12:45 Taunton

Sunday 30 December 2018

All12:4513:1513:5014:2014:5515:2515:55

Newton King Juvenile Hurdle

Off time: 12:47 | Winning time: 4m 11.8s

Friend Or Foe¹⁶⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

3/1

New acquisition for a yard that do well with their hurdlers here and this one enters the fray in GB having already had two hurdles runs in France for his previous yard. Finished 4th on both of those starts and given his yard has to be respected.

Form: 44

Good Impression²³

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: A Stronge

40/1

Still a maiden on the Flat (0-16) he has run some fair races in that sphere at a modest level. His one hurdles effort so far saw him well beaten but he did show some aptitude for this sphere; potential for him to do better than he's shown.

Form: 4

Karakoram¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: L Heard| T: G Harris

40/1

Only lowly-rated on the Flat and yet to win a race on the level he appeared to run to about the same level on his hurdles debut without his usual headgear (still left off). Not knocked around last time and needs to show that he can back that run up.

Form: 5

Mantovani³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry

10/11

Lightly-raced sort from the Flat (only two starts) he shaped with encouragement on his Exeter hurdles debut; travelled well to finish 3rd (2nd has won since). Looks sure to have come on for that experience and another forward showing can be expected.

Form: 3

Peloric^t1¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: J Scott

25/1

His bumper debut had shown some promise but he's failed to build on that trait in three subsequent hurdles runs. In rear when falling at the third last time he now sports a first-time tongue-tie but it's hard to see him making an impression here.

Form: 357F

Tiffin Top⁸¹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

7/1

Yard does well with juvenile hurdlers and although he remains a maiden on the Flat some of his form was quite useful. Now makes his hurdles debut; half-brother to a useful hurdler in Thunder Zone and expected to get involved first-time up.

Form:

True Thoughts^t¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: R T Dunne| T: Mrs L J Young

250/1

Very modest on the Flat at up to 1m4f when trained on the Flat in France he's two hurdles outings for his current yard having proved to be underwhelming. Tongue-tie tried last time remains but he looks one for the longer term.

Form: 07

Zafar⁶⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| BF

7/1

0-6 on the Flat when trained in Germany by Andreas Woehler at up to 1m4f he makes his hurdles/stable debut here. On his Flat form he looks to need to show a little more here to get involved and may need the experience.

Form:

Zanzi Win⁹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-12| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington

11/2

Hardly lacks experience on the Flat having won three times from 21 starts when trained in France with some of his form bordering on useful at up to 1m2f. Now makes his GB/hurdles/stable debut; a positive market move would be of interest.

Form:

Golden Footsteps¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 10-5| J: Thomas Garner| T: Mark Gillard

250/1

Has so far failed to complete over hurdles the 2nd run over hurdles coming for this yard. Failed to show anything further in lowly company on the AW last time and easily passed over here.

Form: UP

Non-Runners

Caviar Royale⁵¹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 3

T: Mrs N S Evans J: Max Kendrick

Forecasts

Mantovani (10/11), Friend Or Foe (3/1), Zanzi Win (11/2), Zafar (7/1), Tiffin Top (7/1), Peloric (25/1), Karakoram (40/1), Good Impression (40/1), Caviar Royale (100/1), True Thoughts (250/1), Golden Footsteps (250/1)

An interesting bunch with one or two seemingly decent newcomers from stable who do well with this type and others who have already have some hurdles experience. Of those in that group Mantovani sets the standard after his decent Exeter debut and he along with Friend Or Foe will prove to both have decent chances. Zanzi Win looks to have some of the best Flat form on offer having been useful in France and a prominent hurdles debut is expected along with Zafar. Alan King is always to be noted/respected in this sphere and his TIFFIN TOP (related to a decent hurdler) could well make a winning debut at a course where the trainer has a decent record.