McCoy Contractors Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

4YO plus | Class 2 | 2m 3f 200y | 7 Runners | Turf

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 123

Impressed when opening his hurdles account at the third time of asking at Cork in July and made the most of a good opportunity when following up at Perth (2m). Faced a stiff task when third of 4 at Listowel since and should benefit from this return to further.

Form: 193-113

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Mr Hollywood²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

10/11

Smart on Flat (stays 2¾m) and built on his hurdling debut promise to land a 2¾m Galway maiden in July, staying on to lead close home. That form is proving strong and he's been highly tried back on the level since. Leading chance.

Form: 31

Datstheholyallofit²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: B S Hughes| T: P Neville| OR: 113| D

10/1

Bumper winner who was suited by the longer trip when making it third time lucky over hurdles at Sedgefield (21f) in September and belied market weakness to follow up in a race with more depth at Perth (2½m), This is tougher still but shouldn't be underestimated with further progress likely.

Form: 4-12311

Otie's Friend²²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: Nick Scholfield

14/1

Off the mark at the third attempt in bumpers with his sights lowered in 7-runner event (13/8) at Plumpton (2¼m, soft) in March. Longer trip bound to suit now going hurdling but starts out in a warm race.

Form: 271-

Saint Invictus¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ellis Collier| T: S Hosie

150/1

£95,000 buy after finishing runner-up sole start in Irish points but showed only modest form in bumpers and made a discouraging start to his hurdling career at Chepstow recently.

Form: 2/257-0

Kingstonian²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| BF

5/2

Useful Flat winner (stays 2¼m) who shaped promisingly on his first go over hurdles when third of 16 in extended 2m maiden at Killarney in late-August. Respectable effort in a first-time visor in Irish Cesarewitch back on the level since and seems sure to improve for this longer trip.

Form: 3

Mister Coko¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

12/1

Failed to justify support on the first of 2 starts in bumpers but showed much more of why he'd been so well backed that day switched to hurdling when third of 12 in 2m novice at Worcester 16 days ago, despite racing on the seemingly unfavoured far side. Likely to improve over this longer trip.

Form: 58-3

Forecasts

Mr Hollywood (10/11), Kingstonian (3/1), Cosmos D'ainay (9/2), Datstheholyallofit (12/1), Otie's Friend (16/1), Mister Coko (16/1), Saint Invictus (150/1)

The form of MR HOLLYWOOD’s Galway win is proving strong and there’s surely more to come from him as a hurdler judged on his Flat ability, so he’s taken to come out on top. Kingstonian is a very interesting rival however, himself well above average on the Flat and open to plenty of improvement over this longer trip.