19:10 Southwell

Tuesday 23 July 2019

All17:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:1020:40

Peter Hayward Memorial Novices' Selling Hurdle

Off time: 19:10 | Winning time: 3m 51.2s

Skeaping^b,t²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: G Elliott| OR: 112| D

5/6

Trainer/jockey combination won this last year on short-priced favourite; present a similar scenario here. Stands out on his handicap hurdle form with this switch back to 2m likely to suit him better having failed to get home over further last time.

Form: 104254

Bantiss Jack^b¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 99

4/1

Stable won this two years ago and saddle one of the main players again although his good run of form for them came to a halt last time. Not far away in a couple of small handicaps prior to his novice hurdle defeat (2m7f) last time; better back at 2m.

Form: 050-235

Du Chatelier^p¹³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: D Flood

100/1

Made little impact in Irish point-to-points (only completed once) and has shown even less since switched to hurdles under Rules. Beaten 61L when last seen; hard to make a case even with the drop in grade.

Form: 5PPUP0-

Friary Gold^p,t²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 97

12/1

Having failed to cut the mustard over fences he reverted to hurdles last time with a better effort in first-time cheekpieces. Better than his finishing position he didn't finish the race off well enough to be of interest for win purposes here.

Form: 03-PFP4

Royal Road⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: J L Flint

11/2

Out-and-out front runner who failed to make much of an impression in Irish point-to-points but has fared a little better under Rules in novice hurdles. Made the frame in his last couple of starts, drops in grade, could get the run of the race.

Form: F7-533

Soldier Blue^t1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison

25/1

Failed to trouble the judge in 17 Flat starts and now switches to hurdles for the first time making his debut at a lowly level. Tongue-tie goes on for the first-time; hard to see him staying this 2m thoroughly enough to make an impact.

Form:

Throckley^t⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Charlie Price⁽⁷⁾| T: Katy Price| OR: 97

14/1

Hinted at some ability over hurdles for Sophie Leech but is 0-8 over hurdles overall; pulled-up when last seen in this sphere. Ran no sort of race when making his debut for this yard back on the Flat last time; best left alone for now.

Form: 44P-44P

Why Lie¹¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: A Phillips| OR: 88

25/1

Has won a point-to-point but it was only a maiden and his jumping over fences on his one start under Rules over larger obstacles was poor. Shown little over hurdles; tailed off when last seen in this discipline; best watched.

Form: 47PPF0-

Doctor Jazz^b1¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Henry Brooke| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 92

33/1

Fair sort on the Flat who has failed to live up to any sort of expectations over hurdles getting progressively worse despite wind surgery and the application of various headgear. Dropped in grade with first-time blinkers; hard to be confident.

Form: 5895-P

Roue De Charrette¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy

40/1

No form on the Flat having started life in bumpers (possibly failed to stay in those over 1m5f). Makes hurdles debut at a lowly level but in reality makes very limited appeal.

Form: 79-

Non-Runners

Pinot Noir⁹

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: R Dickin J: Chris Ward

Forecasts

Skeaping (5/6), Bantiss Jack (4/1), Royal Road (11/2), Friary Gold (12/1), Throckley (14/1), Why Lie (25/1), Soldier Blue (25/1), Doctor Jazz (33/1), Roue De Charrette (40/1), Pinot Noir (50/1), Du Chatelier (100/1)

A race that makes very limited appeal for betting purposes with SKEAPING looking the obvious answer to this far from difficult puzzle. The same partnership that took this last year (Gordon Elliott/Richard Johnson) again teaming up with one that is dropped in grade after showing some decent form in handicap hurdles. Bantiss Jack looks one of the main threats based on his first two starts for this yard – he’ll appreciate the drop in trip while Royal Road should give this a good go from the front. Most of the others are hard to fancy although Doctor Jazz has shown better form in the past on the Flat and the first-time blinkers may pep him up.