11:45 Wetherby

Saturday 9 December 2017

All11:4512:1512:4513:2013:5514:2515:00

totescoop6 Play Today Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 11:46 | Winning time: 5m 30.50s

Indian Hercules²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: W Greatrex

4/1

Irish point-to-point winner (second start) who improved on his bumper run when making his hurdles debut over 2m4f at Uttoxeter last month, narrowly winning a maiden hurdle. Form looks solid enough in context, though penalty to shoulder as a result.

Form: 315-1

Wemyss Point²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| C

3/1

Stayed on well to win by 4½L here last time (good to soft) over 2m3½f. Steps up in trip today, which looks positive and will need to find some improvement for that if he is to defy a penalty, but couldn't rule out.

Form: 2522-51

Allmyown¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby

100/1

Won an Irish point-to-point on his second start (soft) back in March but has shown very little so far in two starts under rules. Drops back slightly in trip here after being a 105L third at Southwell last time. Looks best watched until handicapping.

Form: 4/1-P3

Game On²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: David Noonan| T: L Wadham

4/1

Making steady progress in bumpers and most recently on his hurdles debut at Uttoxeter when he finished 2L fourth to Indian Hercules. 6lb better off with that reopposing rival today and therefore has claims.

Form: 9/4-4

Gonalston Cloud²⁶⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Shoemark| T: N Kent| OR: 125

12/1

Has won four times over fences at up to 3m3½f but remains a maiden over hurdles after five attempts. Has won when fresh before, though was pulled up on return last year and likely to find a few too good in this discipline.

Form: P51220-

Knight In Dubai⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton| BF

9/2

Irish point-to-point winner on his second start. Disappointed when favourite for hurdles debut at Sedgefield in October, weakening to be beaten 16½L (2m1f, good). Softer ground and longer trip both look positives and he can probably do much better.

Form: 21-5

Overworkdunderpaid²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon

6/1

Won an Irish point-to-point on third start and showed a fair degree of promise on bumper debut in October (2m, soft). Ran well for a long way at Aintree on hurdles debut last month (2m4f), though stable not red hot at present, which is a concern.

Form: 321-38

Trixster²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

33/1

Ran to a similar level of form in both starts so far, the more recent being when stepped up to 2m4f at Ffos Las (soft), where he hung right in the closing stages. Slightly longer trip looks positive on pedigree but improvement needed.

Form: 64

Ballina Lady²⁰⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson

66/1

Placed in two Irish point-to-points without winning one and picked up for £6,500 at the spring sales. Dam an unraced half-sister to both a 3m chase and a m1f hurdle winner, but with stable quiet a watching brief looks prudent on her rules debut.

Form: PPP24-3

Hermanus³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Craig Nichol| T: J Ewart

28/1

Debut Ayr bumper winner (soft) 13 months ago when trained by Keith Dalgleish and ran well under a penalty next time. Beaten 18½L on hurdles debut last month, but step up in trip looks positive and stable going well, so probable improver today.

Form: 137-5

Non-Runners

Le Drapeau²⁶

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: J Parkinson & S Smith J: Nathan Moscrop

Forecasts

Wemyss Point (3/1), Game On (4/1), Indian Hercules (4/1), Knight In Dubai (9/2), Overworkdunderpaid (6/1), Le Drapeau (8/1), Gonalston Cloud (12/1), Hermanus (28/1), Trixster (33/1), Ballina Lady (66/1), Allmyown (100/1)

An interesting opener where GAME ON can make the most of a 6lb pull with his Uttoxeter conqueror Indian Hercules and come good this time. Wemyss Point will also benefit from this extra couple of furlongs and is feared in opposition. More appeared to be expected of Knight In Dubai on his debut and connections have not rushed him back to the track. He could also do much better over this longer trip now, while the same can be said of Le Drapeau and the mare Hermanus. Overworkdunderpaid and Trixster are both worth noting in the market. The former, in particular, would be of greater interest if the stable's runners were in better form, though they did have a winner earlier this week.