14:45 Chepstow

Wednesday 21 November 2018

All12:4013:1013:4014:1514:4515:2015:55

Fujitsu Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:47 | Winning time: 4m 16.20s

Aclassagold¹⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: D Faulkner

100/1

Won an Irish point-to-point in March and picked up by connections for £43,000 afterwards. Has achieved little in both starts under rules and faces another stiff task here.

Form: B1-08

Dark Episode⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: C Gethings| T: P Hobbs & J White| BF

11/1

Son of Getaway who cost £50,000 as a three-year-old and is from a successful jumping family. Beaten favourite on bumper debut but winner has shaped well in a Listed event since.

Form: 3

Ebony Gale¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White

5/1

Quickly left his debut bumper form behind when winning on his 2nd start in that discipline at Wincanton despite showing some inexperience. Got no further than the first on hurdling debut and Dark Episode appears the yard number one hope.

Form: 61-F

Ekayburg⁴¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: D Pipe

13/8

Bought privately by leading connections having landed two French bumpers, including a Grade 2, over 1m4f. Potentially useful and definitely one for the shortlist.

Form: 7611-

Golden Whisky²⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

7/2

Modest form in bumpers and a couple of hurdles. Needs to improve his jumping and stable quiet at present.

Form: 564F-

J'Ai Froid²³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁵⁾| T: B I Case

12/1

Has a stamina-laden pedigree being a half-brother to the useful hurdler/smart chaser Gallant Oscar. Went well on last bumper start but may need this first run for eight months as stable have gone a while without a winner.

Form: 52-

Kings Inn¹⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

12/1

Bought for €100,000 in September 2017 and has mixed hurdling with Flat racing. Yet to prove his worth in either discipline and needs to improve considerably.

Form: 3-4

Lochinver^h1¹⁰⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| BF| D

25/1

Made all to win a point-to-point bumper by 6L (2m, heavy) at Alnwick in April prior to having a wind op and being sold to this yard for £35,000. Fourth of six on bumper debut but will be happier on this going.

Form: 1-4

Monkey Harris¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: Mrs R Ford

100/1

Only gained one placing from four starts in Irish point-to-points and looks highly tried judged judged on his stable debut here two weeks ago.

Form: 64/24-8

Vards^h1⁹⁰⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: R T Dunne| T: Jack Barber

33/1

Useful dual-winning point-to-pointer but likely to require this having been sidelined for 30 months. Worth watching for the future.

Form: 121/

Zanza³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White

16/1

Arcadio gelding that cost €5,000 as a foal. Looked green on debut and yard seem to have stronger claims with their other runners.

Form: 6

Questionation⁹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: James Best| T: P Henderson

100/1

Showed some ability in point-to-points and in mixed Irish bumper company for her previous trainer. Tailed off on stable debut and highly tried again here.

Form: 4P590-5

Forecasts

Ekayburg (13/8), Golden Whisky (7/2), Ebony Gale (5/1), Dark Episode (11/1), Kings Inn (12/1), J'Ai Froid (12/1), Zanza (16/1), Lochinver (25/1), Vards (33/1), Monkey Harris (100/1), Aclassagold (100/1), Questionation (100/1)

The in form Philip Hobbs saddles three with Richard Johnson opting for Dark Episode. His debut third, when an odds-on failure, initially looked disappointing but can be marked up with the winner shaping well in a valuable race since. EKAYBURG has landed a Grade 2 NH flat race in France and represents top owners who are making a concerted effort to obtain top-class jumpers for the current season. This may take little winning and David Pipe has found a good race for his hurdling bow.