12:50 Hereford

Wednesday 2 January 2019

All12:5013:2013:5514:3015:0015:30

MansionBet Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 5m 4.9s

Bahama Moon²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 100

6/1

Four-time Flat winner but looked moderate opver hurdles last term. Better since going handicapping this season finishing third at both Carlisle and Sedgefield. Step up in trip not sure to suit.

Form: 69P0-33

Jimmy Bell²¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: J G M O'Shea| OR: 96

5/1

Yet to score in 11 starts but two best efforts have been over C&D when second last January and again in March. Eased 2lb and absent seven months so fitness has to be taken on trust.

Form: 25524-5

Jurys Out³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Max Kendrick| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 96

20/1

Yard in tremendous form but has shown little in four outings to date including when pulled up when well beaten over C&D last time out 5lb drop should help but has plenty to prove.

Form: 87-0P

Cottonvale^p²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: C Brace⁽⁵⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 95

8/1

21-race ex-Irish maiden. Not disgraced last two starts for new handler and handles most underfoot conditions. Probably failed to stay near-3m trip when 4th at Hexham last time so drop back in trip could help the cause off 2lb lower mark.

Form: 448724

Primogeniture^p¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Bryony Frost| T: M Keighley| OR: 94

16/1

One-time fair 1m2f handicapper but has struggled over timber and has failed to quicken in last two starts at 2m. Has struggled at this trip in past so looks to have plenty on his plate.

Form: P89534

Dont Be Robin⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Mrs R Ford| OR: 94

16/1

Placed just once from nine starts uner Rules and has appeared badly out of form in three starts so far this campaign. Not certain step up to this trip will bring about any improvement.

Form: 484-908

Uno Mas^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Rex Dingle⁽³⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 94

9/1

Landed Fakenham 2m handicap hurdle on penultimate start and likley found heavy ground and longer trip too much at Ffos Las last time. Not out of it on if latest run hasn't left its mark.

Form: 544P14

No No Jolie²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁶⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 94

10/1

Showed very little form in first six starts but took big step forward last time when second in Leicester 2m handicap hurdle, staying on from the last. Up in trip and raised just 1lb so may not be far away with similar display.

Form: 7/5P-492

Don Herbager³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁶⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 92

9/2

Little sign of ability in three maiden hurdles and just 9th of 16 on handicap bow over C&D last time. Yard in cracking from now though and has been eased 4lb so not inconceivable that there could be improvement on the way.

Form: 54-09

Bally Lagan^v³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Ceris Biddle⁽¹⁰⁾| T: R Dickin| OR: 88| D

50/1

Rattled up handicap chase hat-trick early last year on decent ground but struggled off higher marks since. Reverts to hurdles for first time since October 2013 and would be a surprise if up tot his task having pulled up last time.

Form: 42-566P

Ifandabut²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: P C Dando| OR: 87

33/1

Little sign of ability in four starts for Venetia Williams and weakened quickly on first start for current yard at Wawrwick last month on first start for 11 months. Should be fitter now but has something to find.

Form: 5098-0

Coisa Blanco^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Harry Teal| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 85

14/1

11-race maiden who has shown modest form at up to 3m in handicap hurdles. Joined current yard from Jonjo O'Neill stable two starts ago and ran well when third at Newcastle off 2lb hgher mark last time. Should be thereabouts if in similar mood.

Form: 65F843

Arqalina¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 79

20/1

Fairly highly tried but showed little in three starts in France prior to joining current yard. Disapointing in two novice hurdles but makes handicap bow off lowly mark for stable in great form. Worth a market check.

Form: PF/P7

Min Tiky^b⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: R Patrick| T: M Bradstock| OR: 78

10/1

Yet to reach a place in nine starts but has hinted at some ability on last two outings, running on late in the day without troubling principals. Down 10lb over last three runs and could go well off low weight.

Form: 90-P955

Rule The Ocean^t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Stan Sheppard| T: M Sheppard| OR: 77

11/1

Still a maiden but has been runner-up on last two starts and has been raised 3lb following latest close second over this trip at Uttoxeter. With little weight she rates a player once again.

Form: PP6022

Non-Runners

The Major²⁶

Weight: 11-5| Age: 6

T: K Woollacott J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Don Herbager (9/2), Jimmy Bell (5/1), Bahama Moon (6/1), Cottonvale (8/1), Uno Mas (9/1), No No Jolie (10/1), Min Tiky (10/1), Rule The Ocean (11/1), Coisa Blanco (14/1), The Major (14/1), Dont Be Robin (16/1), Primogeniture (16/1), Arqalina (20/1), Jurys Out (20/1), Ifandabut (33/1), Bally Lagan (50/1)

There are question marks about most of these runners and down at the foot of the weights RULE THE OCEAN is at least in from and stays so should give supporters a decent run for their money. Also lowly weighted are both Min Tiky and Arqalina, both of whom are open to improvemnt. Coisa Blanco, The Major and Don Herbager are others worth considering.