16:25 Bangor

Thursday 11 October 2018

All13:4514:1514:5015:2015:5016:2517:00

starsports.bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:28 | Winning time: 4m 50.00s

Jaunty Thor^t⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: S Bowen| T: G Elliott| OR: 118| D

9/4

Trainer has done well to find two weak races for him at Perth. This is tougher off his revised mark, but hard to dismiss all the same.

Form: 20-2211

Cousin Oscar^t1²⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 115| BF| CWS

11/2

Unbeaten in two starts here but has had issues since and wind surgery did not appear to have helped when last seen in in February. Market support would be interesting given yard's current form, but otherwise best watched until showing more.

Form: P/46325-

Casterly Rock¹⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 115

4/1

Looks nicely treated judged on his Ludlow second but he has underperformed in both starts since. Should benefit from extra distance and the stable are in better form now than when last seen.

Form: 94/523-8

Black Buble¹¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: A W Carroll| OR: 108| CD

5/1

Opened his account with a 12L C&D win in lesser company. Current mark has been beyond him in three starts since.

Form: P31-437

Nabhan^b1,t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 107

14/1

Hard to win with as he looks one paced nowadays. Longer trip a plus but he would make more appeal on softer ground.

Form: 72U323

Royal Ruby⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 107

11/4

Has been disappointing since going hurdling and is one of the yard's lesser lights. Generally finds little for pressure and hard to recommend currently.

Form: 20-7335

Grams And Ounces^t²⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: L Heard| T: G Harris| OR: 102| D

18/1

Ffos Las winner in June when accounting for a reluctant rival. That has taken his mark back above 100 and there should be a better handicapped rival in here.

Form: F26-154

Vexillum^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 91

28/1

Career record of 6-71 under all disciplines but winless since May 2016. Last win over hurdles came three years ago and down to that same mark for the first time since. Latest effort was discouraging.

Form: 00-4340

Forecasts

Jaunty Thor (9/4), Royal Ruby (11/4), Casterly Rock (4/1), Black Buble (5/1), Cousin Oscar (11/2), Nabhan (14/1), Grams And Ounces (18/1), Vexillum (28/1)

Jaunty Thor arrives on the crest of a wave having picked up minor races on his last two starts under Richard Johnson. This will take little winning but CASTERLY ROCK makes more appeal for an in-form yard and with the champion jockey taking the reins for his retainer. The six-year-old had a mixed campaign last term which characterised the ups and downs of the stable. His Ludlow second and the opportunity to tackle this trip for the first time make him appealing in a race where the topweight could be a false price.