15:15 Warwick

Wednesday 10 April 2019

All14:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:5017:2517:55

Event Support Team Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:17 | Winning time: 3m 59.7s

Newtown Boy^t1³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 130| BF| D

5/2

Useful in bumpers he got off the mark over hurdles at his first attempt (Hereford, 2m). Beaten at odds-on under a penalty before undergoing wind surgery prior to his return to action Hereford; beaten at odds-on, gives weight to the entire field.

Form: 2-2132

Continuum⁶⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: P Hedger

40/1

Fair sort on the flat at staying trips but has shown little potential in either hurdles start. Pulled-up lame on the Flat when last seen and comes with obvious risks.

Form: 90

Dont Tell The Wife^t1⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs Caroline Bailey

50/1

Bred to be useful in the jumping sphere he shaped like a stayer on his bumper debut failing to justify some strong support. Went backwards from that initial outing in an AW bumper, dropped away quickly; first-time tongue-tie applied.

Form: 48

Epsom Day^h1²³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: B R Summers

200/1

Stays 1m4f on the Flat (useful at best despite only winning a maiden); little solid form for some time though. Now makes stable\hurdles debut having joined this yard for £800 recently; hooded first-time for debut.

Form:

Glendun¹⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: J M P Eustace

66/1

Slipped below his previous level of form on the Flat in 2018; has been capable at his best on the level. Makes his hurdles debut but may be best watched given his last Flat exploits.

Form:

Honourmission¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington

40/1

There has been promise shown in both his first bumper and hurdles starts (also has an appealing pedigree). Didn't look suited by the drop to 2m on his latest hurdles start; can't be written off yet though, may just need this experience again.

Form: 479

Laxey³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly

8/1

There have been signs of ability in his bumper and hurdles starts (two in each sphere) although he shaped like a stayer each time. Needs this run for a mark in handicaps; one to watch out for in that sphere given a proper test.

Form: 5454

Notre Pari¹³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy

16/1

Cost £47,500 as a four-year-old; runner-up in a maiden Irish point-to-point on his only run in that discipline when beaten 3L. Hard to gauge the value of that form but interesting to see how he fares on his hurdling\Rules debut.

Form: 2

Oldabbey Bridge²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J McGrath| T: C Hobson

200/1

Unlikely to be troubling the principals in this having been well held in a bumper and fared no better when pulled-up in a novice hurdle on debut.

Form: P3P

Sammy Bill³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood

20/1

Failed to build on what was a promising hurdles debut when fifth at Exeter when only producing a well-held third last time at Huntingdon. Did still look rather inexperienced though so perhaps he can bounce back in this.

Form: 253

Elusive Belle^h²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen⁽³⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 134

4/7

Found the Grade 2 company at the Festival too hot to handle but had made a good start to her career over hurdles before that with an easy win on stable\hurdles debut. Her other form reads well and looks hard to beat here despite the big field.

Form: 532120

Far Bihoue¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

66/1

Form in bumpers is only modest despite reaching the frame in both starts in that sphere. Unable to land any sort of blow on hurdles debut (spared a hard race); should do better in time.

Form: 348

Galtee Mountain¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: M D Grant| T: P G Murphy

200/1

Beaten 70L on bumper debut (50-1) at Exeter he showed even less on his hurdles\stable debut over C&D last month; hard to imagine him getting involved.

Form: 90

Oskemen¹⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: David England| T: O Murphy

50/1

Had three different trainers on the Flat but still registered a record of 0-13 with all his best form at around 1m. Ran very poorly when last seen and not sure to have the stamina for this discipline.

Form:

Ebony's Manor⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dickin

200/1

One of two runners in this for the stable although neither would appear to hold much chance. Pulled-up in all five starts in point-to-points a bold showing here would be a major surprise.

Form: PP/P-PP

Non-Runners

Swordbill¹¹⁶

Weight: 10-8| Age: 4

T: Ian Williams J: T J O'Brien

Classy Afair²²

Weight: 10-7| Age: 5

T: Miss C Dyson J: Charlie Hammond

Wondergirl⁹

Weight: 10-7| Age: 5

T: R Dickin J: W T Kennedy

Forecasts

Elusive Belle (4/7), Newtown Boy (5/2), Laxey (8/1), Swordbill (10/1), Notre Pari (16/1), Sammy Bill (20/1), Continuum (40/1), Honourmission (40/1), Oskemen (50/1), Dont Tell The Wife (50/1), Far Bihoue (66/1), Glendun (66/1), Wondergirl (66/1), Galtee Mountain (200/1), Ebony's Manor (200/1), Oldabbey Bridge (200/1), Epsom Day (200/1), Classy Afair (200/1)

Despite the size of the field this looks an event that lacks any depth and ELUSIVE BELLE will appreciate a return to this grade after plying her trade in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last time where she was disgraced. The penalised Newtown Boy will provide the main opposition on form although his jumping needs tidying up to be fully effective. There may be a few to note for the future here in the battle for the minor places with Honourmission, Laxey (needs further) and Note Pari all worth noting.