888Sport Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:25 | Winning time: 4m 17.50s

Black Pirate^t1⁶¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| CDWS

5/2

Had some reasonably smart bumper form including at his track nearly two years ago; obviously had some problems since and it will be interesting to see the level of market support on his return and hurdles debut.

Form: 1112/

Brummie Boys³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood

10/3

Fair effort over 2m4f on heavy ground on hurdles debut at Hereford last month; entitled to improve but will need to do so to play a leading role over this shorter trip.

Form: 3-4

Clondaw Pretender³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J GuerrieroWS

25/1

Failed to build on promising hurdles debut at Uttoxeter when weakening a long way out at Ludlow late last month; step back in trip could suit but difficult to make a solid case for at present.

Form: 33-56

College Oak³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| BF

2/1

Won his bumper at the second time of asking at Sedgefield in October before running adequately at Ffos Las on hurdles debut last month; beaten a fair distance that day, he will need to improve to take a hand.

Form: 2-12

Free Ski²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: L Heard| T: S Allwood

66/1

Well beaten in all his three racecourse appearances including twice over hurdles; on the plus side he looks to be slowly improving and another improved performance would not be a surprise.

Form: 4/U-096

Giovanni Change²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

12/1

Comfortably won Killarney bumper on only start for Emmet Mullins and sold soon after to current connections for £24,000; unable to concede weight on British debut at Southwell earlier this month; interesting hurdling debutante.

Form: 13

Neville's Cross⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: T Lacey

6/1

Ran a fair race on bumper debut in October before running well for a long way on hurdles debut at Chepstow in November; should be stronger here and one to consider.

Form: S-24

Forecasts

College Oak (2/1), Black Pirate (5/2), Brummie Boys (10/3), Neville's Cross (6/1), Giovanni Change (12/1), Clondaw Pretender (25/1), Free Ski (66/1)

A tricky opening race with a slight preference going to COLLEGE OAK who won a bumper well enough at Sedgefield before finishing a fairly remote second on his hurdling debut at Bangor. He was beaten by a useful sort that day and a reproduction of that effort should see him go close. Giovanni Change showed some good bumper form in Ireland before failing to give weight away on his British debut. No reason why he should not give a good account of himself on his debut. Another hurdle debutante is Black Pirate who has done little wrong on all three bumper appearances and his chances may be reflected in the level of market support.