What did you make of the Cheltenham trial George? I thought that Scriptwriter was very impressive and had the flat rating to back up his hurdles form. The real enigma is Mr Freedom which I had a small bet on. He had run out on his previous run when well in command and almost did it again on Saturday although he did jump it rather sideways and lost all momentum. He then weakened but going to the last I thought he still had every chance so some blinkers might yet help him prove that he is (in my view) still one of the top 3yos that we have seen to date.

Nicholls entry was sure to be favourite but not based on any firm evidence while Scriptwriter had done everything right both on the flat and in his first run. This is usually a strong race, and it is very valuable for the time of year.

Methinks once again looked like he'd never seen a hurdle before in his life. There was some improvement, however, as on this occasion he made it to the third hurdle. Embarrassing.

Running P/L: +15.35 pts

Yes,George think we can most probably get the fav beat here,my two Cabrakan and outsider Romancero Le Dun not an auspicious start to hurdle racing and bad drift in betting,but trainer does ok at track

Good luck tanglefoot and DG

Well done tanglefoot and DG

The first two pretty much controlled it throughout

Not a bad hurdling debut from my pick in third who'll probably improve for it

Running P/L: +13.35 pts

Tessy Lad, 1pt win @ 11-4, 11.55 Newcastle
Freddy Robinson, 1pt EW @ 14-1, 11.55 Newcastle

Just the six runners for this juvenile hurdle and I have two qualifers. One looks an interesting recruit and the other may not be a forlorn hope, so I'll take them both against the field.

Tessy Lad would appear to have the better credentials of the pair, having won three times on the Flat this season at up to 12f and proving himself versatile regarding surface. He comes here in form having won his latest start at Wolverhampton, and he looks like he has the size and scope to take to this game.

Freddy Robinson has been a bit of a disappointment since shaping well on his reappearance at Pontefract (1 mile, g-f) back in early summer, though he might have had excuses on occasions on account of trip / going, and he probably ran better in a Racing League handicap at Windsor (1 mile, good) than the bare result suggested. It was just a seller that he was beaten in on his latest start at Redcar (1 mile, heavy) when finishing a close second, but he was a bit tight for room in the closing stages against the rail, and the winner has since been in good form over hurdles. He is the lowest-rated of these on the Flat and does have his stamina to prove, but he has shaped as though he will stay further than a mile on the Flat.

Of the others...

Cabrakan ran okay to finish second in what appeared a steadily-run 5-runner affair at Exeter last Sunday on his hurdles debut. He comes here fit with that initial experience under his belt and wears cheekpieces for the first time.

Ring Of Beara has the highest Flat rating of these but didn't really progress for Richard Hughes. He last two starts have come at Glorious Goodwood and in the November Handicap (on his stable debut), so should at least find this company less demanding if taking to hurdles.

Swift Tuttle, who is rated in the 70s on the level, ran well to finish 4th of 14 at Doncaster (10f, heavy) last month on what turned out to be his final start for Brian Meehan, having since been sold for 13,000 gns. A tongue-tie is applied for the first time.

Super Stars, who has a bit to find with a few of these if Flat ratings are any guide, failed to win in eleven starts for the Johnstons, though did make the frame on four occasions. He has been sold for 17,000 gns since his lastest start and has been gelded ahead of his stable / hurdling debut.

Good vibes for Cabrakan

Good luck sageform and tanglefoot

Well done tanglefoot.

All 6 were in close proximity two out, indicative perhaps that the winner had been allowed to dictate soft fractions, and he saw his race out well, as did the second Ring Of Beara.

In contrast it was disappointing that Tessy Lad didn't at least hang onto second place and his effort petered out in the closing stages.

My other selection Freddy Robinson ran okay in 4th place but on this evidence he's likely better off in handicaps once qualified rather than taking on higher-rated rivals off the Flat at level weights.

Running P/L: +10.35 pts

Polyphonic, 1pt win @ 4-1, 12.40 Leicester

Polyphonic doesn't face an easy task here against the long odds-on Perseus Way, who finished runner-up on his hurdles debut in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham, but a chance is taken as he looks an interesting recruit to hurdling.

Polyphonic impressed when staying on strongly over 11f at Carlisle (good, g-s places) in August to win by eight lengths from one who had won two of his previous three starts, albeit he might have been flattered to an extent having dictated the fractions and led the field to the stands side in the home straight. He was then just touched on quicker ground at Haydock (11.5f, g-f) before disappointing on his final start for Karl Burke at Ayr. He is officially rated the same on the Flat as Perseus Way.

If memory serves, I think I'm right in saying that he was entered at the 5-day stage for the aforementioned Grade 2 hurdle that was won by his stablemate Scriptwriter, so hopefully that's an indicator that he has been working and schooling well for his new yard, and it will be interesting to gauge the market strength / weakness behind him come post time given his yard have that line of form with Perseus Way.

It was a poor race run at a slow pace and Perseus Way still looked very green. He still confirmed the Cheltenham form although it would have been a major shock if he hadn't.

Lightning Gesture 4 a flyer,gl George.

As formoftheace might say...Ff's.

It was there in the formbook, the one time Casi Crudo had encountered give on the Flat was arguably his best run when finishing third behind Mostly Cloudy, who went on to be rated 35lb higher. A son of Authorized with a 'roundy' action, he clearly relishes some give in the ground.

As for Apologise, he was held from some way out, looking a bit rusty off a break and his hurdling could have been more fluent at times. He plugged on for third but only past one who had tried to go with the first two and weakened after the last.

A watching brief for now to see which way he goes for his new yard.

Running P/L: +8.35 pts

Thought the fav,George,should win,but gl for Sabyinyo

It's a very odd sort of Listed race when it's limited to horses that have never run. Nothing from that race has come out and won since and how good a race was it, considering that 9 of the 10 runners were covered by less than 10L at the finish. Kansas Du Berlais may well still be too much for this modest looking bunch, but I wouldn't be rushing to back him at odds on. Worth noting that since this race was converted to an Introductory Hurdle in 2016, four of the six winners had won their previous start over hurdles.

Yes I am - I assume it's because they rate the race based on the use of Listed in the title.

Cheers, Anorak.

Thanks for the link, Manoleeds.

I hope they just let him roll along rather than try to restrain him if he's still inclined to run free, rather than fight him by trying to restrain him and wasting even more energy.

As TC settles at betfair SP, that's a 89/1 winner for him !

Small lay of the favourite paid off for once. Strange race to assess but Non Stop was giving 5lb.