12:20 Kempton
Saturday 14 January 2017
All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:45
32Red Casino Juvenile Hurdle
- 4YO only | Class 4 | 2m | Good to Soft (Soft in places) | 6 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 12:20 | Winning time: 4m 3.8s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Ex French Flat racer and carries a 7lb penalty for a short head success on stable and hurdles debut at Catterick in late November. Showed a willing attitude that day and open to more improvement, but perhaps wouldn't want too soft a surface in follow up bid.
Debut for David Pipe having been purchased for £280,000 at the Cheltenham 2016 December Sales. Twice raced brother to useful French hurdle and chase winner Pokerdor. A four and a half length winner of a conditions hurdle at Enghien on final French start, and fully proven should conditions become more testing.
Reasonable enough performer on the Flat, and a winner off 61 on the AW at Newcastle in September 2016. Less promise in three starts over hurdles (two this winter) including when unseating rider early here in mid October. Will struggle against those with winners penalties.
Unraced over hurdles but two from 16 on the Flat, with both successes coming on the AW at Kempton (August 2015). Raced off a high of 73 on the Flat, but hard not to think he'll struggle on these terms against some of these rivals.
Raced on six occasions on the Flat for Alan King, with best run (although not best placing) arguably when beaten around a length at Goodwood (off 75) in late September. Made a moderate hurdles debut for King in a maiden contest at Bangor in November, and moved onto a new trainer since. Needs to do more in a much better race on second start over hurdles.
Won on the Flat for Clive Cox at Bath on Firm ground in August off a mark of 67. Unable to follow up in three subsequent races off higher marks, and makes hurdles debut here for his new trainer Brendan Powell.
Forecasts
Poker Play (1/3), Fidux (4/1), The Otmoor Poet (8/1), Totally Committed (25/1), Masterson (100/1), Premier Currency (100/1)
Without doubt this would appear to rest between the two horses with winning hurdles form in the bag. Fidux showed a good attitude when scoring at Catterick on his hurdles debut, rallying from the last when challenged. However, this race came at Catterick's opening NH fixture of the winter on fresh (Good) ground, and whether he'd be suited should the ground here deteriorate further than the current Good to Soft, Soft in Places is up for much debate. French winner POKER PLAY would perhaps ideally be suited by even more testing conditions, but given his purchase price, he gets the nod in what looks on all known form to be a match.
1. Poker Play
2. Fidux
3. The Otmoor Poet
Prize Money
1st: £3,899.002nd: £1,145.003rd: £572.004th: £286.00
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