Sky Sports Racing Coming In 2019 Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 3m 57.4s

Blu Cavalier¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 143

2/13

Arrives in superb form after completing a hat-trick in March/April from 1m7½f-2m4f on heavy/good to soft. Won his bumper on good. Now tries to defy a double penalty but had plenty in hand last time and will be very tough to beat.

Form: 111111

Higgs¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: David Bass| T: S-J Davies| OR: 121| CD

3/1

Has improved since going hurdling and scored at the second attempt over C&D (soft) last month. No reason why he can't continue to go the right way, but carries a penalty here and will need to take another good leap forward to trouble the topweight.

Form: 4021-

Peterborough¹⁷⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

22/1

Cost £60,000 after winning his debut Irish point-to-point last spring. Never involved on his debut in a soft-ground Wincanton bumper in November. Return to a sound surface/obstacles should help and a decent hurdles debut is not ruled out.

Form: 1/8-

Jumbo's Boy³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: James Bowen⁽³⁾| T: P & M Bowen

40/1

Moderate maiden from four runs on the Flat/AW at 7f-1m4f so far (OR 49). Plenty of jumps success in his pedigree, so may do better in this code, but probably one to watch today on the ability we have seen so far.

Form:

Poet's Charm^h¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Kieron Edgar⁽³⁾| T: M Hill

66/1

Has looked decidedly moderate on both the Flat and in three runs over hurdles so far. Yet to make the frame under either code and this looks too tough.

Form: FF-66

Forecasts

Blu Cavalier (2/13), Higgs (3/1), Peterborough (22/1), Jumbo's Boy (40/1), Poet's Charm (66/1)

Paul Nicholls looks to have found a good opportunity for BLU CAVALIER to continue his excellent recent run of form and he is selected to complete a four-timer here, despite the penalties he has to defy. Higgs is coming along nicely and can probably chase him home, with Peterborough the one taken to complete the frame.