16:55 Newton Abbot

Friday 5 July 2019

All13:4014:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:55

Sky Sports Racing Supports Racing Staff Week Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race

Off time: 16:57 | Winning time: 3m 52.5s

Echo Du Large^h1⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: R Stephens

9/2

Well found in the market on his debut he showed plenty of ability with a fourth in an Exeter bumper (only faded late on). Still looked a little inexperienced, will know more this time, hood fitted (first-time) for this his second start.

Form: 4

Johnofgorcombe³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryony Frost| T: J D Frost

66/1

Newcomer, half-brother to useful chaser Somchine; dam a bumper winner (well held over hurdles). Pulled-up on all three point-to-point starts this spring starting at progressively bigger prices; hard to recommend.

Form: P-PP

Marzano^t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

8/1

Yard yet to have a bumper winner this season (0-7) but do have a 15% strike-rate over the past five years. This one failed to finish in two Irish point-to-points; hasn't produced a whole lot more in two bumpers; did a little better last time.

Form: FP-84

Belfast Banter¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| BF

5/6

Second (beaten 8L) on his only Irish point-to-point start (cost £30,000), strong in the market on his bumper debut at Market Rasen (looked a decent contest). Went strongly in lead until faltering close home; promising type for leading yard.

Form: 2-3

Noel's Boy^p1,t1¹²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D PipeWS

4/1

Newcomer who had wind surgery after his only Irish point-to-point start (finished second; cost £12,00). Equipped with cheekpieces/tongue-tie for his debut (yard have decent bumper record); worth keeping an eye on in the market.

Form: 2-

Smartmandarcy

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Martin McIntyre⁽⁷⁾| T: R Bandey

14/1

Stable yet to strike in this sphere (0-8) and may be pushed to break that zero here. Half-brother to bumper winner Captain Barbossa (cost €6,000) out of a lightly raced Flat dam; may well need this experience.

Form:

Montochine

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Miss Sarah Robinson

100/1

Half-sister to two point-to-point winners; dam multiple winner in that same sphere. Makes limited appeal on pedigree; yard 0-2 in this sphere and 0-47 overall last five years under Rules.

Form:

Rosie Picture

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner

33/1

Yard 1-47 in bumper last five years and this newcomer makes limited appeal on pedigree; half-sister to 2m2f/2m5f hurdle winner Lapford Lad; dam unraced sister to 2m4f hurdle winner Kindly Note, others persuade far more.

Form:

Shantou Sunset

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: C J Down

25/1

Stable not known for their bumper winners (0-16 last five seasons); half-sister to fairly useful hurdlers Kimberley Point (2m winner) and Katy P (winner at up to 2m7f), dam unraced. Not totally written off but likely to need more of a test.

Form:

Velvet Moonlight⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: James Best| T: R Walford

50/1

Offered little on her debut and showed little more second time around for her former yard (Fiona Shaw). Now with a new yard she needs to show a marked improvement for the change of scenery.

Form: 67

Aqua Vitae⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: J D Frost

150/1

Cost just £600 as a three-year-old (first foal); dam ran once in a bumper. Made little appeal on debut (ran in snatches), finished tailed off after struggling from halfway, would need to make considerable progress to feature.

Form: 0

Forecasts

Belfast Banter (5/6), Noel's Boy (4/1), Echo Du Large (9/2), Marzano (8/1), Smartmandarcy (14/1), Shantou Sunset (25/1), Rosie Picture (33/1), Velvet Moonlight (50/1), Johnofgorcombe (66/1), Montochine (100/1), Aqua Vitae (150/1)

Despite the size of the field there doesn’t look to be much strength in depth in this closing bumper and the fact that Noel’s Boy has already had a wind op and is equipped with plenty of aids on his Rules debut means he should be handled with care. Echo Du Large is now hooded for the first-time after what looked to be a promising debut but preference is for likely market leader BELFAST BANTER in a race that has gone the way of the favourite for the last three years. Dan Skelton’s charge looked to just need the experience on debut at Market Rasen and will know more this time. Of those at bigger prices Shantou Sunset and Smartmandarcy make most appeal for the future.