12:40 Ascot

Saturday 4 November 2017

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:05

GL Events UK Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:41 | Winning time: 3m 48.3s

American Gigolo^h,t1¹⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 130| D

6/5

Off the mark over hurdles at Kempton in May (2m good), but hard to knock his earlier completed efforts. Penalised, but with similar ground conditions predicted, he should have a positive role to play. Wears a hood and a first time tongue tie.

Form: 4/1U27-1

Corzeam^h²¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Zac Baker⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

40/1

Doesn't appear at all straight-forward at the start, and has refused to race in two of his three starts in bumpers. Will make his hurdles debut if electing to jump off with the others, and that's a very big if.

Form: R4R-

Dell Oro¹⁹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore

5/1

A fairly stylish winner on debut at Fontwell in March (1m5f+ bumper), he was pitched in deep, and predictably struggled, in a Grade 1 bumper won by the ill-fated Fayonagh at Punchestown in April. Hurdles debut.

Form: 17-

Desiremoi D'Authie¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: S Bowen| T: A King| BF

9/2

Sourced from France (1m4f winner in the Provinces in March). Beaten 1¼L by Canyon City at short odds on his UK debut at Huntingdon last month (2m good), and could ideally do with settling better with that hurdles experience under his belt.

Form: 2

Hatcher^h⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Ian Popham| T: D Skelton| BF| D

14/1

Dual bumper winner who started off with a fairly pleasing effort over hurdles at Huntingdon early last month (6L second to New Agenda), but pulled far too hard (in rear) when a most disappointing favourite at Ludlow just nine days ago.

Form: 321-125

Notre Ami²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Aspell| T: N J Gifford

5/1

Beaten 5¾L (fourth) on hurdles debut at Chepstow last month. Lacked the pace to challenge, but not at all disgraced in a potentially strong contest won by Dynamite Dollars. Improvement highly likely and much respected.

Form: 5/12-4

Rockpoint²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: C L Tizzard

16/1

Lacked the required pace to get on terms with the leaders when 15¼L fourth to Maria's Benefit on hurdles debut at Newton Abbot last month, and whilst likely wiser, he could see a similar scenario develop here. Cost €82,000 as a three-year-old.

Form: 5-4

Rumor²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J L Flint

200/1

Holds no chance whatsoever, based upon his recent hurdles debut at Chepstow last month, when a tailed off last of 14 to Dynamite Dollars. (2m good to soft)

Form: 40

Soldier Boy¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Dave Crosse| T: F Brennan

150/1

Didn't show much obvious ability in a couple of Uttoxeter bumpers during 2016, and was pulled up on his hurdles debut at Stratford last month (always behind).

Form: 38-P

Forecasts

American Gigolo (6/5), Desiremoi D'Authie (9/2), Dell Oro (5/1), Notre Ami (5/1), Hatcher (14/1), Rockpoint (16/1), Corzeam (40/1), Soldier Boy (150/1), Rumor (200/1)

A rather modest looking novices hurdle to open up the winter jumps action at Ascot, and in many respects, the ideal type of contest for American Gigolo to seek to defy a winners penalty. He hasn't done all that much wrong over hurdles so far, but whether he's worthy of a mark of 130 is questionable. However, he should be on the premises, with the likes of Desiremoi D'Authie and Hatcher needing to settle much better than they've done previously in order to step forward a notch or two. Whilst it's fully plausible that 2m around Ascot might prove on the sharp side for the selection NOTRE AMI, the Nick Gifford trained six-year-old could offer some reasonable value in the market if able to build upon his pleasing fourth to Dynamite Dollars at Chepstow last month.