Sedgefield 4:00 Result

Loriko is clearly the class act here on official ratings (125, some 4-12lbs clear of this field) and his recent form line of 2-1121 shows he's in career-best form with three wins from his last four starts. Dan Skelton is a top hurdles trainer and Harry Skelton riding suggests stable confidence. The form figures show he's handling different tracks and conditions well, and with only a 25-day layoff he should come into this race fresh but sharp. None of the smaller rivals have the same level of recent winning form - Skyjack Hijack is out of form with a P6-P5 line and has had a lengthy 61-day break, Ladies Day and Glory And Honour are workmanlike sorts rated in the low-100s who look outclassed, and Ballygeary's 105 rating and modest 36-535 form make him the outsider on merit. This looks a small but clear pecking order race where the classiest and best-in-form horse should prove hard to beat, even if he goes off a short price. Value here comes from being confident enough to back a well-drawn favourite in a small field where the market rightly identifies the standout - the alternative of chasing a bigger price against a horse with this much rating and form edge doesn't stack up.