Read Paul Nicholls Exclusively At Betfair Newton Novices' Hurdle (Listed)

Off time: 12:10 | Winning time: 3m 38.0s

Black Key¹¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 137| D

8/1

Useful hurdler who was last seen winning a big-field handicap for Henry de Bromhead at Galway (2m5f) in August. Cost £8,500 in September. Makes debut for a trainer who does well here. Drop in trip no real concern. Acts on good. Can go well.

Form: 326-131

Cause Toujours^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 130| BF| D

9/4

Showed improved form with back-to-back wins in the spring, and again at Carlisle last time. Bit more needed at this level, but going the right way and entitled to respect.

Form: 42-1142

Denmead^t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 127| BF| D

7/2

Decisive winner at Huntingdon last month (2m, good). Step backwards when upped to 2m3½f under a penalty at Wetherby last time. Needs to bounce back and if he does, then he can't be ruled out.

Form: 13

Grand Sancy^h¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 136| D

5/4

Has shown improved form in three starts since wind surgery, all on good ground. Runner-up in this grade two starts ago at Kempton, and didn't need to be as good as that to win readily at Wincanton last time. Can go close.

Form: 24P-121

Lough Derg Diamond²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard

66/1

Well beaten in two Irish point-to-points. From the family of Joe Lively. Top trainer should be able to elicit some improvement, but he will surely have to wait for other days, and probably also softer ground.

Form: 3-3

Forecasts

Grand Sancy (5/4), Cause Toujours (9/4), Denmead (7/2), Black Key (8/1), Lough Derg Diamond (66/1)

A cracking opener. Black Key is arguably the one to beat if he can pick up where he left off in Ireland, but GRAND SANCY goes well on a sound surface, and it taken to continue his progress since wind surgery. Neither Cause Toujours nor Denmead can be discounted.