Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 4m 48.35s

Galunggung⁴³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

8/15

Joint winner of sole run between the flags back in 2021 and positive start under Rules when a clear second to Traprain Law in a Kelso novice (16.2f, heavy) last January. Absent since but will be hard to beat if ready to roll here.

Form: 1/2-

That One¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Walton

11/1

Glimmers of ability in a Sedgefield novice and a Carlisle maiden but probably more one for handicaps in due course.

Form: 54

Audreys Pride³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr John Dawson⁽³⁾| T: Paul Collins

66/1

Safely held starting out in a Newcastle maiden hurdle last month and she's hard to warm to on the back of that display.

Form: 7

Fox's Fancy³⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

5/2

Closely related to 3 winners, including Grand National hero One For Arthur and useful hurdler/chaser Forza Milan. Showed ability in a trio of bumpers last season, second in one at Hexham when last seen 12 months ago, and she's the one most likely to make a race of it with Galunggung.

Form: 552-

French Highlands¹⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

16/1

Half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/chase winner Haute Estime and fair 19f hurdle winner An Taibhse. Never in the hunt on debut in an Aintree bumper in October and yard saddles a more appealing candidate in Fox's Fancy.

Form: 9

Vallamorey¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: S England

100/1

Fair Flat winner at her best for Chris Fairhurst but she has offered precious little in 2 starts over hurdles to date.

Form: 8/P6

Forecasts

Galunggung (8/15), Fox's Fancy (5/2), That One (11/1), French Highlands (16/1), Audreys Pride (66/1), Vallamorey (100/1)

Assuming GALUNGGUNG is raring to go following a 14-month absence, he will take plenty of stopping. The horse he chased home on his Rules debut at Kelso is a pretty useful type and it's unlikely that there's anything of a similar calibre lurking amongst his five rivals in this contest. Fox's Fancy is the clear pick for forecast purposes given what she showed in bumpers last season, while That One may well pick up minor place money before presumably making the switch to handicaps.