A sibling to hurdle winners Ashford Wood and Rare Legend, this five-year-old has some family encouragement for hurdling as he lines up in this maiden. Affinisea's offspring have won hurdles on good ground, offering some encouragement for the going he encounters here for Charles and Adam Pogson. Robert Dunne and the trainers have combined for four winners from 22 runners at Southwell, giving the partnership a useful record at the course.

Third in Class 4 bumpers at Doncaster in March and Bangor in April, he has shown enough ability to make this maiden hurdle an interesting assignment. The Bangor effort came on good ground over two miles and half a furlong, when he finished three and three quarter lengths behind the winner. He returns after 198 days off, with Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls having sent out three winners from 13 runners during the past fortnight.

Pulled up in a two-mile Class 4 hurdle at Huntingdon in May on good to firm, leaving him with plenty to prove in this maiden. His earlier fourth in a Worcester bumper in August 2025 offers a little more encouragement, although he was still beaten 13 lengths. Today's good ground matches the going for that bumper, while the two-mile trip is unchanged from Huntingdon. He returns after 161 days off, with that modest bumper promise needing to be translated into a much more convincing performance over hurdles.

Won a two-mile bumper here on soft ground in February, a course success that gives him a promising foundation for this maiden hurdle. He returns after 257 days off and faces good ground this time, so the conditions differ from those of his victory. Fergal O'Brien and Jonathan Burke have combined for six winners from 27 runners at Southwell, adding encouragement as he looks to carry that bumper ability over hurdles.

His third in a two-mile Hexham bumper in April, beaten seven and a quarter lengths on good ground, showed some promise. He was well below that level when eighth in a Class 4 hurdle at Carlisle on 22 October, finishing 34 and a half lengths behind the winner. This return to two miles is a furlong shorter than at Carlisle, with the going again good. He reappears 11 days later and needs to translate more of that bumper promise to hurdles.

No positives or concerns have been published for this runner.

Tom Ellis and Jack Andrews have combined for six winners from 20 runners at Southwell, giving this four-year-old an encouraging partnership behind him for today's maiden hurdle. Both trainer and jockey have also been among the winners during the past fortnight. A son of Linda's Lad, whose offspring have won hurdles on good ground, he has some pedigree encouragement for the conditions.

Represents a Dan Skelton yard in good form, with 18 winners from 94 runners in the past fortnight providing encouragement ahead of this 2m maiden hurdle. The trainer has also enjoyed plenty of success at Southwell, while Liam Harrison brings winning experience at the course. By Crystal Ocean out of Rene's Girl, he has some encouragement for good ground through his sire's hurdle winners under those conditions.

Won a Taunton bumper over two miles and half a furlong in February, showing ability worth carrying into this maiden hurdle. His subsequent eighth in Class 1 company at Aintree in April was less encouraging, beaten 28 and a quarter lengths. He tackles hurdles after 205 days off, with good ground replacing the good to soft of both those bumpers. His sibling An Mhi has won four hurdles, offering further encouragement for this assignment.

Dan Skelton has enjoyed plenty of success at Southwell, with 96 winners from 455 runners, and saddles this four-year-old in the 2m maiden hurdle. The stable has also been in good form over the past fortnight, providing a positive for this son of Jack Hobbs. His sire has produced hurdle winners on good ground, offering some encouragement for today's going, and Charlie Todd takes the ride.

Ben Pauling has sent out 38 winners from 204 runners at Southwell, giving this four-year-old the support of a yard with a useful record here. His partnership with Callum Pritchard has also been successful during the past fortnight. By Teofilo, whose offspring have won hurdles on good ground, he has some pedigree encouragement for the conditions in this two-mile maiden.

Beaten over 100 lengths when ninth in a Class 4 hurdle at Chepstow on 9 October, leaving him with plenty to find at this level. He had also finished eighth, 33 lengths adrift, in a Fontwell bumper in May, so neither performance offers much immediate encouragement. Dan Skelton's 18 winners during the past fortnight are a positive, but Short Sell needs a substantial step forward over the same two-mile trip as at Chepstow.

Finished fourth in a Taunton bumper over two miles and half a furlong in February, 12 lengths behind Rices Pool. That leaves him with ground to make up on a rival he meets again, as he tackles this two-mile maiden hurdle after 249 days off. Harry Cobden has ridden 20 winners from 74 runners at Southwell, bringing useful course experience to the saddle. His sire Yeats has produced hurdle winners on good ground, offering some encouragement for today's conditions.

Beaten 30 and a half lengths when sixth over 2m on good ground at Kelso on 24 October, he needs a substantial step forward. He was also beaten 30 and a quarter lengths when finishing tenth in a 2m Worcester bumper in August. He again tackles 2m on good ground, nine days after Kelso. Danny McMenamin's four winners from 26 rides in the past fortnight provide a positive from the saddle.

Won a Huntingdon bumper in November 2025 and finished second there in April, giving him a reasonable foundation for hurdles. However, his latest sixth at Worcester on 7 October was a less persuasive effort, beaten 21 and a quarter lengths over two miles on good ground. He faces the same trip, going and Class 4 level here, so a fair step forward from that performance is needed. Stuart Edmunds and Charlie Hammond have combined for seven winners from 26 runners at Southwell, providing some encouragement from the connections.