15:35 Perth: Timeform preview and free Race Pass

The first of three days’ racing at the Perth Festival gets under way with a couple of listed contests, including a novice hurdle over three miles (15.35) with six runners declared. It looks a competitive contest despite the small field, with only 3 lb covering the top five on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.

Preference is for ‘Hot Trainer’ Nicky Richards’ Famous Bridge (151p) who earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag on his latest start. That came in a handicap at Kelso last month which he won readily by five lengths from subsequent winner Kaizer with the remainder well strung out. Famous Bridge travelled powerfully through the race before quickly going clear once leading approaching the last and this half-brother to the Cheltenham Festival winner Telmesomethinggirl looks one to keep on side with further improvement to come.

Heading the southern challengers is the mare Galia des Liteaux (152p) for Dan Skelton. She won her sole start in Irish points and made a seamless transition to hurdles when coming home thirty lengths clear in a mares’ novice at Wetherby on Boxing Day. She started favourite for a stronger contest at Ascot the following month but came up short, finishing two and a half lengths third to Jerrash, but has had a break since and remains with potential after just the two starts under Rules.

Gordon Elliott’s runners at Perth are always to be respected and The Goffer (149p) will find this less competitive than the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival last time in which he finished down the field after being let down by his jumping. He had been progressing steadily prior to that and was winning for the second time over hurdles when getting the better of some other useful types in a Grade 3 novice at Thurles in February. He remains capable of better.

Mahler Mission (150) is the other Irish challenger for John McConnell who won this race three years ago with Go Another One. He too ran at Cheltenham last time and wasn’t disgraced in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, finishing seventh behind The Nice Guy at odds of 66/1. He’d won his two previous starts in Britain at Sedgefield and Doncaster, seeing out the three miles thoroughly to win the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle at the latter track.

Paul Nicholls is another ‘Hot Trainer’ and bids to win this for the second year running with Complete Unknown (150) after Threeunderthrufive was successful a year ago. Placed in his first four starts over hurdles, including when finishing in front of Galia des Liteaux at Ascot in January, Complete Unknown got off the mark over hurdles in a typically strong renewal of the final of the EBF ‘National Hunt’ series at Sandown last month, relishing the testing conditions and keeping on well to beat Marble Sands by three lengths.

Ben Pauling’s runner Del La Mar Rocket (137) is the outsider of the party with the most to find on ratings. He was a 33/1 winner of a maiden hurdle at Ffos Las in testing conditions in February and ran to a similar level, though jumped right, when runner-up in a novice at Uttoxeter last month.

Timeform analyst’s verdict

Famous Bridge confirmed himself as being well handicapped when scoring in good style at Kelso last month and can take the step up in grade in his stride. The six-year-old is open to further improvement and can get the better of Galia des Liteaux, who remains with potential after only two starts under Rules so far. Of the Irish challengers, The Goffer had been progressing steadily prior to his Cheltenham run last time and he can put that effort behind him.

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