Novice Hurdle 4YO Race Card

The Novice 4YO Hurdle is an exciting race on day 1 at Aintree for the Grand National Meeting and the full race card will be available here in the build up to the race for punters to study. It will be a comprehensive card with each horse featured along with Jockeys, Trainers and form line when the declarations are made at the five day and 48 hour stage of the race.

Race OverviewThe Triumph Hurdle, in which Countrywide Flame had four key rivals behind, looks easily the most important clue. This year's Triumph was run at a particularly frenetic gallop, which looked to suit the strong-staying winner more than the likes of the third GRUMETI (nap) and the front-running sixth Sadler's Risk, so in the expectation that this isn't as much of a test of stamina, Alan King's youngster can reverse the form and give his trainer a third win in this since 2007. Countrywide Flame may still be next best, ahead of Sadler's Risk and Triumph fourth Dodging Bullets. [Mel Cullinan]

Odds provided by Paddypower

No.RunnerDetailsRatingOdds
1BradburyBradbury (IRE)
F Davis
J Bethell		4 yrs / 154 lbs
1742		121

CommentBradbury

Massed to find at this level; best watched

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
12/03/12STR 16Gd 4yCl3 Hd,5K158 lbsFearghal Davis2/11 2l, Beyeh[13/2]10-0
10/12/11DON 16GS 3yCl1 G2Hd,14K156 lbsFearghal Davis4/7 3 3/4l, Royal Bonsai[40/1]11-2
12/11/11CHL 16GS 3yCl1 G2Hd,12K156 lbsFearghal Davis7/9 20l, Hinterland[33/1]11-6
23/10/11Ain 17Gd 3yCl4 Hd,5K154 lbsFearghal Davis1/7 Nk, Royal Opera[4/1]11-0
18/09/11HAM 13Sft Cl4Hc,5K119 lbsGraham Gibbons6/9 21 1/4l, Jeu De Vivre[16/1]8-12
Show Form
2Countrywide FlameCountrywide Flame
D C Costello
J J Quinn		4 yrs / 154 lbs
121231		152

CommentCountrywide Flame

Smart before improving to win Triumph Hurdle; needs fast pace

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
16/03/12CHL 17Gd 4yCl1 G1Hd,57K154 lbsDougie Costello1/20 3l, Hisaabaat[33/1]11-0
12/02/12LEO 16GS 4yG1Hd,38K154 lbsDougie Costello3/12 3l, Hisaabaat[9/2]11-0 blinkers
27/12/11CHP 16Hy 3yCl1 G1Hd,18K154 lbsDougie Costello2/9 2 1/2l, Hollow Tree[2/1]11-0
22/11/11SED 17GS 3yCl4 Hd,3K156 lbsDean Pratt1/6 8l, Eagle Rock[4/9F]10-12
28/10/11WET 16Gd 3yCl1 LisHd,9K160 lbsDougie Costello2/12 1/2l, Secret Edge[2/1F]10-12
Show Form
3Dodging BulletsDodging Bullets
D Jacob
P Nicholls		4 yrs / 154 lbs
24		148

CommentDodging Bullets

Good 4l 4th in Triumph Hurdle; flatter track here could help

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
16/03/12CHL 17Gd 4yCl1 G1Hd,57K154 lbsDaryl Jacob4/20 4l, Countrywide Flame[20/1]11-0
25/02/12KEM 16Gd Cl1 NvG2Hd,12K147 lbsR Walsh2/6 1 1/2l, Grumeti[9/2]11-0
16/08/11SLI 10Y/Sft 3yHc,8K135 lbsB A Curtis1/5 1/2l, Hisaabaat[11/4]9-2 blinkers
27/07/11GAL 8Gd/Y 3yHc,10K123 lbsB A Curtis1/9 2 1/2l, Spirit Of Cuba[5/1]9-4
14/07/11LEO 8Gd Md,6K131 lbsF M Berry2/7 1/2l, Tobar Na Gaoise[5/2F]9-5
Show Form
4Eagle RockEagle Rock (IRE)
J Reveley
T Tate		4 yrs / 154 lbs
2221		122

CommentEagle Rock

Quite useful; up against it on all known evidence

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
22/02/12DON 16Gd 4yCl4 Hd,3K152 lbsJames Reveley1/14 Hd, Kian's Delight[15/8]10-12
01/01/12MUS 16Gd Cl3 NvHd,6K144 lbsGraham Lee2/6 1 1/2l, Kaolak[10/11F]11-2
10/12/11DON 16GS 3yCl1 G2Hd,14K152 lbsJames Reveley2/7 1/2l, Royal Bonsai[13/2]11-2
22/11/11SED 17GS 3yCl4 Hd,3K152 lbsGraham Lee2/6 8l, Countrywide Flame[5/2]11-2
22/10/11DON 12Gd Cl4Hc,5K126 lbsAndrew Mullen5/15 6l, Direct Answer[14/1]9-7
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5Gottany O'SGottany O'S
J M Maguire
D McCain		4 yrs / 154 lbs
3P13		129

CommentGottany O'S

1-3 flop latest; much more needed on previous Newbury win

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
25/03/12HEX 16Gd Cl4 NvHd,3K153 lbsJason Maguire3/10 8 1/2l, Guess Again[1/3F]11-0
02/03/12NBY 16GS 4yCl4 Hd,3K152 lbsJason Maguire1/12 9l, Lyvius[13/2]11-5
23/01/12WET 16Sft 4yCl5 MdHd,2K154 lbsJason MaguirePU/11 Scoglio[5/2]10-11
11/01/12DON 16Gd 4yCl4 Hd,3K152 lbsJason Maguire3/6 6 1/4l, Tarantella Lady[11/8F]10-5 cheekpiece
19/12/11BAN 17Hy 3yCl4 Hd,2K152 lbsJason MaguireNR/7 Ulis De Vassy10-12
Show Form
6GrumetiGrumeti
R Thornton
A King		4 yrs / 154 lbs
1F113		148

CommentGrumeti

3rd in Trumph Hurdle; may do better if this is less fast run

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
16/03/12CHL 17Gd 4yCl1 G1Hd,57K154 lbsRobert Thornton3/20 3 3/4l, Countrywide Flame[5/1F]11-0
25/02/12KEM 16Gd Cl1 NvG2Hd,12K154 lbsRobert Thornton1/6 1 1/2l, Dodging Bullets[4/9F]10-7
28/01/12CHL 17GS 4yCl1 G2Hd,14K158 lbsWayne Hutchinson1/6 [7/4J]
18/01/12NBY 16Sft 4yCl4 Hd,3K159 lbsWayne HutchinsonF/6 Crafty Roberto[8/15F]10-12
30/12/11TAU 17GS Cl4 NvHd,3K146 lbsWayne Hutchinson1/12 14l, Ted Spread[11/2]11-5
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7HinterlandHinterland (FR)
N Fehily
P Nicholls		4 yrs / 154 lbs
1123		141

CommentHinterland

Useful; looks clear 3rd best of the Nicholls trio on form to date

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
28/01/12CHL 17GS Cl2 HdHc,14K151 lbsR Walsh3/14 5l, Module[15/8F]10-11
10/12/11CHL 17Gd 3yCl2 Hd,10K161 lbsR Walsh2/7 7l, Baby Mix[2/7F]11-0
12/11/11CHL 16GS 3yCl1 G2Hd,12K160 lbsR Walsh1/9 3l, Hollow Tree[6/4F]11-2
08/05/11Aut 15VSft 3yLisHd,27K143 lbsJacques Ricou1/11 10l+, Le Choix[6/4F]10-3
17/04/11Nor 16GS 3y,6K128 lbsDavid Fournier2/3 Poliloup[49/10]9-2
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8Kapga De CerisyKapga De Cerisy (FR)
A Coleman
Miss V Williams		4 yrs / 154 lbs
255410		130

CommentKapga De Cerisy

Quite useful but doesn't look up to figuring here

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
14/03/12CHL 16Gd 4yCl1 G3HdHc,34K160 lbsAidan Coleman11/24 15 3/4l, Une Artiste[25/1]10-8
17/02/12SAN 16GS 4yCl4 Hd,3K159 lbsSam Thomas1/11 Nk, Fire Fighter[9/2]11-5
21/01/12ASC 16GS 4yCl3 Hd,6K162 lbsSam ThomasNR/3 Balder Succes11-8
27/12/11CHP 16Hy 3yCl1 G1Hd,18K154 lbsAidan Coleman4/9 32 1/2l, Hollow Tree[12/1]11-0
06/11/11Aut 18Hy 3yG1Hd,105K146 lbsRaymond O'Brien5/11 19 1/4l+, Esmondo[16/1]10-6
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9LyviusLyvius
B J Geraghty
N Henderson		4 yrs / 154 lbs
121		127

CommentLyvius

2 from 3 hurdling; much more needed on form to date

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
21/03/12WAR 16Gd Cl4 NvHd,3K153 lbsDavid Bass1/6 5l, Beggar's Velvet[1/9F]11-0
02/03/12NBY 16GS 4yCl4 Hd,3K159 lbsBarry Geraghty2/12 9l, Gottany O'S[8/13F]10-12
15/02/12KEL 16GS Cl4 NvHd,2K147 lbsBarry Geraghty1/13 2l, Rhymers Ha'[4/6F]11-2
09/10/11Bad 10Sft Hc,6K112 lbsFilip Minarik1/3 [5/2F]
04/09/11Bad 11VSft Hc,9K128 lbsA Starke9/4 Ramblin Shadow[3/1J]8-11
Show Form
10Pearl SwanPearl Swan (FR)
R Walsh
P Nicholls		4 yrs / 154 lbs
11dF		146

CommentPearl Swan

Probably placed but for falling in Triumph; further preferable

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
16/03/12CHL 17Gd 4yCl1 G1Hd,57K154 lbsR WalshF/20 Countrywide Flame[7/1]11-0
28/01/12CHL 17GS 4yCl1 G2Hd,14K161 lbsR Walsh2/6 Grumeti[8/1]11-4
19/01/12TAU 17GS Cl3 NvHd,6K147 lbsDaryl Jacob1/12 4l, Ifyouletmefinish[3/1]11-4 tongue str
11/11/11Ami 14Hy 3y,7K128 lbsJohan Victoire2/3 Technokrat[6/4F]8-11 blinkers
17/10/11Cla 12VSft 3y,9K128 lbsChristophe Soumillon5/4 Behero[23/10F]9-2
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11Sadler's RiskSadler's Risk (IRE)
R Johnson
P Hobbs		4 yrs / 154 lbs
126		143

CommentSadler's Risk

6th in Triumph Hurdle after going off too fast; may improve

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
16/03/12CHL 17Gd 4yCl1 G1Hd,57K154 lbsRichard Johnson6/20 9 1/4l, Countrywide Flame[13/2]11-0
25/02/12KEM 16Gd 4yCl1 G2Hd,12K156 lbsRichard Johnson2/8 2l, Baby Mix[11/10F]11-5
14/01/12KEM 16Gd 4yCl4 Hd,3K152 lbsRichard Johnson1/11 17l, Otto The Great[EvensF]10-9
20/08/11CHS 13GF Cl1 LisHc,20K119 lbsFrederik Tylicki6/12 5 3/4l, Berling[12/1]8-13
27/07/11GOO 12Gd 3yCl2Hc,25K133 lbsNeil Callan8/11 10 3/4l, Whiplash Willie[13/2]8-12 visor
Show Form
12ZarzalZarzal (IRE)
P Moloney
E Williams		4 yrs / 154 lbs
3		-

CommentZarzal

Well held by Grumeti on Kempton hurdles debut form

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
25/02/12KEM 16Gd Cl1 NvG2Hd,12K147 lbsPaul Moloney3/6 22 1/2l, Grumeti[33/1]11-0
15/02/12LIN 13St Cl5 Md,2K129 lbsLuke Morris2/8 3/4l, Kayalar[9/2]9-3
21/10/11Dun 10St Hc,5K135 lbsJ Murtagh4/14 4l, Acushladear[5/1]9-10
28/08/11CUR 10Gd ApHc,6K117 lbsS A Gray8/16 5 1/2l, Leaves You Baby[10/1]8-10 cheekpiece
18/08/11TIP 12GF Hc,5K128 lbsJ Murtagh6/12 5 1/4l, Crusoe's Return[6/1]9-4
Show Form
13BeyehBeyeh (IRE)
James Davies
M Appleby		4 yrs / 147 lbs
61		-

CommentBeyeh

Won at Stratford last time; this is way harder

DateRace ConditionsWeightJockeyRace Outcome
12/03/12STR 16Gd 4yCl3 Hd,5K140 lbsCharlie Wallis1/11 2l, Bradbury[18/1]11-4 cheekpiece
22/02/12DON 16Gd 4yCl4 Hd,3K140 lbsCharlie Wallis6/14 7l, Eagle Rock[100/1]10-12
21/12/11KEM 12St 3yCl5Hc,2K121 lbsNeil Chalmers6/8 12 1/2l, Rasheed[66/1]9-4 blinkers(1
11/12/11STH 8St 3yCl5Hc,2K112 lbsJack Duern5/6 24 1/2l, Beautiful Day[33/1]8-7
23/09/11WOL 9St/Fs 3yCl5Hc,3K126 lbsChris Catlin10/12 17 1/4l, Silver Alliance[25/1]9-4
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