Racing UK Free For A Month Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 3m 42.57s

Noah And The Ark¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 12-0| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 120| D

3/1

Produced a mid-division finish on handicap debut at Cheltenham (2m, good) last month after back-to-back good ground novice wins at Stratford and Kelso (2m); conditions ideal, but is carrying a double penalty.

Form: 655119

Normal Norman¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Alain Cawley| T: J Ryan| OR: 122| D

9/4

Dual bumper winner who has made a solid start to life over hurdles, backing up a second placed run at Huntingdon with a maiden success at Market Rasen; penalised in a stronger race for a trainer 0-3 over jumps here since 2005 (prior to today).

Form: 101P-21

Return Ticket²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: Ruth Jefferson| D

9/4

Promising type (bumper/hurdles winner); most effective on quick ground. However, folded tamely against a talented rival on seasonal return at Carlisle last month (2m1f, good to soft) and this stable aren't fully firing just yet; capable of better.

Form: 31-16

Ballynanty^h²⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 97

40/1

0-3 over hurdles in Ireland for Denise Foster, but did win a 1m4f Lingfield AW maiden for Andrew Balding back in 2015, and was 102-rated at his best on the Flat; stable debut.

Form: 000-

Sporting Press^h1²⁰⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| CD

7/2

Former Irish pointer who gamely won his bumper at this track in March (2m, good to soft), prior to competing out of his depth behind Sebastopol at Ayr in April; wears a hood on hurdles/seasonal debut; of interest.

Form: 4/2F310-

Non-Runners

Pinspot⁴¹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: Miss Lucinda V Russell J: Blair Campbell

Forecasts

Return Ticket (9/4), Normal Norman (9/4), Noah And The Ark (3/1), Sporting Press (7/2), Pinspot (33/1), Ballynanty (40/1)

A competitive looking race in which Ruth Jefferson will no doubt be hoping to see more from the promising Return Ticket (under optimum conditions) than he produced on his seasonal return at Carlisle. The solid Noah And The Ark and Normal Norman also carry penalties for their respective hurdle victories, so that could help swing things the way of the hurdling newcomer SPORTING PRESS. He was a bumper winner at this track, and has the assistance of Brian Hughes in the saddle.