15:15 Newbury

Wednesday 20 December 2017

All12:3013:0013:3014:0514:4015:1515:45

Qolcom EBF Stallions 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:16 | Winning time: 5m 16.0s

Mr Whipped³⁷

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

7/1

Point-to-point winner on soft ground in March and off the mark at the first time of asking under rules when winning a 2m novice hurdle at Kempton (good-to-soft) last month. One for the shortlist today.

Form: 1-1

Almost Gold⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams

200/1

Finished well beaten in a maiden hurdle when making his debut at Aintree (2m4f, good-to-soft) in October. Probably best watched at present.

Form: 9

Bardista¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Alex Ferguson⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling

100/1

Fair effort when finishing fourth on soft ground at Bangor (2m7f) last month. Well beaten at Doncaster subsequently and drop in trip not certain to suit.

Form: 3-P40

Book of Gold³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood

50/1

Best effort in two starts over hurdles came when finishing 20L third over this trip at Plumpton (good-to-soft) a month ago. Likely needs to step up on that if he's to register a victory today.

Form: 25-63

Boss Mans Ladder¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: B Pauling

100/1

Placed in a point-to-point in Ireland but held in two starts over hurdles so far and likely to find a few too good once more.

Form: 357

Gowiththeflow⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: James Banks| T: B Pauling

9/4

Point-to-point winner on good-to-firm ground in May and ran well to finish a head second over an extended 2m3f at Chepstow (soft) on hurdling debut last month. Similar conditions today and a leading contender today.

Form: 12

Melrose Boy³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 135| D

4/5

Placed three times over hurdles prior to making a winning handicap debut off a mark of 123 at Cheltenham (2m5f, soft) last month. Trip and ground should suit once more and he is one to note in this contest.

Form: 6/323-1

Voie Dans Voie³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

20/1

Ran well in two Irish point-to-point starts earlier this year and put in a decent effort in finishing 15L third at Lingfield (soft) over an extended 2m3f on rules debut last month. Interesting to see how he fares today.

Form: 32-3

Wallace Spirit²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Ned Curtis⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Henderson

33/1

Signs of ability when finishing mid-division in an Ascot bumper on good-to-soft ground last month. Step up in trip looks likely to suit but jockey bookings suggest he is the stable second string.

Form: 7

Warthog^t¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| BF

10/1

Point-to-point winner and placed twice from three starts over hurdles including at Exeter (2m1f, soft) earlier this month. More needed stepping up in trip today.

Form: 3126-3

Forecasts

Melrose Boy (4/5), Gowiththeflow (9/4), Mr Whipped (7/1), Warthog (10/1), Voie Dans Voie (20/1), Wallace Spirit (33/1), Book of Gold (50/1), Bardista (100/1), Boss Mans Ladder (100/1), Almost Gold (200/1)

GOWITHTHEFLOW was just touched off on rules debut last month and he can go one better by taking this competitive looking novice hurdle. Melrose Boy, a winner at Cheltenham last time out can claim second on his return to conditions company while Mr Whipped, penalised for a success in a three runner contest last month is taken to claim third on this occasion.