Boyle Sports, Home Of The Early Payout Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:44 | Winning time: 4m 49.4s

Destination Dubai^t¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Nick Slatter⁽⁵⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson

1/4

No impact in maiden points but very progressive in bumpers, scoring at Hereford (for Alastair Ralph) and Warwick prior to finishing a fine second in an Aintree Grade 2. Made short work of landing cramped odds on Hexham hurdling debut in May and is open to significant improvement.

Form: P4112-1

Herja^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: P Griffin| OR: 105| D

4/1

Reliable sort who gained compensation for a late fall at Bangor when off the mark in a maiden at Sedgefield (2½m, good) in September. Gave her all under a penalty when runner-up at Perth subsequently but looks to have her work cut out with Destination Dubai here.

Form: 3-22F12

The Clonmel Kid¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 110

14/1

Second on Newcastle bumper debut in December and made quite an encouraging start over hurdles at Catterick in January. Back to that sort of form when runner-up in a Hexham maiden in March but ran no sort of race sent handicapping there 12 days ago, possibly unsuited by the more testing ground.

Form: 323P2-P

De Deli Counter¹⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

80/1

£7,000 4-y-o, Dartmouth gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including useful hurdler/very smart chaser De Rasher Counter and fair hurdler Cute Cherry. Dam modest 2½m chase winner. Fourth of 5 finishers sole start in Irish points (May 2025).

Form: 4

Forecasts

Destination Dubai (1/4), Herja (4/1), The Clonmel Kid (14/1), De Deli Counter (80/1)

Useful dual-bumper winner DESTINATION DUBAI made short work of landing cramped odds on hurdling debut at Hexham back in the spring and open to significant improvement, this looks an excellent opportunity under a penalty. Herja is a reliable type and narrowly preferred to The Clonmel Kid for forecast purposes.