14:20 Warwick
Sunday 12 March 2017
All14:2014:5015:2515:5516:3017:0017:30
Coln Valley Stud Novices' Hurdle
- 4YO plus  |  Class 4  |  2m  |  Soft (Heavy in places)  |  13 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 14:22Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 4m 18.3s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Won an Irish point-to-point in 2015 but consistency wasn't a forte in that grade and he showed little to enthuse about in a bumper and a maiden hurdle last summer. Best watched as he reappears for a new yard today.
Very much a galloper and looked set to potentially upset the long odds-on Top Ville Ben at Towcester last time but for a costly last flight blunder. Handles testing conditions and no surprise if he was to deservedly open his account today.
Twice a winner for David O'Meara on the AW in 2014 but has clearly had issues since switching yards and has failed to complete in two runs at huge odds over hurdles so far. Look easy to discount.
Showed little in a bumper here on his debut and was miles behind Count Meribel on his hurdling debut at Towcester before another uninspiring effort at Bangor. Hard to build a case for.
A winner on the Flat for Jim Bolger in his native Ireland but hasn't progressed for new connections and has been beaten a long way in two maiden hurdles so far. May do better in handicaps further down the track.
Well beaten on his debut in a Newbury bumper in January and fared little better when sent off 150/1 for his hurdling debut at Bangor last month. Stamina-laden pedigree suggests he's more of a longer term project.
Wetherby bumper winner who unseated on early on her hurdling bow before getting within 4L of River Wylde in the mud at Ludlow in January. That form has been boosted emphatically since with that opponent going on to win a Grade Two event, so obvious claims today.
Moderate encouragement to be gleaned from two runs in bumpers, most recently when a 16L fifth in the mud on this course behind Diva Reconce. No surprise to see her acquit herself well on her hurdling bow, though likely to find at least a couple too strong.
A runner-up in her first two starts in bumpers without looking like winning before a less impressive display in better company on softer ground at Cheltenham in November. Interesting to see how she fares now tackling obstacles.
Placed twice in summer bumpers on decent ground for David Bridgwater but hasn't translated that promise to hurdles so far and hasn't been sighted since a poor effort at Stratford in August. Best watched reappearing for a new yard.
Sent off at 66/1 and 100/1 respectively for two runs on the Flat in 2015, failing to beat home a solitary opponent. Missed the whole of last year and not hard to discount on her hurdling debut.
Five starts on the Flat so far, never going off at odds shorter than 50/1, and has barely beaten home an opponent. No obvious reason why he should fare any better over hurdles.
Rated 63 and sliding on the Flat, where he is 0-6 at trips up to a mile and he was never able to get competitive when beaten a long way on his hurdling debut at Southwell last month. More testing conditions here unlikely to be in his favour.
Non-Runners
7
Sugar Mix10
Weight: 11-1|Â Â Age: 6
T: C E Longsdon  J: G B Watters
WD
Forecasts
Count Meribel (5/6), Grand Turina (2/1), Make My Heart Fly (7/1), Lerichi Belle (14/1), Sugar Mix (16/1), Burrenbridge Hotel (25/1), Miliair (33/1), St Andrews (50/1), Spin Point (50/1), Marble Mist (100/1), Subtle Soldier (100/1), Mr Standfast (100/1), Helmsley Flyer (200/1), So Stroppy Poppy (200/1)
On the face of it, very much a two horse race between Grand Turina and COUNT MERIBEL who both arrive here on the back of chasing home two smart rivals at Ludlow and Towcester respectively. Of the two, a marginal preference is for the strong-galloping latter on the basis that he he is more proven on the likely testing ground and also due to the fact that the form of his Towcester second has been boosted by the fourth (Ardmayle) winning twice since. Lerichi Belle looks the most interesting of a modest remainder.
- Count Meribel
- Grand Turina
- Lerichi Belle
Prize Money
1st: £3,899.002nd: £1,145.003rd: £572.004th: £286.00
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