Download The betvickers.com App Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 4m 53.08s

Sage Conseil^t²⁷⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Ben Harvey| T: J C McConnell

3/1

Bumper winner at Kilbeggan first time up back in August 2023 and left hurdling debut effort behind last summer when finding just one too strong in a Roscommon maiden (20.6f, good to soft), the front pair pulling clear. Fancied to make his mark on reappearance.

Form: 1-72

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Solent Gateway^p,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 103

9/2

Fairly useful stayer on the Flat for Hugo Palmer (sold 9,000 gns) and gradually getting his act together over hurdles, showing a bit more than previously following another breathing operation when third at Wetherby (16f, good) a fortnight ago. Step up in trip needs to unlock further improvement.

Form: 433

Willie Shake Hands^t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 107| BF

4/6

Lightly-raced 6-y-o who went down by just a neck in 13-runner handicap hurdle at Newcastle in February and got event closer over the same C&D 11 days ago, likely to have won with a better jump at the last. Well worth keeping on the right side for a while yet and can make amends.

Form: 643622

Ena's Choice^p1¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: H McMahon

400/1

Fair form at best in Flat maidens in 2023 for T. G. McCourt but showed nothing tried hurdling after 18 months off for her new yard at Newcastle recently.

Form: P

Celestial Reign²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond

16/1

Fair form on second start in Flat maidens for Joseph Patrick O'Brien and having been gelded, was offering something to work on when his race was ended prematurely in novice here (16.8f, good to soft) on hurdles bow recently, close up when brought down 2 out. Not dismissed if getting the trip.

Form: B

Non-Runners

Maggies Boy¹³

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: J Candlish J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Willie Shake Hands (4/6), Sage Conseil (3/1), Solent Gateway (9/2), Maggies Boy (6/1), Celestial Reign (16/1), Ena's Choice (400/1)

A tricky contest to solve despite the small field but WILLIE SHAKE HANDS has gone down by very narrow margins the last twice, so Sam England's 6-y-o gets the nod to go one better at the expense of Sage Conseil, who left his hurdling debut effort behind when finding just one too good at Roscommon last summer and may have to settle for silver again on return. Maggies Boy looks best of the rest.