Scottish Sun Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 49.1s

Bialco^t³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Blair Campbell⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 129| CD

4/1

Won Kelso handicap hurdle in March and again hit the target when landing C&D novice event last time out. Has to concede his penalty and is not well in at the weights but a bold show is more than likely all the same.

Form: 2P12-61

Borice^t³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: G Elliott

30/100

Had decent form in good company in France prior to joining top Irish yard in November. Ran in two hot handicap chases last winter then returned from break to win hard held in Uttoxeter 2m7f novice hurdle last month. Fine chance on that evidence.

Form: 3/7509-1

Lake Baikal⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N P Mulholland

14/1

Decent jumps pedigree being related to eight individual winners. Showed he should win races when runner-up on racecourse bow over C&D a couple of months ago. Given time to recover from that and is a fair prospect.

Form: 2

Island Mahee²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Jonathan Moore| T: S R B Crawford

40/1

Mid-division finisher last two of three career starts, including when well held by BIalco penultimate start. Should find a race or two in due course but this looks a tough assignment.

Form: 558

Non-Runners

Forresters Park¹⁰

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: A C Whillans J: Craig Nichol

Forecasts

Borice (30/100), Bialco (4/1), Lake Baikal (14/1), Island Mahee (40/1), Forresters Park (66/1)

BORICE is a confident choice getting weight from his main rival Bialco who is rated 13lb inferior on official figures. Won as he pleased at Uttoxeter and can follow up here. Bialco is the one who should benefit if the selection fails to run his race. He's a decent horse but the weights do him no favours. Lake Baikal is a reasonable prospect and it would not surprise to see him build on his promising initial effort.