Multi Award Winning Something Special Flowers Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 5m 7.48s

Braid Blue⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: G Elliott| OR: 128| CD

1/7

2-2 at Perth having supplemented his August 2018 bumper win with an emphatic 11L C&D maiden hurdle victory (good) in April; 128-rated and clearly the horse to beat with Richard Johnson aboard.

Form: 115561-

True Romance¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: Julia Brooke

3/1

Sprung a major surprise on hurdles debut at Southwell (1m7½f, good) when turning over the 1/16f Locker Room Talk; probably flattered by the victory, but it was a positive start nevertheless.

Form: 1

Amarone Gentleman^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett

33/1

Pulled up on hurdles debut over C&D in July 2018 (good); off the track until earlier this month when struggling over fences in a Beginners' Chase at Hexham (3m).

Form: 36/8P-P

Ian's Gift³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley

25/1

Tailed off fourth (beaten 60L) on obstacles debut in a C&D maiden hurdle last month (100/1); re-routed here from last week's abandoned Uttoxeter fixture.

Form: 6-4

Put The Law On You^p¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: Craig Nichol| T: A C Whillans

20/1

Lowly-rated Flat maiden (0-4); beaten 3L on sole start under NH rules in an AW bumper at Newcastle (January 2019); very difficult to fancy on introduction to hurdling.

Form: 4-

Forecasts

Braid Blue (1/7), True Romance (3/1), Put The Law On You (20/1), Ian's Gift (25/1), Amarone Gentleman (33/1)

Although True Romance sprung a major surprise on his hurdles debut at Southwell, this should be relatively plain sailing for the Gordon Elliott-trained BRAID BLUE who defends an unbeaten record at Perth (2-2) off the back of a smooth C&D maiden hurdle win (good) two months ago.