14:30 Bangor

Tuesday 5 June 2018

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Bangor Bet Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:33 | Winning time: 4m 0.40s

Bignorm²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Mrs R Gasson

150/1

Mahler gelding is a brother to useful hurdler Ornua. Never a factor on last month's bumper debut at Warwick, has work to do now over hurdles.

Form: 8

Delirant^t1⁵⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: D PipeWS

11/2

Won both his starts in bumpers in France including Group 1 Prix Jacques de Vienne at Saint-Cloud. Has undergone wind surgery and sports a tongue tie on debut for Pond House and looks a likely sort on paper.

Form: 11/

Fair Mountain²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| BF

2/1

Listed winner on the Flat in Germany in 2016 and unfortunate not to open account first time over hurdles at Ludlow for this trainer with winner getting away from an unchallenged lead. Big player.

Form: 2

Henry Smith²¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland

9/2

Fairly useful winner of five races on the Flat, goes over hurdles having joined Dr Richard Newland and needs close inspection in the betting on seasonal return.

Form:

Man Of The North⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll

250/1

Beaten a combined tally of more than 80L in novice hurdles at Kempton and Warwick so far, plenty to work on if hoping to be competitive now.

Form: 7-49

No Alarm¹³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy

33/1

Best effort (from three) over hurdles at Fakenham (2m, heavy) in January when finishing just over 12L fourth of seven. Needs to improve on that again.

Form: PP/554-

Tim Rocco^t1¹⁹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

20/1

Decent performer on the Flat in Germany, sports a first-time tongue tie on British racecourse bow. Worth a market check.

Form:

Compatriot²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy

28/1

Lacks the ability of some of these rivals on the Flat and failed to meet market expectations on hurdling bow at Wincanton last month. Interesting to see if trainer gets more out of him.

Form: 4

Shackles¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards

66/1

Five-race maiden on the Flat and never a factor having gone off a 40/1 shot on hurdles bow at Perth last month. Not hard to overlook.

Form: 0

May Mist¹³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Josh Wall⁽⁵⁾| T: T Wall

150/1

Limited ability on the Flat, has shown some promise in his two hurdles starts at Ludlow when racing prominently but still has a bit to work on if hoping to see things out.

Form: 60/C9-

Secret Escape²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| BF

2/1

Won bumpers at Stratford and Perth last summer and was fourth in Listed bumper at Cheltenham in November. Turned over at odds-on in hurdles bow at Exeter (finished second) last month. Capable of much better.

Form: 11446-2

Katebird¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: W T Kennedy| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

66/1

Decent filly on the Flat for Mark Johnston, yet to shine in three maiden hurdles for this trainer however and potentially will be better when getting into handicaps.

Form: 6-50

Forecasts

Fair Mountain (2/1), Secret Escape (2/1), Henry Smith (9/2), Delirant (11/2), Tim Rocco (20/1), Compatriot (28/1), No Alarm (33/1), Shackles (66/1), Katebird (66/1), Bignorm (150/1), May Mist (150/1), Man Of The North (250/1)

FAIR MOUNTAIN was turned over at a short price on his hurdling debut but he (like the other beaten horses) was the victim of a clever ride on the winner who got a handy lead and refused to concede it back. Harry Skelton is unlikely to be caught napping here and can get on the board. Secret Escape was also beaten when odds-on last month at Exeter in his first jumping test and is deemed very likely to be better than she showed there. French import Delirant along with Henry Smith make up the shortlist.