bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 16:13 | Winning time: 5m 31.06s

Lil Rockerfeller¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: N B King| OR: 153| C

8/1

Winner of a Grade 2 contest over an extended 2m3f at Ascot (good-to-soft) in November and finished third at Fontwell in first time blinkers in February. Highly tried the last twice and one to note in this.

Form: 31620P

Old Guard¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 156

10/1

Seventh in this race last year and saw off Lil Rockerfeller when winning at Fontwell (2m3f, good-to-soft) in February. Well beaten over 3m at Aintree last time and this trip looks more suitable.

Form: 315417

Wholestone¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 161| D

6/4

Winner of a Grade 2 contest on heavy ground at Cheltenham in January and placed in Grade 1 company the last twice. Likely to prove hard to beat with soft ground forecast in his favour here.

Form: 261232

Boite^p,t⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| OR: 148

20/1

Successful off a mark of 139 at Taunton (2m3f, soft) on his first outing since wind surgery in January. Well held in handicap company last time out and more needed if he's to take this.

Form: 03-21F0

Call Me Lord⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 157| C

6/4

Successful four times from eight starts over hurdles most recently over 2m on heavy ground here in January. Beaten a neck over the same C&D last time out and is of interest on his first try at this trip.

Form: 11-3132

Diakali^b¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 150

16/1

Grade 1 winner in France as a juvenile but lightly raced in recent seasons. Attempted to make all on his debut for this yard at Aintree (2m4f, soft) recently and others have a more obvious chance in this.

Form: 410/41-6

Forecasts

Call Me Lord (6/4), Wholestone (6/4), Lil Rockerfeller (8/1), Old Guard (10/1), Diakali (16/1), Boite (20/1)

The two Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned horses can fight out the finish to this Grade 2 hurdle with preference for WHOLESTONE who has developed into a leading staying hurdler this season and has shown his best form on soft surfaces. Call Me Lord steps up in trip here and he is taken to finish second ahead of Lil Rockerfeller who can reverse Fontwell running with Old Guard.