13:45 Uttoxeter

Saturday 27 January 2018

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0016:30

Ted Bonsall 92nd Birthday Celebration Conditional Jockeys' Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:45 | Winning time: 4m 14.60s

Amerton Lane⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

25/1

Has appeared of limited ability in his three starts to date. His dam stayed 2m on the Flat so he may need further than this and handicaps may be a more likely route in time.

Form: 73-8

Bahama Moon¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁶⁾| T: J & A O'Neill

4/1

Winner of four races for David Barron who was sold to dissolve a partnership for 20,000 gns this autumn and part-owner retains a share. Showed up well for a long way on hurdling debut and will be better for the run. Handles the ground.

Form: 6

Birch Bank²⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr

25/1

Down the field at long odds in two bumpers for previous trainer. Makes hurdling debut for an in form yard and on ground that should suit.

Form: 9-8

Fort Jefferson^h1¹⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Ross Turner⁽⁸⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

12/1

Winner of three races on the Flat for Andrew Balding from 1m-1m2f. Proved himself to be most effective on testing ground and achieved a peak rating in the mid-70s. Interesting newcomer and not highly tried on hurdling debut.

Form:

Mister Rainman^h,t1²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R Patrick| T: A Wintle

50/1

Well beaten in two bumpers and took a keen hold last time. Tried in a hood here but still hard to fancy.

Form: 8-7

Passam^t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: M Hamill| T: Miss C Dyson

20/1

Outran odds of 100/1 in a decent looking bumper on debut and was found a poor race at Bangor to get off the mark. Looked an out and out stayer that day and reinforced that in a slowly run race on hurdling debut.

Form: 7-18

Trigger Nichol²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Hammond⁽⁶⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland

4/1

Has shown some ability in two hurdling starts although beaten by wide margins. Looks the type to do better over further, but that applies to a few in this.

Form: 55-083

Under The Woods⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

25/1

Tailed-off on hurdling debut, but he does come from a good family and ought to be capable of better.

Form: 0

Whiskey In The Jar³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Fergus Gregory⁽⁶⁾| T: O Murphy| D

1/1

Impressive winner of a bumper when with Dan Skelton who clearly held him in high regard. Failed to fulfil the promise of his hurdling debut at Bangor, when pulled up three weeks later after a series of mistakes. Has a chance to atone here.

Form: 21-2P

Zebi Boy⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton

20/1

Half-brother to 2m-3m4f hurdle/very useful chase winner Good To Know. Dam a 2m5f-3m hurdle winner out of full-sister to Scottish National winner Captain Dibble. Showed little to fulfil hopes he may live up to that pedigree on debut.

Form: P

Forecasts

Whiskey In The Jar (1/1), Trigger Nichol (4/1), Bahama Moon (4/1), Fort Jefferson (12/1), Passam (20/1), Zebi Boy (20/1), Under The Woods (25/1), Birch Bank (25/1), Amerton Lane (25/1), Mister Rainman (50/1)

Few have obvious chances in this, but even the leading contenders have doubts and it would come as no surprise whichever horse comes out on top. Passam and Trigger Nichol have shown enough ability of late to win a race of this nature, although both would ideally want much further to travel. Bahama Moon handles soft ground and will strip fitter for his recent run in a better race than this at Ludlow. Fort Jefferson is a triple Flat winner who handles soft ground so warrants respect, but WHISKEY IN THE JAR is taken to bounce back from a poor effort last time and collect this for his in form trainer. His bumper form looks solid and there was little wrong with his hurdling debut. His next run may have come to soon and in receipt of weight, taking his capable rider's claim into account, then he should prove hard to beat.