12:42 Lingfield

Tuesday 11 November 2025

All12:4213:1713:5214:2715:0215:37

Sharon Knapp Memorial Cup EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:42 | Winning time: 4m 56.45s

Korkoran²⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham| BFWS

4/1

Cost £240,000 after winning sole start in Irish points and while his Rules debut in an Exeter bumper (16.7f, soft) ended in disappointment (sent off 7/4 favourite), he is almost certainly capable of a good deal better. Has undergone a wind op ahead of this hurdles bow.

Form: 1/6-

Les's Destiny Star²⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling

13/2

From a useful jumping family and made a successful debut in a bumper at Doncaster in January 2024. Backed that up when finding just one too good at Warwick next time, but he was disappointing back from a year off at the same course in March and needs to get back on track now switched to hurdles.

Form: 12/0-

Purple Owl²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe

5/1

Bought for £60,000 after winning last of 3 starts in points and, though brushed aside in a Taunton bumper on Rules debut in February, there was much more to like about his clear second to a potentially useful type on first run over hurdles at Uttoxeter (15.8f, good to soft). Open to improvement.

Form: 4/P15-2

Can You Hear Me²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁵⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White

18/1

Fair form in a pair of bumpers and his departure on last month's hurdles debut at Worcester (2m, good to soft) was too far out (fourth-last) to say what he might have done with a clear round. The percentage call is to look elsewhere nonetheless.

Form: 64-F

Laurier Des Obeaux²⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Caoilin Quinn| T: G & J Moore

28/1

€42,000 half-brother to French 1½m bumper winner Hermine des Obeaux. Offered something to work on when fourth in an 8-runner Huntingdon bumper (15.8f, good to soft) during the spring and he can be expected to step up on that in due course.

Form: 4-

Minella Marathon²²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

5/6

This half-brother to bumper winner I'd Go Maniac fetched £200,000 after winning his sole start between the flags and he has to be of major interest on this Rules debut for powerful connections, particularly if strong in the betting.

Form: 1-

Non-Runners

Calvino²⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: P F Nicholls J: H Cobden

Luwdvig²⁵⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: N B King J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Minella Marathon (5/6), Calvino (11/4), Korkoran (4/1), Purple Owl (5/1), Les's Destiny Star (13/2), Can You Hear Me (18/1), Luwdvig (25/1), Laurier Des Obeaux (28/1)

It will look significant if there's confidence behind MINELLA MARATHON in the betting and the hint should probably be taken if that proves to be the case. Indeed, he won a maiden point pretty decisively during the spring and subsequently fetched £200,000. Calvino had a couple of previous hurdles winners behind when going close on his debut in this sphere at Newton Abbot and, with the promise of better to come, he rates the clear main danger ahead of Purple Owl.