Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:23 | Winning time: 5m 11.05s

Coniston George³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 116| C

11/4

Bumper winner here last March and has won 2 of his 3 starts since switched to hurdles. Shaped as though he'd stay further when keeping on well over 17f at Carlisle (soft) last time and further improvement could be on the way now faced with a stiffer test.

Form: 216-171

Got Your Back³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115| D

7/2

Runner-up sole start in Irish points and off the mark at the third attempt under Rules in a Musselburgh maiden. Failed to fire upped to 3m there next time and looks vulnerable on the back of that display, for all that this drop back in trip will presumably help.

Form: 23-314

Ozzy Cosmo^t⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| C

5/1

Fourth sole start in Irish points and promising start under Rules when landing a 12-runner novice here (2m, soft) in December. That form looks decent (the second has won twice since) and this 5-y-o should have more to offer now upped in trip.

Form: 441

Whistle Stop Tour³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 116

9/4

Winning Irish pointer who made a successful start over hurdles in a Hexham novice in October. Hasn't gone on in the way one would've hoped since but he should nevertheless have a part to play here.

Form: 51-1344

Al Kalila⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: S R B Crawford

13/2

Made the frame both starts in bumpers and bettered his hurdles debut form when fifth in a 12-runner Down Royal maiden upped to 2½m on Boxing Day. Probably capable of better but it may be that he will be seen in a better light when switched to handicaps.

Form: 3495

Teddy Mac¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: I A Duncan

300/1

Failed to beat a rival in 2 bumpers and hasn't pulled up any trees in a couple of starts over hurdles either.

Form: 5-8P4

Non-Runners

Sea God⁹⁷

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: J C McConnell J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Whistle Stop Tour (9/4), Coniston George (11/4), Got Your Back (7/2), Sea God (4/1), Ozzy Cosmo (5/1), Al Kalila (13/2), Teddy Mac (300/1)

Preference is for CONISTON GEORGE, who was strong at the finish when scoring at Carlisle last month and moving up in trip here may well be the catalyst for further progress. Sea God is something of an unknown quantity and is feared most ahead of the promising Ozzy Cosmo and Whistle Stop Tour.