This is always a competitive race and has in recent years been dominated by unexposed sometimes handicap debutants.

 

At the head of the market this year we have Broomfield Burg from the Henderson yard who has won 3 of its last 5 races and been runner up in the other two, clearly progressive and could be anything and a mark of 134 looks fair but the horse doesn't jump off the page at me and neither does Tizzards JPR One who has form figures of 1-2-1 visually impressive and on handicap debut but I just feel this year there are a few with a bit more Hurdling experience who may make that pay here.

 

Of the younger less exposed types I Like to Move it for the Twiston-Davies yard who have a good record in this race with this type also catches the eye and may be better value than the market leaders.

 

Soaring Glory won this race comfortably for Jonjo last year off a stone lower mark than today, has done nothing at all wrong but will have its work cut out you'd think off todays mark. Boothill is most interesting for Harry Fry and the conundrum for me is why they went novice chasing last time IF this race was "Plan A"??; it travels well and gets a 4lb pull with Soaring Glory for a 3 length defeat just around Christmas time and if transitioning back OK has to have a sporting chance. Jetoile could be a pace angle here and has proven stamina but the way this one may set up the race leads me to my main fancies who I think will most benefit from the end to end gallop.

 

Just missing out on an investment are Lord Baddesley at very big odds (if you want a bit of extra shrapnel) who has a Course and Distance novice Hurdle win off this mark and although the form is not as sexy as some of the other novices the proven Course form catches my eye off the same handicap mark here. It's been hard too to totally discount last years runner up Fifty Ball who has been Novice Chasing since for Gary Morre, he gets a stone for 3 lengths off Soaring Glory but the lack of an hurdle run this season just leaves me asking the same kind of questions as i have over Boothill but I fear both very much.

 

I'll pin my investment though firmly on TRITONIC for Alan King, who was impressive at Ascot winning off a mark of 141, I think the next run at Boxing Day off an 8 day break in dead ground was just too soon and if repeating the Ascot run here would have excellent claims. FIRST STREET is Hendersons second string but was impressive winning off 132 at Kempton last time and although it gets 9lbs for that run it was visually impressive and the fact that the horse has winning form too at 2 miles 3 furlongs and 2 miles 5 furlongs suggests it has more to gain than just about anything else in the race off a fast pace down this very long straight.

 

I can't resist some shrapnel too on the Nicholls horse, accepting the concerns about the Yard form and factored in on KNAPPERS HILL who is a 5 time winner and latterly placed 3rd and who it seems has significant scope still in its locker, if any are non-runners then I'd look at Fifty Ball and definitely some loose change on Lord Baddesley.