15:00 Newton Abbot

Monday 23 April 2018

All13:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Double Delight Hat-trick Heaven At totesport.com Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:01 | Winning time: 4m 25.22s

Sao^h,t1³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 129

6/5

French import unable to get off the mark in two starts for this handler so far, tending to run a bit keenly. A tongue-tie is added now and this half-brother to Frodon retains plenty of potential.

Form: F-124

Higgs²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: David Bass| T: S-J Davies

7/2

Finished runner-up in Warwick novice event on debut over these obstacles and should improve on that run, expected to lay down a challenge again.

Form: 402

Rooster Cogburn⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle

9/2

Will be expected to repay connections faith over hurdles and has shown a deal of promise in bumpers, market check merited here on first start over the jumps.

Form: 6-64

Slaying The Dragon¹¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J McGrath| T: M Hill

80/1

Flat maiden, yet to signal that better times will be coming over jumps and remains one to tread carefully with here.

Form: 0-B8P

Torrent Des Mottes³⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Bargary| T: Alexandra Dunn

4/1

Finished second in both runs for Willie Mullins in Ireland last year, including in a maiden hurdle at Tramore (2m5f, yielding). First start for new connections and should go well.

Form: 2-2

Akkapenko⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

50/1

Three-time winner on Flat in French provinces last summer at up to 1m4f. Not without promise in two hurdles starts for current yard but going to need fair chunk of improvement to open account.

Form: 08

General Allenby³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: M D Grant| T: H Tett

16/1

Record on the Flat was just one win from 18 attempts. Makes hurdling bow in this and likely to have a minor role to play.

Form:

Poet's Charm^h¹²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Kieron Edgar⁽³⁾| T: M Hill

66/1

Poor maiden of eight on the flat and last in all three starts for this yard before falling (when beaten) on hurdles debut at Warwick (2m, good to soft) in November. Watch with caution for now.

Form: FF

Zillion¹⁹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner

50/1

Didn't show anything for John Gosden on the Flat, hence his price dropped from 34,000 gns as a two-year-old to £6,500 at the Ascot sales in July. Walked home on hurdles bow at Chepstow in October and much work to be done now on return from a break.

Form: 7

Forecasts

Sao (6/5), Higgs (7/2), Torrent Des Mottes (4/1), Rooster Cogburn (9/2), General Allenby (16/1), Zillion (50/1), Akkapenko (50/1), Poet's Charm (66/1), Slaying The Dragon (80/1)

SAO hasn't lived up to expectations since joining the ranks at Ditcheat but this French import isn't worth giving up on just yet. The new headgear may help him to race in a more relaxed fashion and, that being the case, this could be his chance to break through. Ex-Willie Mullins inmate Torrent Des Mottes isn't taken lightly for his new connections while Warwick second Higgs is also noted. Rooster Cogburn was an expensive purchase and is noted now going over jumps for the first time.