Star Sports We Believe In Bookmaking Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:11 | Winning time: 5m 48.81s

Nollyador^t⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Cameron Johnstone-Baker⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 100

7/4

Reached a decent level in bumpers but has yet to better modest form over hurdles, albeit his third in a Huntingdon handicap in December goes down as a decent effort considering he'd been off for nearly 2 years ago. He's been given time to get over that and merits consideration.

Form: 35665/3

Home And Dry¹¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Callum Pritchard⁽³⁾| T: T Faulkner| OR: 100

22/1

Fair 2m Flat winner who showed ability in 2m maiden/novice hurdles at this venue last spring. Misfired on return from a break on the level at Kempton in October but remains of some interest back hurdling, especially now tackling a longer trip.

Form: P5-4

Lelant^t,p⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ellis Collier⁽⁶⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 90

5/1

Struggled over fences this season (beaten when departing 3 out latest) but returns to smaller obstacles from a 16 lb lower mark than when last seen in this sphere (March 2024). Doesn't look a winner in waiting on recent form, but it might be significant if any market support comes his way.

Form: 3668PF

Seahouses¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Isabelle Ryder⁽⁵⁾| T: F Brennan| OR: 85

3/1

Caused a surprise when scoring under an enterprising ride at Market Rasen 19 days ago (20.6f, good to soft) making-all having poached a healthy lead at the start. Respected as the only runner to have won a race over hurdles, though he's unlikely to be gifted such an easy lead again.

Form: 558-PP1

Sullivan Bay^v⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Jack Hogan| T: J & S Best| OR: 77| BF

4/1

Showed next to nothing for Henrietta Knight but back to winning ways on first start for this yard on the Flat at Chelmsford (2m) in October. Placed on all 4 outings since, including a narrow second in a 20.5f handicap hurdle at Plumpton in December. Remains very interesting from a 3 lb higher mark.

Form: 7-0P5P2

Clover Pass²⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Murray Dodd⁽⁸⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 71

10/1

Half-sister to fairly useful hurdler but she's shown little in the way of promise herself so far, including on handicap hurdle debut in June last year. Needs to take a signficant step forward on reappearance racing from 3 lb out of the handicap.

Form: 38/P-057

Non-Runners

Dublin To Milan³¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: C Boultbee-Brooks J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Nollyador (7/4), Seahouses (3/1), Sullivan Bay (4/1), Lelant (5/1), Clover Pass (10/1), Dublin To Milan (16/1), Home And Dry (22/1)

SULLIVAN BAY has been in great heart since joining current connections, underlined by a narrow defeat when last seen over hurdles, having looked the winner for a long way. He's still feasibly treated and could take advantage of his lowly handicap mark at the expense of Seahouses who is the only one of these to have won a hurdles race, while it will be interesting to see if any support comes for Lelant, whose mark has plummeted. Nollyador is respected now, having missed Exeter on Friday.