13:05 Aintree

Friday 26 December 2025

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:25

William Hill Formby Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:07 | Winning time: 4m 1.72s

Glance At Midnight¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Shane Quinlan| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 127

25/1

Progressive form in bumpers and made a winning hurdling debut in emphatic style in 11-runner maiden at Huntingdon (15.8f) in November. Stepped up further when second in class 2 novice at Cheltenham (16.8f) 2 weeks ago, despite refusing to settle. Better still to come but this looks a tough ask.

Form: 051-12

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Idaho Sun²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry| OR: 135| D

3/1

2-3 in bumpers (smart form) and has looked an exciting prospect since attentions switched to this sphere, making it 2-2 in bloodless fashion when making all in 12-runner Bangor novice (16.6f) 4 weeks ago. This his toughest assignment yet but he remains open to plenty of improvement.

Form: 116-11

Mydaddypaddy²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 138| D

8/13

Facile winner only start in bumpers and done nothing to alter the fact he's a most exciting prospect in landing each of his 2 starts over hurdles this winter, storming clear from 2 rivals at Haydock (15.6f) 23 days ago. Of significant interest now upped in class.

Form: 1-11

Starmount²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling

14/1

Well-related sort who was successful in an Irish point in December 2024 and he justified good support 12 months on when winning 14-runner novice hurdle at Wetherby (16f, soft) on Rules debut 3 weeks ago. Clearly well clued up and this is tougher but he can progress.

Form: F1-1

Storming George²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King| OR: 127| D

17/2

5-y-o with a positive profile, successful on first of his 2 starts in bumpers last term (fifth in Grade 2 here other start). Bright start over timber this winter, building on a promising Newbury third when impressively landing 8-runner Doncaster novice (16.6f) 4 weeks back. Likely to progress again.

Form: 15-31

The Last Cloud⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: P Neville| OR: 123

18/1

Grand type who continues to go the right way, bringing up the hat-trick in a small-field Perth handicap hurdle (16.2f) in September. Acquitted himself well up markedly in class when keeping on fourth in Cheltenham Grade 2 a month later but will need to pull out even more in what looks a warm race.

Form: 32-1114

Non-Runners

Diamond Hunter³⁴

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: C Gordon J: Non Runner

Wahraan⁴¹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: J Bedi J: Kevin Healy

Forecasts

Mydaddypaddy (8/13), Idaho Sun (3/1), Storming George (17/2), Diamond Hunter (12/1), Starmount (14/1), The Last Cloud (18/1), Glance At Midnight (25/1), Wahraan (100/1)

MYDADDYPADDY once again created a tremendous impression under a confident ride when readily seeing off 2 rivals at Haydock 23 days ago. Looking every inch a high-class novice in the making, he can maintain his 100% record and bring up the 4-timer. Idaho Sun is another very promising sort who looks ready for this step up in grade and may emerge next best.