12:40 Aintree

Sunday 27 October 2019

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

Download The App At Virgin Bet Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:42 | Winning time: 5m 4.82s

Big Bad Bear¹⁸⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards

14/1

Consistent in bumpers, making his final start in that sphere a winning one at Perth (2m, good to soft) when beating the Nigel Twiston Davies-trained Guy by 2½L; hurdles/seasonal debut.

Form: 2231-

Coconut Splash²⁰³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

14/1

Stowaway gelding; kept on strongly when winning a 4yo maiden at Castletown-Geoghegan (3m, yielding) in April; joined new connections not long after for £180,000; noteworthy on rules/stable and hurdles debut.

Form: 1-

Copper Coin³⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: M Scudamore

16/1

Sulamani gelding; off the track for 362 days since falling late on hurdles debut at Chepstow (2m3½f, good); he was in contention for a place there and his previous bumper form was fair; others more appealing.

Form: 422/F-

Corrany¹⁷⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| BF

15/2

Placed in a couple of bumpers at Fontwell (2m1½f) and Market Rasen (2m½f), a beaten 5-2f on the latter occasion; needs to raise his game now switched to hurdling but is in safe hands with Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville.

Form: 37-3

Five Star Getaway²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor⁽⁷⁾| T: Christian Williams

40/1

Disqualified (banned substance in his sample) after winning a 5yo maiden at Courtown (3m, soft) in April; switched to Christian Williams afterwards for £85,000; hurdles debut for this half-brother to the useful hurdler/chaser Three Stars (2m-2m2f).

Form: PD-

Frisson Collonges¹⁹³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

16/1

Coastal Path gelding from the family of the Grand National winner Neptune Collonges; joined Dan Skelton for £100,000 after finishing second to the Colin Bowe-trained Broken Halo in a 4yo maiden at Inch (3m, yielding); hurdles debut.

Form: P2-

Green Dolphin²¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| BF

4/1

Son of Oscar; easy 11L winner of a Wincanton bumper (1m7½f, good to soft) on his second start before coming up short in a competitive Listed bumper at Newbury (sent off the 6-4f); is likely to win races over hurdles.

Form: 315-

Grey Getaway²²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryony Le Clerc| T: P F Nicholls

33/1

Joined Paul Nicholls for £190,000 in November 2018 after finishing second on debut in a 4yo maiden at Dromahane (winner modest with the benefit of hindsight); weakened tamely on rules debut at Kempton (bumper) in March - held by Imperial Alcazar?

Form: 26-

Imperial Alcazar²¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

13/8

Represents the in-form Fergal O'Brien; half-brother to the 2m2f-2m4f hurdle winner Jessber's Dream; showed useful form in bumpers, namely when runner-up to the promising Eden Du Houx (David Pipe) in a Listed contest at Ascot; merits respect.

Form: 423-

Lossiemouth²⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: T Lacey

6/1

In contention when running out on debut but unbeaten in two subsequent bumpers (Newcastle and Carlisle); is very well regarded by his trainer Tom Lacey and could be set to take high rank among the first season novice hurdlers; interesting.

Form: U11-

Meteorite²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Nixon⁽⁵⁾| T: T Symonds

40/1

Has previous experience of hurdling, finishing third at odds of 50-1 in a Ffos Las novice (2m4f, soft) in April - the winner of that race is a useful sort (Good Boy Bobby); potentially will find himself out of his comfort zone in this company.

Form: 4/3473-

State Vision^t¹⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C E Longsdon

80/1

Hasn't exactly excelled in bumpers, although it should be noted that his debut fifth to Shanroe at Hexham (beaten 22½L) is working out fairly well; should benefit from this initial experience over hurdles; others preferred.

Form: 5-4

Tico Times⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer

125/1

Didn't show a great deal of promise in Irish bumpers (2m-2m2f) but was placed on hurdles debut in a Sligo maiden (2m5f) in August; has since switched from Paul Gilligan to Dianne Sayer; almost certain to struggle against these opponents.

Form: 3-75783

Non-Runners

Commit Or Quit²⁰³

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: C J Mann J: Non Runner

One Touch²⁰⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: B Pauling J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Imperial Alcazar (13/8), Green Dolphin (4/1), Lossiemouth (6/1), Corrany (15/2), One Touch (10/1), Coconut Splash (14/1), Big Bad Bear (14/1), Copper Coin (16/1), Frisson Collonges (16/1), Commit Or Quit (25/1), Grey Getaway (33/1), Meteorite (40/1), Five Star Getaway (40/1), State Vision (80/1), Tico Times (125/1)

A new jumps season at Aintree kicks-off with a fascinating maiden hurdle featuring a whole host of expensive recruits from the Irish point-to-point scene. Collectively, five of those declared (Coconut Splash, Commit Or Quit, Five Star Getaway, Frisson Collonges and Grey Getaway) have cost their new connections a staggering £615,000. As a consequence hopes will be high for a productive season. In terms of today's race the pair to concentrate upon could be Imperial Alcazar (trainer saddled a treble at Cheltenham on Friday) and LOSSIEMOUTH. The selection is held in very high regard by trainer Tom Lacey and his winning form in bumpers is strong.