Royal British Legion 'Thank You' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 4m 52.40s

Rebel Royal¹³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 126

3/1

Scored at Kempton before narrowly failing to give 7lb to Tuesday's winner Commodore Barry. Sets a high standard here and worth checking how the stable's horses do in the earlier races given their relatively modest 1-28 record in the last two weeks.

Form: 771-2

Commanche Red¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon

10/11

Half-brother to an Irish Cesarewitch winner and a rare bumper winner for the yard at Kempton. Took his chance in a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree and not disgraced. Held in some regard and has been found a good opportunity on hurdling debut.

Form: 316-

Dorking Cock¹⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: T Lacey

11/4

Looked in need of the experience when fourth in a very good Newbury bumper on debut. Trainer does not come here often and rider 25-85 for the stable.

Form: 4-

Roystory⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins

66/1

By Top Notch Tonto's sire Thousand Words out of a dam who was placed in a bumper. Soon in trouble on bumper debut in August and hard to fancy in this company.

Form: P

White Valiant^p1¹⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: John Berry| C

14/1

Picked up two bumpers last term including one here. Has not jumped well in two previous starts over hurdles and cheekpieces tried here.

Form: 181/25-4

Forecasts

Commanche Red (10/11), Dorking Cock (11/4), Rebel Royal (3/1), White Valiant (14/1), Roystory (66/1)

It would be wrong to say the Skelton team are under a cloud but a 1-28 record over the past two weeks (at time of writing) is not the rate of return one would expect. Rebel Royal sets the standard but has to concede a penalty to two nice horses from respected yards. Comanche Red landed a Kempton bumper for this yard and is clearly one his trainer will expect to land a race of this nature before long. On this occasion DORKING COCK is favoured as he represents a trainer/rider combination who have forged an impressive record. The gelding looked green on debut but acquitted himself in a bumper against some top-class prospects.