By Andrew Atkinson
Oakley, Not So Sleepy and Never Adapt have been declared among a maximum field of 24 runners in the Betfair Hurdle Grade 3 Handicap over 2 miles at Newbury on Saturday (3.35).
Hughie Morrison trained Not So Sleepy, ridden by Jonathan Burke, will carry 11st 3lb in a bid to bag the winner’s purse of £83;000, tipped each-way at 6-1.
Eight-year-old, Not So Sleepy, a former Flat horse that was successful when winning a Class 1 race at Chester under Jim Crowley, won a C1 at Ascot in December over 1m 7f, when landing the Betfair Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle.
Not So Sleepy stepped back up to C1 on the back of a C2 success in November, having been in C4 company in 2019.
In a field that sees Gumball carrying top weight for trainer Philip Hobbs, stablemate Oakley (10-1) catches the eye at 10-1, tipped each-way.
Ridden by T.J. O’Brien, Oakley is well in at 10st 2lb, having finished second at Cheltenham over 2m in soft ground in a C3 in December, under 11st 11lb; having run third of nine at Ascot in a C2 in November.
Nicky Henderson trained 2018 Triumph Hurdle runner Never Adapt, who ran third behind Quel Destin, priced at 7-1, is tipped each-way with Barry Geraghty up.
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