13:10 Kelso

Sunday 15 January 2017

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

D.G. Pryde Ltd Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:16 | Winning time: 4m 24.41s

Red Indian³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling

1/1

Landed a Newcastle junior bumper on debut (1m6f) for Chris Bealby before moving onto Ben Pauling. A fair third to a decent rival on final start in that sphere in May, before dispatching Nicky Henderson trained favourite on hurdles debut at Ffos Las on return to action last month. Penalised, but obvious contender.

Form: 1/312-

Askgarmor²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: T Davidson

200/1

PTP winner who was purchased for £10,000 at the Doncaster September 2016 Sales. Both rules starts so far at Sedgefield, and tailed off last time on hurdles debut when fifth to the progressive Dubai Angel. Improvement needed.

Form: 5-5U14

Charmant^h²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ewart

14/1

Finished third in all three starts in bumpers, including once for this yard at Carlisle; previously with Graham McKeever. Finished sixth of 14 on hurdles debut at Ayr (maiden), quickly outpaced in the home straight. May need a longer trip.

Form: F3-3365

Classical Sound¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dobbin

200/1

Tailed off over Christmas in a novice event at Wetherby (100/1) and needs to show much more, but Alnwick based stable have been flying lately.

Form:

Dear Sire^h²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr

2/1

Ex Irish (Stuart Crawford), and ran a blinder on hurdles and stable debut over this trip at Sedgefield on Boxing Day when giving the talented Dubai Angel an almighty scare. Had shown a previous liking for that Durham venue in bumpers (twice a runner up) and likely to take all the beating if reproducing that run here.

Form: 46141-5

Helmsley Lad²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: J M Jefferson

5/1

Runner up in a couple of bumpers at Sedgefield and Catterick (no match for Getaway Whiskey in November), but finally rewarded for consistency when landing a moderate NHF race at Sedgefield on Boxing Day. Probably not one of the stables real leading lights, but impossible to knock and makes hurdles debut here in a winnable race.

Form: 4-22132

Katalystic⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

28/1

Runner up on NHF debut at Perth in July 2016 (Soft), but less promise in other two starts in bumpers. A distant third on hurdles debut here behind Mount Mews and Sam Spinner, but ran as well as could be expected against those rivals and this is slightly weaker.

Form: 583747-

King Golan³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Dowson⁽⁵⁾| T: Kenny Johnson

200/1

Showed nothing in two starts so far for this yard, and drops back half a mile here after being pulled up on hurdles debut at Southwell last month. Impossible to fancy.

Form: P0PP9-5

Multipede¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Lucy Alexander| T: J Ewart

125/1

Finished fifth on all four starts in bumpers (behind some useful rivals, including Atomix, Progress Drive and Solighoster). Possibly found 2m6f beyond him on recent course hurdles bow, and drops back 6f here to the minimum trip. Looks more of a type for handicaps.

Form: 555-5

Ruby Who³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: A Nicol| T: R Dobbin

150/1

Raced to the fore before weakening three furlongs out when tenth on bumper debut at Newcastle last month to a useful Malcolm Jefferson trained winner. Owned by the same connections of promising (injured) novice Jonniesofa, but needs to improve for the switch to hurdles, albeit with stable in fine form.

Form:

Seemorelights¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Ryan Nichol⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Thomson

66/1

Ex Irish, and plugged on in both bumpers like a horse that will be suited by longer trips. Therefore, slightly surprising to see him make his hurdles debut at this sharp track at the minimum trip. Longer term prospect and others preferred.

Form: 54671

Slanelough²⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin

22/1

Runner up in sole Irish PTP (May 2016), and joined this in-form yard for £45,000 at the Doncaster May Sale. Half brother to NHF and hurdles winner Potters Point, and well worth a check for market support.

Form: 29722

Uncle Percy²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Alex Ferguson⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling

33/1

Runner up at this track on bumper debut for Micky Hammond, and moved on for £40,000 at the Doncaster May Sale. A well beaten favourite on stable debut at Worcester in June, and fared little better on hurdles bow at Ludlow (off a break) last month. Stable also saddle Red Indian.

Form: 27

Non-Runners

Balthazar¹²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: H Burns J: Adrian Lane

Forecasts

Red Indian (1/1), Dear Sire (2/1), Helmsley Lad (5/1), Charmant (14/1), Slanelough (22/1), Katalystic (28/1), Uncle Percy (33/1), Balthazar (50/1), Seemorelights (66/1), Multipede (125/1), Ruby Who (150/1), Askgarmor (200/1), King Golan (200/1), Classical Sound (200/1)

A couple of horses in here who should be capable of better, most notably Uncle Percy. However, this appears to rest between the penalised Red Indian, Helmsley Lad and DEAR SIRE. It was impossible not to be hugely impressed by Dear Sire on hurdles debut for Donald McCain at Sedgefield on Boxing Day, as he bustled up a fair sort who had seen his previous Newcastle form franked by Elgin at Kempton Park just moments prior to that race. A reproduction of that form will make him tough to beat here, with Red Indian the likeliest danger, and Slanelough worth a glance in the market. 1. Dear Sire 2. Red Indian 3. Helmsley Lad