12:40 Market Rasen

Wednesday 26 December 2018

All12:1012:4013:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

APM Commercials Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:41 | Winning time: 4m 11.70s

Benny's Bridge³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| CD

10/11

Landed a bumper here on debut in November last year and subsequently third in hot event at Newbury in March. Showed plenty of promise when second on hurdles bow at Chepstow in October but got no further than the second at Ascot last month.

Form: 13-2F

Champagne Mystery¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson

4/1

Placed in Irish point-to-point and sold for £68,000 last May. Unlucky on debut when hampered and ran out at Aintree earlier this month and may not be far away with better luck this time.

Form: F2-U

Clondaw Storm⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: C N Kellett

100/1

Runner-up in modest Irish point-to-point and looked slow when tailed off on Rules debut in Carlisle bumper last month. May do better over timber but has a lot to prove.

Form: 4-29

Darsi's Jewel¹⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

50/1

Beat only two hime in 16-runner Roscoommon maiden hurdle on only appearance to date. British debut here for new connections but makes little appeal unless market offers some postive clues.

Form: 0

Eolian²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy

66/1

Landed 1m2f heavy ground handicap for Andrew Balding 16 months ago but has shown precious little in three starts over hurdles for new handler and needs to get his act together.

Form: 5-00

Imperial Knight²⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy

7/1

Stable companion of Eolian and looks first string. Fair jumps pedigree and has placed on all three starts so far in bumpers. May improve for eight flights of hurdles and well worth a second glance.

Form: 332-

Johnny Rocco²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Bannister| T: H Whittington

20/1

Mixed messages form two bumper starts but looked to be going the right way when third on hurdles bow at Plumpton earlier this month, keeping on steadily. May do better over further in time but shrewd yard very much respected.

Form: 563

Mistiroc²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: C R King| T: J & S Quinn

16/1

Capable five-time Flat winner at up to 1m4f. Hasn't convinced in two starts to date over hurdles but this easier track may help and it is much too early to give up on him in this sphere. More needed though.

Form: 44

Sum Fun Now^h1,t1⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: A StrongeWS

100/1

Gelded son of Jeremy who has looked very modest to date, finishing last on both starts. Has undergone wind surgery since poor hurdles bow and now wears tongue-tie and hood for first time so is hard to enthuse over.

Form: 0-0

War Brigade^t1²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams

4/1

First time tongue-tie for this Manduro gelding who scored over 1m4f on Flat at Newbury in October. Travelled well here on hurdles bow and looked set to score before fading approaching last so drop back in trip may suit. Should be thereabouts.

Form: 2

Mrsgrey⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Mr Jason Dixon⁽⁷⁾| T: Henry Oliver

25/1

Beaten short-head on only start in seemingly modest Irish maiden point-to-point and was unsold at 24,000 gns at recent October sales. Yard are 3-6 of late though so worth a second glance in the betting.

Form: 2

Time Is Honey⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Charlie Hammond⁽⁵⁾| T: N Kent

40/1

Irish mares maiden point-to-point winner. Hard to know what to make of that form and should find this plenty sharp enough on Rules bow. Other are preferred.

Form: F1

Forecasts

Benny's Bridge (10/11), War Brigade (4/1), Champagne Mystery (4/1), Imperial Knight (7/1), Mistiroc (16/1), Johnny Rocco (20/1), Mrsgrey (25/1), Time Is Honey (40/1), Darsi's Jewel (50/1), Eolian (66/1), Clondaw Storm (100/1), Sum Fun Now (100/1)

A fair novices' hurdle and the vote goes to BENNY'S BRIDGE who landed a bumper here on his only previous visit. He has already shown hurdles ability and can get off the mark this time. Main danger looks to be Champagne Mystery who represents a top yard and had no luck at all at Aintree on his Rules debut earlier this month. Imperial Knight, War Brigade and Johnny Rocco are others of interest.