15:10 Fakenham

Tuesday 19 December 2017

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:10

Independent Racecourses Ltd Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 5m 26.20s

Arthur's Reuben³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: J Candlish

150/1

Best effort under rules was his bumper debut at Southwell in February and he has a lot of improving to do to make an impact here based on his two hurdles runs so far. Best watched at present.

Form: 6-90

Captain Peacock^b¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Garner⁽³⁾| T: O Sherwood

25/1

Stayed 2m on the Flat for William Knight (rated 78) and showed improvement for his stable/hurdles debut when stepped up to 2m5f at Doncaster last time. A repeat or better puts him in the picture here, if he can handle this softer ground.

Form: 56

Craigmor¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: C Poste| T: O Murphy

33/1

Irish point-to-point winner at fifth attempt who put in his best effort under rules when third (beaten 14½L) over C&D (soft) in a novices' hurdle last time. Will need to take another step forward to replicate that finish against one or two of these.

Form: 541-843

Dakkar Collonges³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: B I Case| OR: 116

5/2

Outperformed his 33-1 SP on stable debut at Uttoxeter (2m, soft) in October, when beat just over 5L into fifth. Not far off that when making frame here last time. Pedigree suggests step up in trip is positive and he is short-listed.

Form: 5-53

No Alarm^t1²⁸²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ian Popham| T: O Murphy

50/1

Pulled up in both Irish point-to-points. Half-brother to a 2m-2m2f hurdle/chase winner. Dam unraced full-sister to 2m hurdle winner Mr Murphy and half-sister to a 2m-3m hurdle/chase winner. Nice pedigree and market check suggested on debut.

Form: PP-

No Hiding Place²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

7/2

Built on the promise of a couple of bumper runs with a better effort on his hurdles debut at Huntingdon last month (2m3½f, good to soft), when a 20L fourth. Should be capable of progress this time, which would make him a contender.

Form: 3-24

Potters Hedger¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham

11/1

Made a promising start over hurdles at Lingfield (2m3½f, soft) last month, though didn't appear to get home over 2m5f at the stiffer Towcester circuit last time. Handles cut and not ruled out of the money if shorter/soft ground helps.

Form: 8652-44

Rio Quinto³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy

7/1

Placed in both of his Irish point-to-points and cost £130,000 in June. Pitched in at Listed level for his rules debut in a Cheltenham bumper last month. Beaten 26L last of 10 there. Step up in trip positive for hurdles debut and can improve.

Form: 3-20

William Hunter²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

15/8

84-rated on the Flat and has turned attention to hurdling recently, going close in similar race at Plumpton last month and bettering that at Ascot last time. Step up in trip should help with further improvement and he should to tough to topple.

Form: 67/24

Forecasts

William Hunter (15/8), Dakkar Collonges (5/2), No Hiding Place (7/2), Rio Quinto (7/1), Potters Hedger (11/1), Captain Peacock (25/1), Craigmor (33/1), No Alarm (50/1), Arthur's Reuben (150/1)

Captain Peacock did well when stepped up to this sort of trip at Doncaster last time and enters calculations, though has to prove that he handles soft ground. No Alarm merits a market check, while stablemate Rio Quinto is probably better than he let on first time and now upped in trip, he can make a good hurdles debut. Potters Hedger can do better than at Towcester, while No Hiding Place is a likely contender if he can build on what he did at Huntingdon and Dakkar Collonges is not ruled out. However, WILLIAM HUNTER is going the right way over hurdles and he could be the one to break his duck today.