15:40 Fakenham

Tuesday 1 January 2019

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Watch Sky Sports Racing In HD Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 4m 4.7s

Bartholomew J⁷⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R T Dunne| T: Mrs L Pearce

33/1

Recorded a hat-trick on the Flat last year, all at Yarmouth on fast ground. Should get this trip over hurdles, but has a bit to prove on debut, including on good to soft.

Form:

Havana Hermano²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

6/1

Promising hurdles debut at Warwick in November. Improved marginally on that last time, without really kicking on, and looks likely to be one to consider more strongly in handicaps.

Form: 3P7446

Kings Inn¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 113

5/1

Improved when running well at Doncaster last time. Winner didn't do much for that form back there on Saturday, but that does not mean that this gelding can't improve. Should go well at this level.

Form: 3-462

Petite Jack¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: N B King

20/1

Multiple AW Flat winner who has not threatened to repeat that success in two starts over hurdles. Much more needed if he is to get competitive.

Form: 6/4

Some Boy Mccoy²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy

16/1

Showed some promise in a couple of bumpers and could make a nice hurdles debut. Market check looks prudent.

Form: 0-2

Starjac³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R P McLernon| T: P R Webber| OR: 119

5/2

Went close against a decent sort here in October. Not able to build on that last time, but probably has the best form in the race and could be tough to beat.

Form: 5-323

Swaffham Bulbeck^t³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: David England| T: O Murphy| OR: 119

9/2

Ran well when runner-up at both Warwick and Ayr last year, before having a wind operation. Returned with a respectable effort on AW in November (in first-time tongue-tie). Could improve now back hurdling. Enters calculations.

Form: 25-2

Ask Jilly²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: M R Bosley

150/1

Well beaten in both a bumper and on her hurdles debut. Watch.

Form: 00

Regarding Ruth²³

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

4/1

Not without promise in bumper company, and could do better now she has obstacles to jump. Not ruled out.

Form: 39-48

Queen Adelaide³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ryan| OR: 101

16/1

Soft ground Flat winner (1m6f) in October and ran with some credit on her first two hurdles starts. Needs to bounce back from a below par effort last time, however.

Form: 327

Forecasts

Starjac (5/2), Regarding Ruth (4/1), Swaffham Bulbeck (9/2), Kings Inn (5/1), Havana Hermano (6/1), Some Boy Mccoy (16/1), Queen Adelaide (16/1), Petite Jack (20/1), Bartholomew J (33/1), Ask Jilly (150/1)

Regarding Ruth is of interest now going hurdling and she could get involved here, while Kings Inn has claims now tried in this grade. Swaffham Bulbeck and Some Boy McCoy could both go well for Olly Murphy, who does well at this track, but the suggestion is STARJAC, who has the pick of the form based on his run here against Didtheyleaveuoutto.