Hogmaneigh Hurdle Tips & Betting Preview

No historical data for this new race so nothing to help us statistically but what we can say is that Dan Skelton’s Superb Story (5/2) means Jonny Delta has to carry sdeven pounds more than his allotted weight. He was last seen at Galway in July when pulled up behind Clondaw Warrior in the ultra-competitive (and valuable) Galway Hurdle. He was hampered that day and may be better judged on his Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March which saw him put up seven pounds but this race isn’t anywhere near as competitive and connections will be more worried about the lack of a recent race than the majority of the opposition.

Brian Ellison clearly wants to win this having started with a couple of entries but he now relies on Eyes Of A Tiger (11/2) and in his case he has the benefit of Nathan Moscrop in the saddle, who claims five pounds off the horse’s weight. Pretty lightly raced with just the seven career starts over hurdles he has won two and placed in four others including a second last time out behind All Set To Go which looks solid enough form, and he has every chance of adding another victory to his rapidly expanding CV this afternoon.

James Ewart is another trainer who seems pretty eager to take this prize with a list of early entries headed by the once classy Aristo Du Plessis (20/1) who would walk this if anywhere near to his very best. Now a seven-year-old he has been rated as highly as 150 at his peak and gets in off 138 this afternoon which suggest he could go well, though is last win was back in January with five losing runs since. His record here at Musselburgh is two wins and a third form four starts which has to be seen as encouraging, though an eighth of ten at Doncaster last time is less encouraging.

Mirsaale (10/1) is certainly an interesting contender for the excellent Keith Dalgleish who isn’t out of this by any means. After winning a couple of novice events at Perth he stepped up in class to finish third to El bandit over further at Chepstow in the Grade Two Persian War Novice Hurdle before a career best second to the classy Moon Racer a Cheltenham in the Sharp Novices’ hurdle (and ahead of Champion Bumper winner Ballandy) which is superb form. Last time out he did finish fifth and last in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle behind the likes of Irving and Apple’s Jade but may appreciate the drop in to handicap company and seems sure to challenge for the places

To round things off, Ian Williams will expect a big run from Kapstadt (9/2) who was last seen winning at Cheltenham by six lengths last month off of eight pounds lower, but at least arrives here in good form and has guaranteed race fitness on his side even if others look that little bit classier here and he may well be another happy to settle for a place at best.