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Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 5m 16.4s

Captain Tommy²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington

4/1

Comes here off the back of a win at Fontwell (heavy ground), left clear by the fall of another to win by 16l. That form is only modest and needs improving on if he's to beat Umdeni here, but it at least shows his wellbeing.

Form: 8351

Umndeni⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130

1/7

Bit out of his depth in an Ascot handicap hurdle last time but this is much easier and if he can repeat his previous Fontwell win over the useful Birds Of Prey, he's going to take plenty of beating here. Ground fine, and should stay.

Form: 1-45U18

Nighthawker¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr M Legg⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs F M Shaw

100/1

Tailed off at big prices in three starts so far and hard to see where the necessary improvement is coming from today.

Form: 906

Ulysses^p⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Dave Crosse| T: F Brennan| OR: 91

20/1

There's a couple of efforts from last year that would give him some hope here, not least his 20l defeat by Apple's Shakira at Cheltenham, but it's been a tale of woe this season and he appears to have regressed badly.

Form: 235-808

Macca's Stowaway^p1,t1¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Nick Scholfield| T: K Bishop| OR: 74

66/1

No win in 16 starts under all codes, exposed as very modest and has no realistic chance here, but could win the race among the backmarkers to finish third.

Form: 38078P

Poet's Reflection³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: James Best| T: Miss L Blackford

150/1

Has shown very little in two starts, both bumpers, and seems to have little chance of success on hurdles debut today.

Form: 80

Forecasts

Umndeni (1/7), Captain Tommy (4/1), Ulysses (20/1), Macca's Stowaway (66/1), Nighthawker (100/1), Poet's Reflection (150/1)

UMDENI seems to face a relatively simple task, with four of his six rivals having shown very little and the form of Captain Tommy's win at Fontwell some way short of the form he has shown to date. Ulysees may be the best of the rest.