17:05 Wincanton

Saturday 17 February 2018

All13:4014:1514:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

Betway 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 17:08 | Winning time: 4m 8.3s

Indigo Stamp⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Dave Crosse| T: Mark Gillard

150/1

Struggled in three outings so far including following a wind operation when making his hurdling debut on heavy ground at Exeter earlier this month.

Form: 08P

Passam^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: David Noonan| T: Miss C Dyson

14/1

Heavy ground bumper winner at Bangor in December but struggled in two starts over hurdles since and more needed if he's to take this contest.

Form: 7-185

Pyrios¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

7/1

Fair form in two bumpers and three starts over hurdles so far including when 18L fourth on good-to-soft ground at Huntingdon in November. Fell on heavy ground here last time out however.

Form: 6-440F

Sparky's Spirit¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: M G Nolan| T: C L Tizzard

33/1

Ex-point-to-pointer has finished well beaten on both completed starts over hurdles so far and is likely to be of more interest once tackling handicaps.

Form: PP4/0P7

Zamparelli^t³⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: David England| T: D SkeltonWS

8/1

Point-to-point winner on good ground in Ireland in October 2016. Fair form in two novice hurdles at Kempton for this yard a year ago and interesting dropping in trip on his first outing since a wind operation.

Form: P7166-

Sao^h1²⁹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: H Cobden| T: P F NichollsWS

8/11

Winner over hurdles at Compiegne (very soft) for Guillaume Macaire in May last year. Gelded and had a wind operation since and wears a hood for the first time on debut for this yard.

Form: F-1

Embole^h,t1³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D SkeltonWS

5/2

Ran well to finish third of six in a juvenile hurdle on soft ground at Newcastle on debut for this yard in December. Well beaten since and has had a wind operation since his latest outing.

Form: 435

Midnight Midge¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Nick Scholfield| T: R J Hodges

20/1

Fair effort on bumper debut but struggled subsequently and finished well beaten when making his hurdling debut at Taunton (soft) last time out.

Form: 786

Moynihans Girl¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: James Best| T: Mrs L J Young

150/1

Pulled up on hurdling debut and finished well beaten on heavy ground at Chepstow last time out. Probably best watched at present.

Form: P9

Forecasts

Sao (8/11), Embole (5/2), Pyrios (7/1), Zamparelli (8/1), Passam (14/1), Midnight Midge (20/1), Sparky's Spirit (33/1), Indigo Stamp (150/1), Moynihans Girl (150/1)

The form that SAO showed in France looks likely to be enough to take this contest and he can make his first start for trainer Paul Nicholls a winning one. Embole has had a wind operation since his most recent outing but ran well on his first hurdling debut at Newcastle and is taken to claim second ahead of Pyrios who looks capable of putting a fall last time out behind him by claiming third.