15:25 Wetherby

Saturday 8 December 2018

All12:0512:4013:1013:4014:1514:5015:25

Watch Racing UK In Stunning HD Fillies' 'Junior' Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 2m 58.85s

Absolute Jaffa

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

9/1

Seventh foal. Half-sister to winners Cleve Cottage (2m7f hurdle/3m1f chase) and Monbeg Legend (2m4f-2m6f hurdle/chase). Dam 2m-3m hurdle/chase winner. Stable 0-24 in bumpers over five seasons, so probably one to watch on debut.

Form:

Artichoke Heart

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr

5/1

Out of a multiple hurdle/chase winning mare from 2m3½f-2m7f, who acted on soft. Pedigree hints at stamina. Trainer 11% over five seasons in bumpers, so market check prudent.

Form:

Conchita³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Aiden Blakemore⁽⁷⁾| T: N Tinkler

9/1

Showed a bit or promise in a couple of bumpers at Market Rasen and Carlisle, but hard to believe that she won't find at least a couple to beat her here.

Form: 36

Feetronie De Kervi^h1

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: J Ewart

9/1

Half-sister to three winners over hurdles/fences, the best of whom was Chablais (2m-2m5f). Dam well beaten in sole bumper start. Stable going reasonably well, is 8% in bumpers over five seasons. Market check with useful 7lb claimed.

Form:

Mergeela

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Alain Cawley| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

9/4

Third foal. Half-sister to two winners, the unbeaten four-time bumper winner Longhouse Sale and dual 2m hurdle winner (on soft) Long House Island. In very good hands and trainer 17% in this sphere, so should go well.

Form:

Montelimar¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: A Nicol| T: A Crook

33/1

50-1 and not disgraced on debut at Warwick last month. Likely to need a lot of improvement on that to figure here.

Form: 8

She's Blorenge^h1

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Benjamin Poste| T: M Scudamore

14/1

Sixth foal. Half-sister to two winners, one of them in 2m4f hurdles. Dam unraced. Stable 9% in this discipline. Hooded on debut, and worth a market check.

Form:

Sorbet²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁵⁾| T: L Wadham

3/1

25-1 and made a promising debut when beaten just over 6L into fifth at Huntingdon (1m5½f, good) last month. Can improve on that and could take a hand if handing soft ground.

Form: 5

Villiersdorp^h³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine

33/1

40-1 and beaten 17L on debut over 1m6f (good) at Carlisle last month. Can probably improve for the experience, but needs a lot of that to figure here.

Form: 8

What About Barb¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss J Feilden

25/1

33-1 and finished just behind Montelimar on debut at Warwick. Similar improvement required to take a hand.

Form: 9

Forecasts

Mergeela (9/4), Sorbet (3/1), Artichoke Heart (5/1), Conchita (9/1), Absolute Jaffa (9/1), Feetronie De Kervi (9/1), She's Blorenge (14/1), What About Barb (25/1), Villiersdorp (33/1), Montelimar (33/1)

A weak contest and probably another good opportunity found by trainer Kim Bailey on the card. He saddles debutante MERGEELA, who is half-sister to the Dan Skelton-trained Longhouse Sale, a winner of four bumpers off the reel. That suggests that she could be a force to be reckoned with, from a trainer whose record in this discipline stands up against all the others involved here. Feetronie De Kervi and She's Blorenge are also of interest, with Sorbet and Artichoke Heart also worth a peek in the market.