12:05 Doncaster

Saturday 2 December 2017

All12:0512:4013:1513:4514:2014:5515:30

Betfred Mobile British Stallion Studs EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:05 | Winning time: 4m 6.5s

Irish Prophecy²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: L P Aspell| T: Miss E C Lavelle| C

7/4

Winner of a Sandown maiden hurdle last time having taken two bumpers, including a good-looking contest at Kempton. Well worth a chance in this tougher race, and needs considering despite a penalty.

Form: 11-1

Kalashnikov²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy

5/6

Unbeaten in a bumper and a novice hurdle so far, destroying the field at Wetherby last time out (2m, soft, form working out okay), and looking like there should be plenty more to come. The one to beat.

Form: 1-1

Bertie Blake¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby

66/1

Steps down in trip having been easily beaten in two Wetherby novice hurdles over 2m3½f. Yet to show enough to suggest he can be effective in this sphere.

Form: 87-06

Deyrann de Carjac⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

6/1

Improved to finish third on his second start in a bumper in October (down the field in a valuable Newbury contest on debut), and looks the type to go on and win a novice hurdle, though this is a tough enough introduction to obstacles.

Form: 0-3

Ollie Vaar²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: L Heard| T: R J Price

20/1

Out-ran his 66/1 price to finish fifth on rules debut in a Chepstow bumper last month. Can do better than that but will need to on hurdling debut in a hot race.

Form: PF-5

Phoenix Park^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: David Dennis

100/1

Record of finishing last of the finishers, last, then pulled up twice in his four starts under rules so far speaks for itself, and others are easily preferred.

Form: 383PP

The Hiking Viking^h1²⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: P R Webber

50/1

Beaten 71L by Irish Prophecy in a Kempton bumper in February, and tough to see him reversing the form over hurdles having been off since.

Form: 7-

The Linksman^h1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: David England| T: S England| D

50/1

Showed some promise in bumpers but has had plenty of chances over hurdles by now and needs to find plenty of improvement for a first time hood in order to figure.

Form: 6/1R-478

Forecasts

Kalashnikov (5/6), Irish Prophecy (7/4), Deyrann de Carjac (6/1), Ollie Vaar (20/1), The Hiking Viking (50/1), The Linksman (50/1), Bertie Blake (66/1), Phoenix Park (100/1)

This will surely go to one of KALASHNIKOV and Irish Prophecy. The second-named beat a good field in a Kempton bumper earlier in the year before going on to impress on hurdling debut at Sandown last time, but narrow preference is for Amy Murphy's representative. This son of Kalanisi looked highly promising when coasting home at Wetherby last time and may well have a future at a much higher level than this. Deyrann de Carjac looks best of the rest.