Axe The Racing Tax Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 4m 3.97s

Squeezebox^h,t1²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Brendan Powell| T: T Lacey

3/1

Fair Flat winner at 12f for Michael Appleby. Made a winning hurdles start at Market Rasen in August and bettered that form when fifth of 8 in novice at Warwick (16f, good to firm) 24 days ago. In the mix with tongue strap added.

Form: 15

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Currumbin²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: Michael Keady| D

13/2

Fair 2m Flat winner who made a successful start in this sphere at Worcester in June. Improved on that when sixth of 8 in novice hurdle at Warwick (16f, good to firm) 24 days ago so must enter calculations.

Form: 16

Kelijoe¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Hammond| T: S Edmunds

7/1

Fairly useful ex-French bumper winner. Shaped well on his hurdling/yard debut when runner-up over C&D in April but just eighth of 10 in novice at Uttoxeter (15.8f, good to soft) 12 days ago. Worth another chance.

Form: 4212-8

Portoro^h,t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁵⁾| T: Martin Dunne

28/1

Fair 7f Flat winner who also came in a good third at Leicester (7f) 10 days ago. Goes hurdling now and he can't be ruled out.

Form:

Sixpack²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr Alex Chadwick⁽³⁾| T: James Owen

1/1

A fair 14f scorer on the level who wasn't disgraced when seventh at Ripon (2m) 20 days ago. Interesting for good yard now starting out in this sphere.

Form:

Solanna²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: C J Todd| T: J Butler

9/1

A fair 10f Flat scorer who comes here on the back of a very good second at Kempton (11f) 29 days ago. Also must enter calculations going hurdling.

Form:

Non-Runners

Zafaan¹⁷

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: Charlie Clover J: Harry Bannister

Forecasts

Sixpack (1/1), Squeezebox (3/1), Zafaan (4/1), Currumbin (13/2), Kelijoe (7/1), Solanna (9/1), Portoro (28/1)

None of these can be ruled out but it could pay to side with James Owen's fair winning Flat stayer SIXPACK to make a successful debut in this sphere. Zafaan rates the pick of the weights of those with hurdling experience and is next on the list, although Squeezebox, Kelijoe and Solanna all command plenty of respect too in an intriguing novice.