14:50 Bangor

Thursday 4 January 2018

All13:1513:4514:1514:5015:2015:55

Stella Artois Cidre 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 4m 27.70s

Fin And Game³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

2/1

Was runner-up here in a bumper a year ago and made a really good reappearance/hurdles debut at Wetherby last month (2m, soft) when winning by 9L. Penalised for that, but open to improvement and should be tough to beat.

Form: 24-1

Article Fifty¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| BF

11/8

Won point-to-point and bumper on respective debuts. Uneasy in market but sent off favourite for hurdles debut at Southwell (1m7½f, soft) last month. Raced keenly and made frame there. Can do better and has claims again today.

Form: 113

Bronzallure^t³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: David England| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

100/1

Well held in all three starts so far, which have all been at this track. Needs plenty of improvement on his two hurdles runs to figure here and looks more likely to be one to consider when he has a handicap mark.

Form: 587

Cobbler's Son¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: H D Daly

50/1

Showed a bit of promise on bumper debut at Uttoxeter in November, though made a quiet debut over hurdles at Ludlow last month. No reason why he can't improve today, but looks one to watch for the moment.

Form: 90

Doc Carver⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: J McGrath| T: Henry Oliver

3/1

Irish point-to-point winner at the sixth attempt and has suggested he is capable of winning under rules in two hurdles, one over C&D and the more recent when runner-up at Leicester. Third-placed horse has boosted form since. Short-listed.

Form: 3219-52

Duhallow Lad²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: T J O'Brien| T: A E Jones

100/1

Runner-up in an Irish point-to-point, but last in a bumper over there and shown nothing in two starts in novices' hurdles since joining this trainer. Watching brief advised.

Form: 642-70P

Duke Of Kilcorral²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland

20/1

Showed a bit of promise in a couple of bumpers and was probably too keen on hurdles debut at Chepstow last month. Drop in trip might help in that respect and with good pilot up, couldn't rule out a step forward this time.

Form: 80-68

Ifandabut⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams

66/1

Put up a decent effort on debut in a bumper at Warwick in May but beaten a long way over hurdles at Chepstow (2m3½f) and Wincanton (2m5½f) in the autumn. Impossible to recommend based on that now dropped to minimum trip.

Form: 509

Johnny Yuma²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price

100/1

Irish point-to-point winner at the third attempt, though beaten out of sight in all three starts under rules, the last two in novices' hurdles. Qualifies for a handicap mark after this run and should be of more interest then.

Form: 33-1898

Lawtop Legend³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley

66/1

Well beaten in two bumpers and two maiden hurdles so far. Kept to 2m again here, but pedigree is all about stamina and he will be more interesting with a handicap mark to play with and when stepped up over further.

Form: 6-87P

Trigger Nichol¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland

14/1

Showed a bit of ability in a bumper here in April (good) when with Nicky Richards and not disgraced on hurdles debut at Ludlow (2m, soft) last month. Can improve for that and not ruled out of the prizes, though should do better over further.

Form: 55-08

Western Morning^t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ian Popham| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

33/1

Won a three-runner maiden open point-to-point in April by a wide margin. Improved on his hurdles debut when upped to 2m3½f (good to firm) at Hereford last time, but needs a lot more than that to trouble one or two of these.

Form: 1-07

Dark Aster^h1²³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: M G Nolan| T: R Mitford-Slade

20/1

Placed in a couple of point-to-points and half-sister to a winner of such an event. Dam also a maiden point-to-point winner out of 1m3f Fibresand claimer winning. Probably one to watch on rules debut.

Form: 32-5

Forecasts

Article Fifty (11/8), Fin And Game (2/1), Doc Carver (3/1), Trigger Nichol (14/1), Dark Aster (20/1), Duke Of Kilcorral (20/1), Western Morning (33/1), Cobbler's Son (50/1), Ifandabut (66/1), Lawtop Legend (66/1), Johnny Yuma (100/1), Duhallow Lad (100/1), Bronzallure (100/1)

The biggest field of the day but an inexperienced one and there should not be too many involved at the business end. The vote goes to top weight FIN AND GAME, who showed that he handles testing ground when a clear winner at Wetherby. He looks very promising and may well be able to defy a penalty. Article Fifty is entitled to be short-listed after some decent efforts so far and another win for him would be no great surprise, while Doc Carver has also shown promise and may well be the one to chase them home. Both Trigger Nichol and Duke Of Kilcorral could show improvement this time.