13:10 Kelso

Sunday 14 January 2018

All12:4013:1013:4014:1514:4515:1515:45

D.G. Pryde Developments Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:10 | Winning time: 4m 0.88s

Clondaw Castle²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: T R George| OR: 129| D

11/10

Has made a good start to his career and scored in a Huntingdon maiden hurdle (2m, good to soft) in November, before running well again under is penalty at Doncaster last time. Doesn't need to improve to get competitive, but needs a bit more to win.

Form: F/118-13

Some Reign¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 132| BF| CD

7/2

Behind Clondaw Castle in Grade 2 Aintree bumper last season but has made a good start over hurdles, scoring over C&D (good) in a maiden in October. Refused to race next time but went well again at Wetherby latest. Looks a leading player.

Form: 20-21R3

Auxiliary²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: J Kington⁽³⁾| T: P Holmes

100/1

Won here on the Flat (1m2f, soft) last year and stepped up on his hurdles debut when 17L third at Musselburgh (1m7½f, good) last month. Wouldn't rule him out of the frame again.

Form: 03

Aye Right⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: Mrs H O Graham

15/2

Improved on a promising bumper debut when scoring in that sphere at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) in November. Form hasn't received much of a boost, but has a likeable jumps pedigree, so no reason why he can't do better still now going hurdling.

Form: 31

Booyakasha²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| BF

16/1

Was given 11-months between a promising run on debut in a Musselburgh bumper and his hurdles debut at Catterick (2m3½f, good to soft) last month, when sent off joint-favourite and making the frame. Drop in trip worth a try. Big ask in this field.

Form: 6-3

Kennedys Field^h⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Gemma Anderson

250/1

Well held and only glimmers of promise in all point-to-point and bumper starts. Changed hands for just £800 last year and although half-brother and dam both won over similar trips, he is impossible to recommend on his hurdles intro.

Form: 4FP-550

Lord Napier²⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen

33/1

Stays 2m on AW and rated 77 on Flat for John Ryan. Bought for £24,000 last summer. Flat pedigree but in good hands starting out over hurdles. Market check advised.

Form:

Moores Novelty²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander

125/1

Not without promise on his debut over 2m (good) in a maiden hurdle in October, though 50-1 and not as good on heavy at Ayr last time. Slightly less testing ground may help and no reason why he can't improve.

Form: 4P-287

Pookie Pekan¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd

33/1

Sent off 100-1 on debut here in a maiden hurdle (good) in October, so 1½L fourth of 12 was a surprise. Not as good at Sedgefield last time. If he can improve some more then he shouldn't be far away from the money.

Form: 6F3-44

Silk Or Scarlet³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander

150/1

Showed ability when making frame in a Hexham bumper (2m, good) on debut last April, but yet to step up on that in two hurdles runs. Probably one for handicaps now and should receive a mark after this race.

Form: 3-64

Sultans Pride²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: G Boanas

100/1

Ran well in all three of his bumpers without winning. 12-1 and never really involved on hurdles debut at Newcastle (2m4½f, soft) last month. Not sure shorter trip is positive and he needs a fair bit more than last time,

Form: 25-59

Swashbuckle¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

9/2

Stays 2m on the Flat, where he has won over 1m6f, but started over a similar trip to this over hurdles at Catterick last month, when beaten just 1½L into third. Likely to improve on that and if he handles this softer ground then he can have a say.

Form: 3

Templenaboe⁷⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

40/1

Won a maiden Irish point-to-point on heavy in 2016. Showed a bit of promise before a heavy fall when last seen at Ayr (2m4½f, soft) in October and not sure drop in trip here is ideal. Check market for further clues.

Form: 1/6-F

The Dawn Bandit⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean Quinlan| T: K Scott

250/1

Well beaten in both bumpers and now makes hurdles debut. Bred to do better when stepping up in trip and looks one to watch until we have a closer handle on any ability she may have.

Form: 87

Forecasts

Clondaw Castle (11/10), Some Reign (7/2), Swashbuckle (9/2), Aye Right (15/2), Booyakasha (16/1), Lord Napier (33/1), Pookie Pekan (33/1), Templenaboe (40/1), Auxiliary (100/1), Sultans Pride (100/1), Moores Novelty (125/1), Silk Or Scarlet (150/1), The Dawn Bandit (250/1), Kennedys Field (250/1)

Some Reign has got ability but he also carries risks, as we saw when he refused to race at Musselburgh, so while he could defy a penalty to win this, there are nagging doubts about him. Pookie Pekan needs to improve on his Sedgefield run, but may make the frame if doing so, while Swashbuckle could be tough to beat after a good debut. He has it to prove on the ground. Auxiliary is another who should join battle, though probably for the minors and CLONDAW CASTLE gets the nod as a proven winner and very solid option.