14:10 Taunton
Tuesday 20 February 2018
All14:1014:4015:1015:4516:1516:50
C&S Electrical Wholesale Termination Technology Novices' Hurdle
- 4YO plus | Class 4 | 2m 104y | Soft (Good to Soft in places) | 14 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 4m 30.3s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Gives weight away all round here having won his first race over hurdles at Exeter (form worked out well) but failed to live up to that run last time out when stepped up into a Grade 2 at Sandown. Will find this more suitable though and one of the leading players.
Well held in a bumper and maiden hurdle a year apart with both runs coming at Ascot. Back from a break here having had some wind surgery and that may lead to a more improved showing.
Maiden in Irish point-to-points who has had just the one run under Rules in a Wincanton bumper (showed some ability). Now makes his hurdles debut but looks one for the longer term and more of a stamina test.
Showed very little form on the Flat and was last seen in a Brighton handicap back in September off a basement mark. Makes his hurdles debut here but very hard to fashion a case for him.
Cost €70,000 as a three-year-old but has shown only modest form in bumpers and over hurdles. Needs this run for a mark and handicaps look more of a target for this one than a race like this on what he has shown so far.
Beat just one home in a Ludlow bumper on his debut before being pulled-up in a maiden hurdle in his debut in that sphere. Pulled too hard on that occasion and needs to settle better to have a chance here although his yard are quiet enough at the moment.
Little to like about his Flat efforts and much the same could be said of his hurdles efforts in which he's proved hard to settle (looks a hard ride). Has to prove far more tractable before he was of interest.
Has a decent pedigree but has failed to live up to that in bumpers and over hurdles showing little in essence. Started at a big price last time and likely to do so again here.
So far his bumper form has looked better than what he has achieved over hurdles although there may be better to come. Back down in trip last time out not building on his hurdles debut and needs this run for a mark.
Fairly useful maiden when trained in Ireland by John Oxx over trips up to 1m 7f (only ran once in a handicap). Now makes his stable/hurdles debut after having had some wind surgery and clearly one to watch in the market.
His best run came on debut in a bumper at Worcester in the summer although his hurdles form has shown some promise. Unsuited by the drop back to this trip last time when running here but open to progress returned to a longer trip.
Showed some useful form on the Flat when trained by Michael Bell winning his last two races with that yard in handicaps. His hurdling form has so far been disappointing though with all three efforts being below par; hard to fancy here.
Left his debut form way behind when winning a decent small field juvenile hurdle at Huntingdon over this trip. Not a typical sort for that sort of race his pedigree gives hope that he'll improve again and he sets a good standard here.
Was a decent sort on the Flat when trained in France (won three times last year). Now makes his debut for a yard that look as though they could be running into form and gets a handy weight allowance; worth a check in the market.
Forecasts
Esprit De Somoza (7/4), The Russian Doyen (11/4), Sea Of Mystery (7/1), The Groovy Hoovy (11/1), Samson The Man (11/1), Choix Des Armes (14/1), Irish Prince (14/1), Akkapenko (14/1), Dont Be Robin (25/1), The Major (25/1), Lake Washington (50/1), House Of Frauds (50/1), Newquay Cards (66/1), Mr Magill (66/1)
The four-year-olds get a handy weight-for-age allowance here and that should give ESPRIT DE SOMOZA an advantage having shown progress last time out to win at Huntingdon where he created a good impression. The main danger should come from The Russian Doyen who will appreciate this easier grade having shown that he had plenty of ability when winning at Exeter the time before. Plenty of the others will be the sort to be found in handicaps in the future and the biggest threats to those two in the market are likely to be Sea Of Mystery on his hurdles debut on the back of some wind surgery and The Groovy Hoovy who looks the type to go well but probably needs further. One other that is worth mentioning is Akkapenko who was decent on the Flat in France and he makes his stable/hurdle debut here and is worth a market check.
- Esprit De Somoza
- The Russian Doyen
- Sea Of Mystery
Prize Money
1st: £5,458.002nd: £1,603.003rd: £801.004th: £401.00
MOST READ RACING
Follow & Track
Your favourite horses, jockeys and trainers with My StableLog in
Discover Sporting Life Plus benefits
