12:26 Aintree

Saturday 5 November 2022

All12:2613:0113:3614:1114:4515:1815:50

BoyleSports EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:27 | Winning time: 4m 59.02s

Glengeever^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Rex Dingle| T: B Lund| OR: 115

14/1

Jumped better than usual when getting off the mark at Newton Abbot in May and followed up in 3-runner event at Kempton (21f) 5 months on. Probably vulnerable under a double penalty now taking on stronger opposition.

Form: 322-211

Henry's Friend¹⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling| CD

9/2

Knew his job and won a weak race with ease over C&D (good) in May. Open to improvement.

Form: 1

Grey Dawning²⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

10/11

Flemensfirth gelding who overcame inexperience to win a strong Wetherby bumper on debut in December, running green but asserting final 1f. Defied a penalty with ease there 10 weeks later and rates a useful hurdles prospect.

Form: 11-

Snowy Evening²⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J GuerrieroWS

14/1

Cost £110,000 after finishing second on his sole start in Irish points and shaped encouragingly when filling same spot in a Carlisle bumper in March. That form has been franked since, so he must enter calculations on this switch to hurdling. Has had a breathing operation.

Form: 22-

Val Dancer¹⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Alex Edwards⁽³⁾| T: Mrs M Rowley

28/1

Runner-up sole start in Irish points and showed plenty switched to Rules when runner-up in Worcester bumper in May. Goes hurdling now up in trip and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Form: 2-2

Fortunate Soldier²⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy

7/1

€62,000 3-y-o, €200,000 4-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Half-brother to fair 2½m hurdle winner Sporty Jim. Easily won sole start in Irish points (Apr 17). Noteworthy Rules newcomer.

Form: 31-

Man At Work²³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe

15/2

€18,000 3-y-o, £155,000 4-y-o, Workforce gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler Timeforben and fair hurdler Timetoroe, stays 23f. Dam winning pointer. Fell last sole start in Irish points (Mar 13). Would enter calculations if supported.

Form: F-

Non-Runners

Sporting Ace¹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: N B King J: J M Quinlan

Forecasts

Grey Dawning (10/11), Henry's Friend (9/2), Sporting Ace (11/2), Fortunate Soldier (7/1), Man At Work (15/2), Snowy Evening (14/1), Glengeever (14/1), Val Dancer (28/1)

GREY DAWNING impressed in bumpers and is selected to maintain his unbeaten record now switched to hurdles. Fortunate Solider is a noteworthy newcomer to Rules having easily won his sole outing in Irish points. Sporting Ace and Snowy Evening are others to note in an interesting race.