888Sport Follow Us On Instagram Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 5m 15.10s

Kepagge^t⁸⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe

15/8

Fell on his sole Irish point-to-point start; more successful under Rules winning a Chepstow bumper prior to making a winning start over hurdles at Leicester. Not totally convincing last time in a very weak contest; more to do under a penalty.

Form: F-11

Apple Rock²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling

9/1

Placed on both his starts in Irish point-to-points (once to the smart Cheltenham-bound Shishkin). Shaped better than the bare result suggests on both his hurdles starts, looked unsuited by this trip last time; needs another run for a mark.

Form: 32-54

Firak²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 125

8/13

Irish point-to-point winner on his second start in that sphere; shown plenty of promise in all his three hurdles starts (had a gruelling race second time out). Strong in the betting last time he again ran well; good opportunity to get off the mark.

Form: 21-432

Non-Runners

I'm Here¹¹⁶

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: M Bradstock J: Jack Tudor

Now Is The Winter⁵²

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: B Pauling J: David Bass

Forecasts

Firak (8/13), Kepagge (15/8), Apple Rock (9/1), Now Is The Winter (10/1), I'm Here (25/1)

The fact that Kepage was able to win on his hurdling debut at Leicester despite an appalling round of jumping showed how poor a race that was although to his credit he’s still unexposed and will handle the conditions although his penalty makes this an awkward task. FIRAK receiving weight looks to have a good chance of opening his account given the fact that he has shown some solid hurdling form so far and testing conditions shouldn’t be a problem. The other trio have all got question marks against them with none of them being particularly convincing with Apple Rock given a tentative nod for the minor placing.