Core Spreads Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:19 | Winning time: 4m 10.0s

Archimento¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 127| D

7/4

Useful on the Flat (81-rated); is still getting to grips with the hurdling game for Oliver Sherwood - wasn't overly fluent despite being a ready 11L winner at Fontwell (2m2f, good) a fortnight ago; should prove capable of defying a 7lb penalty.

Form: 5/21

Gateway To Europe³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Bryony Frost| T: N B King| OR: 121

1/1

Consistent and improving over hurdles (2,3,2,2,1) despite lacking scope for the future; keen, yet knuckled down to the task well when beating Melody Of Scotland by 2½L in a Fontwell handicap (2m3f) latest; carries a 7lb penalty back in a novices'.

Form: 3-23221

Awesome Rock⁴⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Matthew Batchelor| T: R Ingram

150/1

Steadfastly refused to settle when tried over hurdles at a modest level (maidens) earlier in the year; poor on the Flat since (0-2) and quite truthfully looks to be a lost cause from a racing perspective; 1-64 overall.

Form: P44-

Ban Shoof^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore

16/1

Has done the bulk of his winning on the Flat on the AW (at or around 1m2f); albeit has kept reasonable form on turf in that discipline in recent months; with a shrewd dual purpose trainer who knows how to ready a jumper; merits respect.

Form:

Bay Dude⁶⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: James Best| T: B R Johnson

80/1

Lowly-rated Flat maiden (0-6) who has displayed precious little ability in three starts for Brett Johnson in 2019; from a jumps background (dam was a 2m-2m1f hurdle/chase winner) so that offers some hope for the future; unlikely today.

Form:

Mood For Mischief¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Burke| T: J Bennett

66/1

17-race Flat maiden who has regressed at a rate of knots since leaving the care of Ed Walker (0-6 for James Bennett); simply can't be the solution barring accidents on hurdles debut.

Form:

Not Going Out^t¹⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 110

11/2

Former pointer (0-5) with some experience of hurdles from the spring; best effort came when finishing 6L third to the shock winner Jacamar (33-1) in a Wincanton maiden (1m7½f, good); plenty more required on seasonal reappearance.

Form: P48834-

Forecasts

Gateway To Europe (1/1), Archimento (7/4), Not Going Out (11/2), Ban Shoof (16/1), Mood For Mischief (66/1), Bay Dude (80/1), Awesome Rock (150/1)

Ban Shoof (Gary Moore) is the clear pick of the hurdling newcomers, but in reality barring accidents this surely rests between the penalised duo ARCHIMENTO and Gateway to Europe. The selection is slowly getting to grips with the winter game, and although admittedly still having plenty to learn in terms of hurdling technique appeals as a slightly more classy individual than the battle-hardened Fontwell handicap winner.