13:50 Perth

Thursday 26 April 2018

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:3517:10

Kinnoull Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:51 | Winning time: 4m 4.13s

Casa Tall⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| OR: 135

6/4

Proved versatile in terms of underfoot conditions in France and we know that he stays very well (2m2f+ winner), but thrown in deep in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham on his UK/stable debut (13th of 22).

Form: 63110

Cornerstone Lad^p¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| D

5/4

Enjoyed a solid first season over hurdles despite suffering a shock defeat at Hexham on his penultimate start (2m heavy). Kept on well at Carlisle latest (second), with third placed L'Inganno Felice winning well at Market Rasen on Sunday.

Form: 131222

Asylo⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: J Kington⁽³⁾| T: Julia Brooke| D

33/1

Won a weak Chepstow bumper (2m good) on debut in December 2016 for Dan Skelton, but then struggled under a penalty in a couple of subsequent starts. Showed little for Patrick Holmes, including on hurdles debut and now with another new trainer.

Form: 184-69

Chookie Royale¹¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: K Dalgleish

25/1

Prolific winner on the Flat (mainly AW), but arrived very late to hurdling at Sedgefield in November 2017 (third). Disappointing at Musselburgh latest (keen), and still to prove he has the necessary stamina reserves for this trip.

Form: 37

Friends In Heaven³⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: A Wilson

22/1

Picked up for £12,000 in May 2017 after finishing 10L second to Mushera Mor in a 2m Dawstown maiden point-to-point (good). Absent since, but now ready for his first start over hurdles/under rules.

Form: P-2

Geordielandgangsta⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin

100/1

Cost £30,000 at Cheltenham in December 2017. Runner up in his second point-to-point (3m) immediately prior to those sales, but posted a low-key rules/stable debut in a Carlisle bumper (2m1f soft) last week. Work in progress on hurdles bow.

Form: P26

Imperial Nemesis⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

10/1

Stowaway gelding who cost €26,000 as a three-year-old, and is a half-brother to the Willie Mullins trained Next Destination. Nothing special in bumpers so far, but likely to improve significantly for the introduction to hurdling.

Form: 730

J And M Greengairs⁴¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: R M Smith

200/1

Unraced for previous trainer Keith Dalgleish, and has shown nothing to recommend him for a future racing career on either start so far (Ayr and Musselburgh). Unappealing profile.

Form: P5

Macardle¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby

16/1

Showed a modicum of ability in Ireland for Elizabeth Doyle, and was placed in a moderate Musselburgh bumper (2m good to soft) on debut for this trainer last month, but not so sharp at Carlisle latest and is now switched to hurdling.

Form: 4438

Mr Sandgate⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: R M Smith

250/1

Cost just €3,000 as a three-year-old, and struggled badly in bumpers during 2017. Pulled up on hurdles debut at Ayr in February (2m4f), and drops back in trip needing a rapid transformation.

Form: 6-0P

That's Life³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards

100/1

Cost €45,000 as a three-year-old, and is a brother to various winners including She's Da One (2m3f-2m5f hurdle winner). Shown nothing over hurdles so far, and lacked fluency throughout when pulled up at Bangor last month (2m3f+ soft).

Form: 908P

Akkadian Empire²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine

33/1

Infrequent winner on the Flat (1 from 21), and never on grass. Didn't really look the part in a couple of spins over hurdles in the autumn, including over C&D (heavy). Stamina doubts.

Form: 47

Classical Rose⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell

50/1

Won three time on synthetics for Charlie Fellowes (7f-1m) before moving on for 6,500 gns in October 2016. Back recently from 18 months off and switched to hurdling for her new trainer, but hasn't figured prominently in either outing.

Form: 70

Forecasts

Cornerstone Lad (5/4), Casa Tall (6/4), Imperial Nemesis (10/1), Macardle (16/1), Friends In Heaven (22/1), Chookie Royale (25/1), Asylo (33/1), Akkadian Empire (33/1), Classical Rose (50/1), Geordielandgangsta (100/1), That's Life (100/1), J And M Greengairs (200/1), Mr Sandgate (250/1)

Strong numerically, but not so in depth unless one or two of the hurdling newcomers such as Imperial Nemesis or Macardle take a significant step forward on their efforts in bumpers. Therefore, this almost certainly rests between the consistent Cornerstone Lad, and the unexposed CASA TALL. Tom George has his string in respectable form at present, and his former French racer will find this level of opposition considerably easier than in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival last month.