Stephens Industries Elevate EPDM Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 3m 58.00s

Hard As Nails²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Hogan⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 112| BF| D

5/4

Dual bumper/hurdle winner. Possibly unsuited by testing ground when below par in Wetherby handicap last month and should find these conditions more to her liking.

Form: 231426

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Jaminska⁹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 104| D

5/2

Fair winning hurdler who stepped up on her reappearance when runner-up in 18.5f Exeter handicap on good ground in November. Two lesser runs have followed under softer conditions but claims if a return to a sounder surface sparks a revival.

Form: 44-62P7

Chique Angel⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

5/1

Reached the frame in 2 bumpers a year apart. Seemingly stretched by 21f on heavy ground when a remote fourth on Wincanton hurdle debut 7 weeks ago. Could leave that form well behind back at shorter.

Form: 4-34

Hard Dealt⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: David Bass| T: H D Daly

4/1

£50,000 buy after winning sole outing in Irish points but modest form at best in a bumper and maiden hurdle in the mud before Christmas. Early days but improvement will be needed back from a break on quicker ground.

Form: 164

Put A Lid On It¹⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Fern O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: F O'Brien

50/1

In good hands but didn't achieve a great deal in 2 bumpers last summer. Hard As Nails looks the stable first string unless the betting hints otherwise.

Form: 75

Seventeenothree¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Kimber| T: K Woollacott

150/1

Made the frame in 2 bumpers in January but always behind in a pair of Wincanton hurdles in recent weeks.

Form: 4408

Pepper Queen⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: H D Daly

125/1

Down the field in 2 bumpers ahead of this switch to hurdles. The stable also runs Hard Dealt.

Form: 09

Forecasts

Hard As Nails (5/4), Jaminska (5/2), Hard Dealt (4/1), Chique Angel (5/1), Put A Lid On It (50/1), Pepper Queen (125/1), Seventeenothree (150/1)

The Paul Nicholls-trained CHIQUE ANGEL is faced with a very different test than when a remote fourth on her hurdle debut and is taken to leave that form well behind and prove too strong for more-established pair Hard As Nails and Jaminska, who could both benefit from the return to quicker ground.