Betfred Merry Christmas Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 6m 33.1s

Storm Nelson⁴²

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Maggs⁽⁷⁾| T: Olly Williams| OR: 131| D

50/1

Won 5 of his 8 starts during a very good spell with Sandy Thomson but pulled up at Aintree for his new trainer last month. Bit to prove.

Form: 82/110-P

Ballymagroarty Boy^b¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 123| C| D

6/4

Course winner who resumed with a career-best success in 9-runner handicap hurdle at Ffos Las (23.9f, heavy) 11 days ago. Up 4 lb but holds leading claims.

Form: 322-341

Skandiburg^p,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: Charlotte Fuller| OR: 117| D

12/1

It's now sixteen runs since his last win in 2020 and he came in only tenth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Newbury (24.2f, good to soft) 22 days ago. Cheekpieces back on with more required.

Form: 85563-0

Our Sam^t⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlotte Jones⁽³⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 117

9/4

Progressing really well this term and he completed a hat-trick in 5-runner handicap hurdle at Hexham (23.3f, heavy) 70 days ago. Not taken lightly despite having a career-high mark to overcome.

Form: 19-4111

Bushypark²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 115| CD

11/2

C&D winner and fairly useful over hurdles and fences at his best but his good days have been more infrequent in recent seasons. Seems to have returned out of sorts.

Form: 21P3-0P

Niceandeasy^p,t²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N W Alexander| OR: 106| D

11/2

Dual-winning chaser in the first half of 2022 but jumping errors consistently proved an issue. Back hurdling when landing 3m2f Kelso handicap last month so needs considering.

Form: FP4P-61

Non-Runners

J'Ai Froid³³

Weight: 11-5| Age: 10

T: L Morgan J: J Kington

Forecasts

Ballymagroarty Boy (6/4), Our Sam (9/4), J'Ai Froid (5/1), Bushypark (11/2), Niceandeasy (11/2), Skandiburg (12/1), Storm Nelson (50/1)

BALLYMAGROARTY BOY can boast a course win and looks the way to go on the back of his stylish recent Ffos Las success. Our Sam is enjoying a fine season and rates a big threat however, with Leicester-scorer J'Ai Froid also in the picture.