Virgin Bet Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:42 | Winning time: 4m 8.07s

Count Of Vendome¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 118| BF| CD

1/4

Dual bumper winner who made amends for a costly late error on hurdles debut when readily landing a C&D maiden last month. Similar form when runner-up under a penalty at Bangor (16.6f) since and this looks a good opportunity to get back to winning ways.

Form: 131-212

Lewisham Grove^p1⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 120

3/1

Took another step forward when opening his account in a big-field Newcastle maiden (20.3f, good to soft) in January. Possibly out of his depth in class 2 novice at Musselburgh (3m) 6 weeks ago and definite player back in calmer waters with cheekpieces now reached for.

Form: 562215

Corsican Caper³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Lee Edwards| T: K Frost| C

33/1

Modest and largely reliable 2m Flat winner who finished tailed off on hurdles debut at Uttoxeter in January. Below best back on the level at Chelmsford since and passed over returned to this sphere.

Form: 7

It's Party Time²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: N Kent

66/1

In the frame in Irish points but pulled up both starts over hurdles to date.

Form: 4R-PP

Non-Runners

Ben Reid³⁴²

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: P D Niven J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Count Of Vendome (1/4), Lewisham Grove (3/1), Ben Reid (25/1), Corsican Caper (33/1), It's Party Time (66/1)

COUNT OF VENDOME's future looks to lie over further but it's still been a very positive start at around 2m and this looks a good opportunity for Donald McCain's C&D scorer to double hurdles tally. Lewisham Grove can provide chief resistance returned to calmer waters.