14:30 Doncaster

Friday 26 January 2018

All12:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:10

First Race Special On Sky Bet Tomorrow Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 4m 12.6s

Bambys Boy⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: Micky Hammond

11/2

Truncated career so far, having won a Kelso bumper on debut (soft) in 2015, but not seen from December that year for 23-months. Considering that, he ran well on his return at Catterick and is interesting with the champ up on hurdles debut.

Form: 13/5

Christo^t1¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: David England| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

50/1

Multiple Flat winner, mainly over 1m2f on good ground, in Germany. Pulled up on recent hurdles/stable debut at Leicester (1m7½f, heavy), so has a bit to prove this time. Tongue tie may help.

Form: P

Emell²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

14/1

Has won two on the Flat over 6f/7f and no race since April 2015. Was going well enough when falling three out at Musselburgh when last seen. That was just his second hurdles run, so scope for improvement.

Form: 8F

Fire Ahead

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams

16/1

Cost €33,000 at three. Pulled up in an Irish point-to-point on New Year's Eve. Has a Flat pedigree, though stamina in there, so hope that he can stay. However, looks very much one to watch on his rules debut.

Form:

Ingleby Hollow^t⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Brendan Powell| T: D O'Meara

14/1

Stays 2m on the Flat, where he is rated 65 and handles soft ground. No stamina concerns on this hurdling debut and won't lack fitness, so check the market for clues as to his chance.

Form:

Karamoko⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: A Nicol| T: N G Richards

33/1

Runner-up on debut in an Ayr bumper (soft), but the race hasn't worked out too well and he was beaten 29L last time at Musselburgh. Enough stamina in pedigree to suggest that he could make a hurdler, but perhaps one to watch on his first attempt.

Form: 20

Present From Dubai³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽⁵⁾| T: R T Phillips

33/1

Placed in a couple of Irish point-to-points and bought after that for £35,000. 40-1 and beaten 21L on debut in a Ludlow bumper (1m6f, soft) last month. Should do better now back over obstacles, but watching brief probably advisable on hurdles debut.

Form: 3-20

Nube Negra⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| D

30/100

Opened his account for this trainer with a juvenile hurdle win at Market Rasen (2m½f, good to soft) in November and bettered that in good company at Cheltenham last time. That form sets the standard here and he is likely to prove tough to beat.

Form: 12

Respectability¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: James Banks| T: M Mullineaux

150/1

Well held in all starts on the Flat, where she passed through the hands of four trainers. 250-1 and raced keenly before being pulled up on hurdles debut at Leicester (1m7½f, heavy) earlier in the month and impossible to make a case for her.

Form: P

Your Wan¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Killian Moore⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill

25/1

Showed promise on debut in a Stratford bumper (good) in October, but not as good so far in two starts over hurdles. Qualifies for a handicap mark after this and looks likely to be of more interest then.

Form: 480

Millie The Minx¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer

150/1

Well held in all three starts (at Catterick) so far. Nothing in that form that gives hope of a sudden change in fortunes today and others are readily preferred.

Form: 689

Forecasts

Nube Negra (30/100), Bambys Boy (11/2), Emell (14/1), Ingleby Hollow (14/1), Fire Ahead (16/1), Your Wan (25/1), Present From Dubai (33/1), Karamoko (33/1), Christo (50/1), Millie The Minx (150/1), Respectability (150/1)

Not much strength in depth here and NUBE NEGRA, who won on his debut and was not far off the pace in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham last time, should prove tough to beat. Bambys Boy has clearly had some problems but there was some encouragement that he retains ability on his Catterick reappearance run and with Richard Johnson up, he could be set to pick up some money. Emell can probably get competitive at some stage and could chase them home, while Ingleby Hollow could also get involved.