline at Doncaster last time when staying on well to score over a similar trip. Will have to improve to defy his penalty for that success, but no reason why he can't.

Form: 1/15-451

Midnight Shadow⁵⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 11-8| J: Unknown| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

Form: 27-1222

Or De Vassy⁷⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-8| J: Unknown| T: D Skelton| OR: 122| BF

Form: 22-3102

Booyakasha⁵⁶

Age: 13| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: N G Richards

Form: 6-30

Cash To Ash¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

28/1

33-1 ahead of his recent Southwell hurdles debut (1m7½f, soft), where he finished 19L third. Can improve for that outing, but whether he will find enough today to trouble the principals remains to remain.

Form: F-86P53

Echnaton³¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: L Wadham| OR: 97

Form: 0-8900

Flemenstrix³⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: C E Longsdon

Form: 4

George Gently¹⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: D Skelton| BF

Form: 2-P

Ilewin Geez¹⁸

Age: 15| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: C J Mann

Form: 13/2

Oologist⁴¹

Age: 14| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: J Gallagher| OR: 99

Form: 7-PPF88

Robert De Bruce^t1²⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr

66/1

Market expectations have not been high in any of his four starts in a bumper and over hurdles. His performances have largely reflected that, though there was a bit more encouragement last time back over this trip at Uttoxeter.

Form: 3U476-4

Shivermetimbers⁶⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 11-1| J: Unknown| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 119

Form: 1-U72

Sizing Cusimano⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard

3/1

Showed promise in a bumper and the first of two novices' hurdles at Taunton (2m½f, soft) in December, though perhaps didn't cope as well with heavy ground last time. Likely to be more to come and a market check is suggested.

Form: 666

Forecasts

First Drift (6/4), Ballyvic Boru (6/4), Sizing Cusimano (3/1), Cash To Ash (28/1), Robert De Bruce (66/1)

Ballyvic Boru arrives in good form after his bumper win at Newcastle, though preference is for the also-penalised FIRST DRIFT, who is showing gradual improvement and may be able to defy his extra burden for winning at Doncaster. Sizing Cusimano is the most interesting of the remainder.