Welcome To Sky Sports Racing Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 4m 24.54s

Lord Yeats⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 132| BF

1/6

Sedgefield maiden winner (2m1f, soft); has shown a decent standard of form over hurdles so far and despite being beaten at short odds at Kelso (by his old foe Encore Champs) he shouldn't be knocked; sets the clear benchmark.

Form: 212

Stander⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: P Stafford| OR: 113| D

12/1

Irish raider; shock 66/1 winner of a 2m maiden hurdle at Roscommon (good) in October; mainly handicapping since without further success (0-5); stable have saddled winners at this track in the past; cautionary market check advised.

Form: 150749

Big Bad Dream⁹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Craig Nichol| T: D W Whillans

13/2

Acquitted himself reasonably well in bumpers (placed on all four starts); struggled on hurdles debut (2m4f) but much better latest when finishing 3½L third to Romeo Brown (2m Kelso, good to soft); solid forecast option.

Form: 35/23-73

Bobeska^h,t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: C R King| T: M E Sowersby

250/1

Joined this trainer for a mere £600 in December 2018; started 250/1 in a 2m3f maiden hurdle at Catterick recently - saddle slipped and pulled up at the fourth flight; unappealing.

Form: 0-07P

Emirat De Catana¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

50/1

Pulled up in both starts in PTP's; weakened as the race got going in earnest (keen early) on rules debut in an Ayr bumper (good to soft) 17-days ago; sent hurdling at a realistic level.

Form: PP8

Flaming Glory¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: K Scott

40/1

Placed in a couple of Irish PTP's, including when beaten 12L by On My Wish List at Tinahely in November (3m, good); not fluent and soon beaten on hurdles/stable debut at Ayr (2m3f+) 17-days ago.

Form: 3720

Sophie Fatale⁷⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson

66/1

Out of a 2m winning hurdler; well beaten in two starts in bumpers for Bruce Mactaggart in late 2016/early 2017; stable/hurdles debut.

Form: 87/

Forecasts

Lord Yeats (1/6), Big Bad Dream (13/2), Stander (12/1), Flaming Glory (40/1), Emirat De Catana (50/1), Sophie Fatale (66/1), Bobeska (250/1)

Very difficult to see beyond LORD YEATS who has already shown a reasonable standard of form over hurdles and in truth appears to be head and shoulders above his six rivals. The seemingly all too obvious forecast option is the Donald Whillans-trained Big Bad Dream.