Lower Hope Farms Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:35 | Winning time: 6m 27.4s

Amirr³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 110

6/1

Dual bumper winner for John Ferguson and placed in small field novice hurdles this summer. Well beaten on his last two starts and his Flat pedigree does not lend itself to this sort of trip.

Form: 12/2378

Annie'sboydave^p1,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: P A Pritchard| OR: 61

100/1

13-race maiden who has been pulled up seven times out of eleven over hurdles. Impossible to fancy at present.

Form: 07-P4PP

Bear Spirit^t1

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe

3/1

Full-brother to a bumper winner and half-brother to two winners the best of whom was four-time winner Knight Pass. Not highly tried on debut and the market will be informative.

Form:

Definately Vinnie¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Miss Jane Mathias| OR: 86

12/1

Moderate individual as reflected in a BHA rating of 85. Has at least proved he stays this far and no questions to ask abut his wellbeing.

Form: 5673-43

Phoebus Lescribaa²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss R Curtis

11/4

Winning Irish point-to-pointer whose future undoubtedly lies over fences. Third of five in a race where the winner idled, but that may be good enough in a race as poor as this.

Form: 130-73

The Last But One⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 107| BF

2/1

Best effort over hurdles since joining this yard came when third on handicap debut at Taunton (3m, good) in April. Pulled up when tailed off on return last month and no explanation recorded. Clearly moderate but remains capable in a race this poor.

Form: 26873-P

Young Phoenix⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: M Keighley

14/1

Cheap purchase and beaten 15½L on bumper debut and 31L on hurdling debut. Up considerably in distance and this undoubtedly easier than his first two starts.

Form: 38

Forecasts

The Last But One (2/1), Phoebus Lescribaa (11/4), Bear Spirit (3/1), Amirr (6/1), Definately Vinnie (12/1), Young Phoenix (14/1), Annie'sboydave (100/1)

A poor race where few make any appeal and one where the waters are muddied by the presence of David Pipe's newcomer Bear Spirit. The son of Oscar would only have to possess average ability to get off the mark. Paul Nicholls is represented by The Last But One who is clearly limited in ability but this may prove to be a clever bit of placing. Nevertheless, having been pulled up last time it may be safer to side with PHOEBUS LESCRIBAA. As a winning point-to-pointer he has scope to improve at this trip and he arrives on the back of a career best last time. That effort was still flattering but a good run from Rasasee in the preceding race would make the form more attractive. Definately Vinnie has a small race in him at this trip but that is more likely to come when handicapping. Amirr had some decent form in bumpers but has disappointed more recently. He may be capable of better and a market move would be interesting.