Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 4m 26.03s

Goshen^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: N F Houlihan| T: G & J Moore| OR: 152| CD

7/1

Quirky sort but he's very smart at his best and took the Coral Hurdle at Ascot last November. Below form in his bid to defend his crown in that corresponding event last month and is highly unlikely to be troubling the principles in this. Cheekpieces back on.

Form: 12352-4

Not So Sleepy⁵⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: S Bowen| T: H Morrison| OR: 151| D

9/1

Having his fourth go in this (dead-heated with Epatante in 2021). Took strong hold when held in third behind Constitution Hill last year but arrives off a good spell on the Flat having won at Newbury and finished seventh in the Cesarewitch.

Form: 155/355-

Love Envoi^t²²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry| OR: 153| BF| CD

6/4

Very smart hurdler with a good record fresh, winning her first 2 starts at Sandown last season before running a mighty race in second behind Honeysuckle in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Best excused subsequent effort and she's the clear pick for the forecast on these terms.

Form: 12/1126-

You Wear It Well³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 140| C| D

5/4

Really likeable mare who won 4 of her first 5 starts over hurdles, the highlight being the Grade 2 Dawn Run at Cheltenham, and made all in good style on return at Wetherby 5 weeks ago. Needs to find another significant chunk of improvement but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

Form: 12115-1

Non-Runners

Constitution Hill²⁴⁰

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: N J Henderson J: N de Boinville

Shishkin¹⁴

Weight: 11-10| Age: 9

T: N J Henderson J: James Bowen

Forecasts

Constitution Hill (2/9), You Wear It Well (5/4), Love Envoi (6/4), Goshen (7/1), Not So Sleepy (9/1), Shishkin (16/1)

The magnificent CONSTITUTION HILL should have no problem landing this race for the second year running to take his record over hurdles to 8-8. Mares' Hurdle runner-up Love Envoi goes well fresh and is the obvious pick for the forecast, though the selection's stablemate Shishkin adds a layer of intrigue should he consent to jump off, with the headgear experiment quickly shelved.