18:05 Perth

Wednesday 16 May 2018

All18:0518:3519:0519:3520:0520:3521:05

Grampian Hotel Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 18:05 | Winning time: 5m 0.86s

Black N Blue¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: R M Smith

33/1

Well beaten in a bumper on soft ground here when making his debut last month. Probably best watched on hurdling debut.

Form: 0-

Champ¹¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| BF

1/14

Bumper winner on soft ground early last year and ran well to finish a neck second on hurdling debut over an extended 2m5f at Ascot (soft) in January. Top yard are in great form (9/22) at present.

Form: 12/2-

Court Dreaming⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards

8/1

Shaped as if this step up in trip would suit when finishing 15L fifth in a Carlisle bumper over 2m1f on debut in March. Interesting to see how he fares on his debut over obstacles.

Form: 5-

Goliath^t1⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes

50/1

Struggled in three runs to date including when pulled up twice over hurdles in March when trained by Keith Dalgeish. Wears a tongue tie for the first time on debut for a new stable.

Form: 6/PP-

J And M Greengairs²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: R M Smith

50/1

Career best effort came when finishing 25L eighth over 2m on soft ground here last time out. More needed if he's to take this contest.

Form: P58-

Moores Novelty^t1²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 88

20/1

Placed in a point-to-point 12 months ago but struggled since going under rules and wears a tongue tie for the first time having pulled up on handicap debut here last time out.

Form: P/2870P-

Solway Storm⁵⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: Miss L Harrison

28/1

Made a promising debut when finishing third in a Hexham (good-to-soft) bumper in October 2015. Well beaten in two subsequent starts and making his hurdling debut following a long absence.

Form: 370/

Storm Nelson²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile

14/1

Maiden after six starts and interesting to see how he performs here having finished 26L fourth of six over C&D on soft ground last time out.

Form: 47/44P4-

Templenaboe¹²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

9/1

Point-to-point winner but beaten when falling heavily on hurdling debut at Ayr last October and pulled up on his only subsequent outing.

Form: 16/FP-

Espoir Moriviere¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin

40/1

Well held in two novice hurdles at Hexham so far this spring and likely to be of more interest once tackling handicap company.

Form: 5-0

Forecasts

Champ (1/14), Court Dreaming (8/1), Templenaboe (9/1), Storm Nelson (14/1), Moores Novelty (20/1), Solway Storm (28/1), Black N Blue (33/1), Espoir Moriviere (40/1), J And M Greengairs (50/1), Goliath (50/1)

CHAMP sets the standard on form and he can get off the mark in this opening maiden hurdle. Trainer Nicky Henderson is in good form at present and his charge is taken to get the better of Court Dreaming who should appreciate this step up in distance on hurdling debut while Templenaboe can take third.