Barry Rock Memorial Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:47 | Winning time: 6m 0.40s

Fortified Bay²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 125| CD

7/4

Returned to the track from a two-year absence when making a winning debut for Jennie Candlish (made all) over C&D three weeks ago; has earlier form on soft/heavy for Alan King; incurs a 6lb penalty for that maiden hurdle win.

Form: 03223/1

Barfly¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum Bewley| T: C Grant

28/1

Bought for £24,000 in May 2018 after winning a 3m Easingwold PTP for Peter Fahey; couldn't be considered as anything other than a bitter disappointment over hurdles for Chris Grant.

Form: 2/1PP-6

Borice^t¹³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: D A Jacob| T: G Elliott

2/5

Won three-times over fences in France for Francois Nicolle (2m2f-2m6f); fully proven in testing conditions and last seen finishing ninth of 18 to the ill-fated Invitation Only in the Goffs Theyestes Chase at Gowran Park (3m1f, soft); hurdles?

Form: P3/7509-

Earcomesali^t⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Jamie Bargary| T: P A Pritchard

66/1

Bred for stamina and fences (her dam Earcomesannie was a winning chaser); has shown no ability whatsoever on the racecourse to date (0-5); expected to continue to toil until switched to fences.

Form: 009PP-

Forecasts

Borice (2/5), Fortified Bay (7/4), Barfly (28/1), Earcomesali (66/1)

With Barfly and Earcomesali requiring snookers (and plenty of them for that matter), this is a proper match between the useful former French chaser Borice and the recent C&D maiden hurdle winner FORTIFIED BAY. With the former having not competed over hurdles for well in excess of three years now, the Jennie Candlish-trained runner could feasibly just have the slight edge.