15:10 Exeter

Thursday 20 December 2018

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

starsports.bet Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:13 | Winning time: 6m 9.90s

Ask The Weatherman^p²⁸³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber| OR: 133| CWS

6/1

Prolific winning point-to-pointer who made a fine start in handicap chases when winning here 13 months ago. Has failed to finish since, but might have benefited from wind surgery , and respected on belated hurdles bow.

Form: 71/1PPP-

Browndodd¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

25/1

From family of smart staying chasers Erics Charm and Monkerhostin, and has looked a stayer himself in two starts to date. Testing conditions should suit, but he may need a bit more time before he blooms.

Form: 64

Cornelius Socks⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis

150/1

Yest to beat a rival in three starts, and while not devoid of ability, he's easy to oppose in a race of this nature.

Form: U75

Ector²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex

66/1

From a good jumping family, and cost a fair bit at the sales, but he's looked pretty limited in two starts to date, and will need to do much better to justify his price tag.

Form: 09

Flinck²⁶⁴

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

12/1

Out of a sister to yard's smart chaser Supreme Prince, but finished last of five finishers on his sole point-to-point start, and will need to raise his game markedly now hurdling. In good hands, at least.

Form: 5-

Megaudais Speed²²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R T Dunne| T: Mrs L J Young

100/1

Won once from four starts in the point-to-point field, and that win came on heavy ground, which augurs well for this test, but yard has had just one winner all season, which doesn't.

Form:

Nearly Perfect¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Bryony Le Clerc| T: N B King

11/4

Placed in a point-to-point in Ireland and signs of ability in a couple of bumpers. Improved when 3¾L second of 11 to Commodore Barry in novice at Southwell on hurdling debut, and likely to do better again, so considered.

Form: 29-02

Shamilan³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: C Gethings| T: T R George

20/1

Promise for Ronnie O'Leary on sole bumper start, and left a poor hurdles debut behind when 6L second of 8 to Renwick in maiden at Hereford last time. May do better still.

Form: 3-02

Shaughnessy³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Sherwood| BF

9/4

Scored on his 3rd bumper start having shown very useful form in that sphere, and probably needed the experience when 13¾L third of 15 to Russian Hawk on hurdles bow here last month. Open to plenty of improvement.

Form: 22-13

Springcombe Joe¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr R Withey⁽⁷⁾| T: W G M Turner

125/1

Runner up on bumper debut here in January but that was a very weak affair, and he's been well beaten twice since. Surprise if he proved good enough now hurdling, but should be suited by a test of stamina.

Form: 28-0

Unwin Vc³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: R H Buckler| C

7/2

Made the perfect start when winning bumper here in February despite racing keenly, and defied a penalty at Wincanton in April. Ran poorly in Listed event at Cheltenham last month, but easy enough to forgive that, and interesting now put to hurdles.

Form: 11-9

Woulduadamandeveit¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner

14/1

Placed in a couple of Listed bumpers last season but proved a disappointment on hurdling debut at Kempton. Not much better at Chepstow last time, but could be a different proposition in handicaps.

Form: 2302-87

Forecasts

Shaughnessy (9/4), Nearly Perfect (11/4), Unwin Vc (7/2), Ask The Weatherman (6/1), Flinck (12/1), Woulduadamandeveit (14/1), Shamilan (20/1), Browndodd (25/1), Ector (66/1), Megaudais Speed (100/1), Springcombe Joe (125/1), Cornelius Socks (150/1)

SHAUGHNESSY couldn't match his useful bumper form at the first time of asking, but he still ran with promise, and should improve markedly with that run under his belt. Nearly Perfect improved when runner-up at Southwell, and has solid claims, with Ask The Weatherman not dismissed for all his hurdles debuut comes late in life.