MintBet Freebet 2nd To SP Favourite EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 3m 49.5s

Shiroccan Roll²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle

7/1

Showed promise in two bumpers last term and got off to best possible start when winning on hurdles bow at Newton Abbot last month. This is much tougher under his penalty but another good show cannot be ruled out.

Form: 5-31

Awake At Midnight¹⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 118| BF

10/11

Generally consistent last term in maiden and handicap hurdles but just came up short on a few occasions. Represents top team and may do better this year, so looks one for the short list.

Form: 5/23237-

Back On The Lash¹⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: M Keighley| D

12/1

German bred gelding who showed a good attitude when winning on debut in a Ludlow bumper, beating a long odds-on favourite. Yard have modest 8% strike rate here but he is very interesting on hurdles bow.

Form: 1

Family Man^t1¹⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

25/1

Modest placed point-to-point form and makes his Rules debut wearing a first time tongue-tie. Looks more of a long term project and may struggle here.

Form: 3-2

Skidoosh¹⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| CD

2/1

Made a winning debut in a bumper at this track last season then twice ran well in defeat, including in a listed event before being outclassed in the Aintree Festival Bumper. Hurdles debut now for good yard and market may tell the story.

Form: 1520-

Spring Storm²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: James Best| T: J Farrelly

150/1

Shown precious little in two bumper starts to date so despite yard being in good from at present is very hard to enthuse over in a fair contest on hurdles bow.

Form: 07

Forecasts

Awake At Midnight (10/11), Skidoosh (2/1), Shiroccan Roll (7/1), Back On The Lash (12/1), Family Man (25/1), Spring Storm (150/1)

AWAKE AT MIDNIGHT looks the type to improve this term having just come up short on a number of occasions last season. He should be stronger now and can get off the mark for the campaign at this first time of asking. Back On The Lash may be the main danger having won his only start in good style in a bumper, while Newton Abbot hurdles winner Shiroccan Roll is repsected but may be found out by his winner's penalty. If Skidoosh attrracts any money he would be well worth considering on hurdles debut in an interesting little race.