12:40 Uttoxeter

Wednesday 2 September 2020

All12:4013:1513:5014:2014:5015:2015:5016:25

Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:47 | Winning time: 4m 52.10s

Apres Le Deluge^t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 123| D

4/5

Barely had to improve to get off the mark on first outing since leaving Hughie Morrison after 14 months off at Southwell in July. Looks sure to build on that and he holds leading claims here.

Form: 144/2-1

Smiths Cross²⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Brendan Powell| T: M Scudamore| OR: 122| CWS

7/2

Made a promising chasing debut when third at Carlisle in October but he's followed that with 3 tame efforts, weakening out of it at Kelso on latest. Switches back over timber after 8 months off.

Form: 24/3P57-

Sunny Express¹⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Adrian Heskin| T: W Greatrex| OR: 112

9/4

Bit disappointing over hurdles but has shaped with plenty of encouragement in a pair of bumpers, including when second of 10 in at Wolverhampton 6 months ago. Well worth considering.

Form: 3/2582-

Tikanite^t1¹¹⁸⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: M Goldstein| T: S Lycett

50/1

Fair form in a trio of bumpers but absent since 2017/18.

Form: 663/

Shinobi^t²⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M NichollsWS

10/1

Overcame inexperience to make a winning debut in bumper at Exeter in October. Faced stiff task when last seen in listed contest at Cheltenham on New Year's Day and now make hurdles debut.

Form: 140-

Earcomesali^t⁴⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: P A Pritchard

300/1

Well beaten in a trio of bumpers and 3 novice hurdles so far.

Form: 009PP/P-

Especially So⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: T Scudamore| T: K Woollacott

200/1

Showed some ability on her first couple of starts for Steve Gollings but down the field in a bumper at Taunton and on hurdling debut at Stratford last time.

Form: 445/0-9

Marie's Girl^p1⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: H J Evans

200/1

Little in the way of positives to glean from a couple of runs in bumpers so far. Makes hurdles debut with cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 5-0

Rann Of Kutch¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: M E Sowersby

300/1

No sign of ability in a bumper/novice hurdle for Margaret Mullins and never a threat on yard debut over this C&D 11 days ago.

Form: 6-69

Non-Runners

Balagan¹⁷

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: N B King J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Apres Le Deluge (4/5), Sunny Express (9/4), Balagan (11/4), Smiths Cross (7/2), Shinobi (10/1), Tikanite (50/1), Especially So (200/1), Marie's Girl (200/1), Earcomesali (300/1), Rann Of Kutch (300/1)

APRES LE DELUGE barely had to improve to get off the mark in a first-time tongue tie at Southwell 5 weeks ago, looking suited by the step up in trip on his yard debut. Fergal O'Brien continues to bang in the winners and he can make it 2-2 for the Gloucestershire-based trainer. Smiths Cross is feared most back over timber after 8 months off, ahead of Sunny Express.