Matchbook British EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 16:05 | Winning time: 5m 47.8s

Falco Blitz³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 132

2/1

Facile winner of a Fakenham maiden before twice running well in Cheltenham handicaps (2m5f and 3m since). Looks the form pick on those efforts for red-hot yard which won this last year.

Form: 222-124

Thegallantway¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 122

11/1

Exeter winner finished third next at Ludlow under a penalty and fourth in a Taunton handicap since. Would receive 10lb from Falco Blitz if this were a handicap so up against it today.

Form: 138-134

Blackfinch³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 126

5/2

Maiden but placed in all three starts and may well have won at Southwell latest but for being badly hampered by a loose horse causing him to blunder the last and finish second to a Henderson novice. Potentially well in now and respected today.

Form: 2-22

Faustinovick^t1⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 124WS

5/2

Form of his point and bumper seconds both boosted several times since and he has also run two very solid races over hurdles with a second of 17 at Carlisle and third of 11 at Newbury. Very interesting contender especially after having a wind-op.

Form: 2/2-23

Killer Clown³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle

10/1

Point winner and bumper second twice fifth in warm contests over hurdles. Looked a staying chaser in the making and others preferred today.

Form: 1-255

Vital Sign⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: L P Aspell| T: R Rowe| OR: 105

100/1

Runner up twice in Point-to-points and best run since switching to hurdles was his fourth at Plumpton last month but that form has been let down since and needs to improve to trouble the pick of these.

Form: F22-594

Bit On The Side⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

28/1

Decent effort to finish 11½L fourth in a 2m Listed bumper on good-to-soft ground here just over a month ago. Represents a good yard and is an interesting runner on her hurdles debut.

Form: 88284

Forecasts

Falco Blitz (2/1), Blackfinch (5/2), Faustinovick (5/2), Killer Clown (10/1), Thegallantway (11/1), Bit On The Side (28/1), Vital Sign (100/1)

Nicky Henderson has won two of the five previous renewals of this race and the master of Seven Burrows looks to have found Fakenham winner FALCO BLITZ a good chance here after he ran really well twice in Cheltenham handicaps considering his inexperience. There are dangers in this contest however with Faustinovick who has twice run well while suggesting better to come and Blackfinch who was unlucky in defeat latest chief among them.