Coral Racing Club Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:33 | Winning time: 5m 28.77s

Are U Wise To That⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill

9/4

Bought for £125,000 after finishing runner-up sole start in Irish points and ran out comfortable winner of a Warwick bumper on Rules debut. Followed up with easy success in a weak race on Uttoxeter hurdling debut in October despite his jumping lacking fluency, and is open to improvement.

Form: 21-1

Step Above^t⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| C

15/8

Off the mark in Irish points at third attempt and bought for 40,000 gns. Underwent a breathing op and tongue tied, he made a winning hurdles debut over 20.4f here last month. Expected to build on that.

Form: F41-1

Choosethenews²³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

11/4

£12,000 3-y-o, Westerner gelding. Dam unraced sister to bumper winner Find A Key. Wide-margin winner sole outing in points (Apr 30), so well worth a market check on Rules debut.

Form: 1

Home Sweet Highway⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

5/1

Runner-up completed start in Irish points in January and a £50,000 buy. From a decent jumping family and would have been placed but for a late fall on hurdles debut won by Step Above here last month.

Form: P/2-F

Long To Be²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby

150/1

Half-brother to fair hurdler/chaser Arcade Attraction (2m-21f winner). Dam, placed in bumper/no impact over hurdles, half-sister to smart hurdler (stayed 3m) Attaglance and fairly useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 21f) Hi George. Stopped quickly in a bumper last month.

Form: 7

Miss Smartypants⁶¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M & D Easterby

80/1

Half-sister to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler Steel City and bumper winner/fair hurdler Miss Sassypants, stays 2½m. Set to be placed (albeit at a remote distance) when unseating rider on debut in April 2021.

Form: U/

Forecasts

Step Above (15/8), Are U Wise To That (9/4), Choosethenews (11/4), Home Sweet Highway (5/1), Miss Smartypants (80/1), Long To Be (150/1)

STEP ABOVE looked a good prospect when making a winning hurdles debut here last month and is up to defying a penalty. Are U Wise To That didn't achieve as much as the selection when successful at Uttoxeter but is open to plenty of progress and is a big threat, along with Home Sweet Highway.