Happy New Year Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:25 | Winning time: 4m 49.4s

Alph^h⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies

28/1

Placed in a bumper in 2018 but disappointed in that sphere thereafter. Pulled up on hurdles and stable debut at Sedgefield (2m1f, soft) in a first time tongue tie (absent here) in November and others make more appeal.

Form: 2766-P

Presence Of Mind³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: David England| T: O Murphy

5/4

Point-to-point winner in the spring and got off the mark at the second time of asking in bumpers when winning over an extended 1m5f at Huntingdon (good-to-soft) last time out. One to note on hurdling debut.

Form: 1-21

Strategic¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R D Day| T: M E Sowersby

100/1

Flat winner in the summer but has struggled in two starts over hurdles to date including when 46L ninth over this C&D last time out. Others hold more obvious claims.

Form: P9

Tango Boy^t⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland

5/6

Bumper winner over an extended 2m at Market Rasen (good-to-soft) on debut in March and ran well when 16L third over 2m1f at Carlisle (soft) on hurdling debut in October. Looks likely to run well once more.

Form: 1-3

Word Has It³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Henry Brooke| T: D McCain Jnr

10/1

Placed in a couple of point-to-point races over 3m in Ireland in late 2018 and had wind surgery subsequently. Running well prior to falling in a bumper at Bangor (heavy) on Rules debut in November and is interesting on first hurdles start.

Form: 32-F

Beyondtheflame^t⁴¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Thomas Dowson| T: J C Haynes| OR: 62

125/1

Pulled up in handicap company on her last three starts and is rated just 62 over hurdles. Looks likely to struggle in this contest.

Form: V47PPP-

Forecasts

Tango Boy (5/6), Presence Of Mind (5/4), Word Has It (10/1), Alph (28/1), Strategic (100/1), Beyondtheflame (125/1)

PRESENCE OF MIND showed good form in bumpers and he can break his maiden at the first time of asking over hurdles by taking this novices' hurdle event. The selection looks capable of getting the better of Tango Boy who ran well on hurdling debut in the autumn while third place can go to Word Has It who showed ability prior to falling in a bumper earlier this season.