13:00 Kelso

Sunday 13 January 2019

All12:3013:0013:3514:0514:4015:1015:40

Tarrag Naegel Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:02 | Winning time: 3m 56.8s

Encore Champs²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| D

6/4

Beat today's rival Lord Yeats (by 3¼L) when a fortuitous winner at Wetherby (2m, good to soft) in November before predictably struggling in a stronger race at Ascot (Grade 2) latest; this looks more realistic under the penalty.

Form: 2117

Lord Yeats¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 138

8/13

Kicked on from his opening hurdles defeat by today's rival Encore Champs (by 3¼L) when effortlessly landing the odds at Sedgefield (2m1f maiden, soft); further improvement required at level weights with the Greatrex-trained runner.

Form: 21

Battle Hard^h¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Steven Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: D Bourke

100/1

Low-key over hurdles so far (0-2) and a seven-race maiden overall; started at 100/1 at Ayr 11 days ago, with similar odds (and a result) also expected here.

Form: 344P-89

Bullion¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Lucy Alexander| T: J Ewart

40/1

Brother to the French 2m3f hurdle/chase winner Innovate; had wind surgery prior to his hurdles debut over C&D in December - never reached the leaders in finishing in excess of 30L sixth to Elvis Mail; considerably more required.

Form: 35-6

Little Bavington^t1⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Ross Chapman| T: Mrs A Hamilton

100/1

Has shown next to no ability so far and looks on paper to be a very doubtful stayer (brother to the 6f winner Off The Scale); readily overlooked despite the presence of a newly applied tongue-tie.

Form: 86-80

Mint Gold^t1³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

14/1

Offered some hope for the future when running a reasonable race on hurdles debut over C&D in December - finished 16L sixth of ten to Romeo Brown; tongue-tie now applied.

Form: 366

Near Kettering²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

33/1

Bought for €30,000 from Johnny Murtagh in November; well beaten on stable/hurdles debut at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) the following month and again on the AW just a few days later; plenty to prove.

Form: 8

Rollerruler^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes

20/1

Took a step forward from his Sedgefield debut when finishing third (125/1) to Elvis Mail (beaten 13½L) over C&D last month; probably just about holds Bullion on the evidence of that form, albeit others are much preferred.

Form: P3

Skiddaw Valleys⁵²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards

16/1

Three-time Flat winner (1m1f-1m6f) for the late Alan Swinbank, but essentially only moderate (66-rated); difficult to know exactly what to expect on hurdles/stable debut after 524 days off.

Form:

Southeast Rose¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter

100/1

Former pointer (0-4) who has struggled on both hurdles starts for Martin Todhunter (2m-2m1f); more interesting once sent handicapping and upped in trip; not the solution.

Form: 6/3-P308

Forecasts

Lord Yeats (8/13), Encore Champs (6/4), Mint Gold (14/1), Skiddaw Valleys (16/1), Rollerruler (20/1), Near Kettering (33/1), Bullion (40/1), Southeast Rose (100/1), Little Bavington (100/1), Battle Hard (100/1)

Realistically there are only two horses in the equation, those being the Wetherby foes ENCORE CHAMPS and Lord Yeats. The selection was a fortuitous winner on that occasion, although he did have the clear measure of his rival who was admittedly making his first start over hurdles. Lord Yeats didn't exactly need to show further improvement when landing a weak race in emphatic style at Sedgefield since, but Encore Champs was tackling a completely different level of opponent in the Grade 2 Kennel Gate at Ascot (and predictably struggled).