PD The Big Six Oh Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:02 | Winning time: 3m 56.70s

Hello Judge^t¹⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs A Hamilton| C

5/6

€65,000 3-y-o, Martaline gelding. Last of 5 finishers sole start in points but perfect start under Rules when landing an 18f novice hurdle here in April. Type to do better again this campaign.

Form: 5P1-

Clear The Runway^t1¹⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum Bewley| T: L Morgan

14/1

Jet Away gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 3¼m) Zemsky. Maiden Irish pointer, runner-up last time (May 1). Market should guide making hurdles debut now.

Form: P/F352-

Gym Tonic

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

2/1

Spanish Moon gelding. Dam, placed over hurdles in France, sister to smart hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 3m) Sweet My Lord and useful hurdler Come To Me. Interesting newcomer for powerful stable.

Form:

Go Bob Go¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Edward Austin⁽⁷⁾| T: R M Smith

40/1

Fair maiden for Eve Johnson Houghton but he ran to only a poor level on yard/hurdles bow at Musselburgh on New Year's Day. Similarly well held sole start since on Flat at Ayr last month.

Form: 6-

Sheepysheepsheep²⁸⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss P Robson

10/1

Great Pretender half-brother to fairly useful hurdler/smart chaser Sidi Bouknadel (17f-21f winner). Pulled up sole start in France last winter but booking of Hughes catches the eye on yard debut.

Form: P-

Wotsmyname⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine

66/1

Failed to make much of an impact in pair of bumpers at up to 17f for Patrick Neville this season. Needs to surpass those exploits now tackling timber for the first time.

Form: 97

Haute Estime¹⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

20/1

Some promise when second on bumper debut at Wetherby last winter and dispelled a lesser effort when third at Ayr (2m) in May. Betting may prove a useful guide now attentions are switched to hurdles.

Form: 24-3

Forecasts

Hello Judge (5/6), Gym Tonic (2/1), Sheepysheepsheep (10/1), Clear The Runway (14/1), Haute Estime (20/1), Go Bob Go (40/1), Wotsmyname (66/1)

Despite finishing last of 5 on his sole completed start in points, HELLO JUDGE was well backed and proved a different proposition when making a winning hurdles debut over further here in the spring. Open to improvement, he's fancied to defy a penalty and make it 2-2 on return. Newcomer Gym Tonic represents a powerful stable and is worth a look, along with Clear The Runway.