Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 4m 26.50s

Free Spirit²²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

9/2

Dam, 10.5f/11.5f winner, half-sister to smart hurdler/top-class chaser (stayed 2½m) Fox Norton. Fairly useful form over hurdles, in hood/tongue strap, won 10-runner 4-y-o event at Dieppe last time by head from Darling de Chamdou. Has left Mlle D. Mele and joined very powerful stable.

Form: 2/1-

Road Exile³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott

8/11

Bumper winner who left his opening hurdles run well behind when winning 26-runner novice at Navan (16f, heavy) 36 days ago, staying on well. Open to further improvement for his leading yard, particularly as stamina is drawn out.

Form: 121/31

Sober²⁰⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins

9/4

Well backed when winning the Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot last summer having also landed the odds on hurdles debut for yard prior to that. Open to plenty of progress in this sphere.

Form: 1

Non-Runners

Frankie John²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: D Hogan J: D G Hogan

Forecasts

Road Exile (8/11), Sober (9/4), Free Spirit (9/2), Frankie John (20/1)

A small field but an intriguing Grade 2 contest. There has to be more to come from SOBER over hurdles given his Flat ability so he's marginally preferred to Road Exile, who won a big-field novice a month ago, and Free Spirit, a French recruit and now stablemate of the selection.