Principal & Prosper Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 5m 15.10s

Buddha Scheme^t¹²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

11/2

Milan gelding; PTP placed; made a promising start for new connections in an Ayr bumper (2m, good) in November 2018; yet to scale those heights over hurdles (0-2) and arguably wouldn't be seeking too much rain.

Form: 3/459-

Clondaw Fixer^h1,t⁹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G BewleyWS

25/1

Runner-up in an Irish PTP (December 2017); poor so rules - pulled up on both starts over obstacles (2m4f-2m6f); needs plenty more.

Form: 24/PP-

Floki¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

4/9

Not overly proficient on hurdles debut at Warwick (2m3f, good) but should learn from that experience and ultimately wasn't disgraced in finishing 17¾L third to Mr Charity; yard seldom have runners at this Borders track (1-6; 17%); chance.

Form: 8/53-

Forbidding¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: F P Murtagh

50/1

Sole Flat win for John Butler came at Newcastle (2m) in July 2018; always in rear throughout on re-introduction to hurdling at Carlisle (2m1f, good) 18 days ago.

Form: 445/7-

Knockoura¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes

4/1

Consistent between the flags (2,2,2,1) and sold for £42,000 in June 2017; not seen again in competitive action until producing a couple of modest efforts under rules at Newcastle and Perth (both 2m4f) recently.

Form: 2221/68-

Teviot Prince³⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum Bewley| T: G Moss| OR: 93

25/1

Hexham PTP winner for Gary Rutherford in May 2017; 0-9 under rules; absent since being pulled up at Perth in a 2m4f Class 5 handicap chase in May 2018.

Form: 2P551/P-

Non-Runners

Fortified Bay⁷¹¹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: J Candlish J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Floki (4/9), Fortified Bay (11/8), Knockoura (4/1), Buddha Scheme (11/2), Teviot Prince (25/1), Clondaw Fixer (25/1), Forbidding (50/1)

A weak maiden hurdle. FORTIFIED BAY has the best form in the book and is owned by the St Boswells-based Rooney's, so it is worth taking a chance on his well-being at their local track (returning from a 711 day absence). The only other viable alternative is the Dan Skelton-trained Floki who will probably improve upon his obstacles debut third at Warwick.