Jumping For Joy On Racing TV Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 5m 15.1s

Ask Henry⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 120

4/6

Bumper form in Ireland was respectable at best but the gelding is getting the hang of things over hurdles now. Ran well twice over timber already this year and seems to be on the upgrade. Worth bearing in mind in what is bound to be a tactical race.

Form: 44-3P43

Quart De Garde²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 119

5/4

Ex-French gelding that caught the eye on debut for his current yard when second at Catterick in late December. Slipped up on the bend before two-out when about to challenge at the same course latest; so feasible he could have done better; a player.

Form: 3F322S

Sister Midnight²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: J S Goldie

16/1

Won on the Flat (1m3f, good) in France before joining his new yard. Didn't jump fluently when introduced over hurdles at the start of this month and has improvement to find. The small field can help but the her two rivals offer more appeal.

Form: 6

Forecasts

Ask Henry (4/6), Quart De Garde (5/4), Sister Midnight (16/1)

This looks like a basic match between QUART DE GARDE and Ask Henry, with Sister Midnight along for the ride as she gains in experience in this sphere. Quart De Garde went close on his debut for his new yard when finishing a close second at Catterick just after Christmas and, were it not for slipping up on the bend when building up with his challenge, he might well have made amends at the same course last time. This appears to be a good opportunity for the Donald McCain-trained five-year-old to gain a confidence booster en route to better things. Ask Henry is going the right way and can make this a good test for his main rival.