13:35 Chepstow

Wednesday 6 November 2019

All13:0013:3514:0514:4015:1015:4516:15

Longcroft Building Services Supports Racing Welfare 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:35 | Winning time: 4m 13.7s

Avoir De Soins²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Honeyball

100/1

Cost £75,000 as a 3yo; made no impact in his sole bumper/hurdles starts and yet to complete the course (fell in his bumper). Hard to see how he makes an impact in this against some progressive types.

Form: FP-

Buckhorn George²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard

66/1

Half-brother to useful hurdler/chaser Buckhorn Timothy and fair hurdler/chaser Buckhorn Tom (yard know the family well). Lacked the pace to show anything on his bumper debut here over 2m; needs time and distance.

Form: 0

Chinwag

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland

100/1

Brother to the yard's Heavy (winner over hurdles on Tuesday ay Exeter); dam unraced. Unlikely to be ready for this and best watched on debut unless there was significant market support.

Form:

Cook The Books⁶⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

20/1

Built on his second on point-to-point debut to score next time out in March at Hackwood Park when 4-6 favourite. Cost £30,000 soon after, closely related to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler (2m winner) Yes Sir Brian; interesting on Rules debut.

Form: 21/

Desque De L'Isle^h1⁷⁹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams

14/1

Hooded for his GB/stable debut having been off the track for some considerable time. Cost €60,000 after finishing second on his third and final French outing (first over hurdles); hood fitted, need to see what the market makes of him.

Form: 524/

Donatello Mail¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: David Dennis

100/1

Pulled-up twice prior to winning an Irish maiden point-to-point by 6L, sold for £18,000 soon after. Hinted at some ability in a bumper and two hurdles but needs to learn to settle to be of further interest in the future.

Form: P/P100-0

Enry Iggins²⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: James Best| T: R Walford

40/1

Bangor maiden 8L point-to-point winner in March on just his second start in that sphere (6-4 favourite); now makes his Rules debut. Looks the sort who could have a future but this isn't an easy introduction he's been given.

Form: 21-

Floating Rock²⁵

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

7/1

Took a good ground Catterick bumper backing in February (trainer does well in that sphere) before failing to live up to expectations on his hurdles debut. May have been unsuited by conditions (soft); conditions here may not suit either.

Form: 1-5

Generation Gap³⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: J & A O'Neill

66/1

Favourite when taking a small-field point-to-point on his second start before switching to race under Rules over hurdles (has shown some ability). Back from a fair absence now; looks one for handicaps once he has a mark.

Form: 2/16U7-

McFabulous²¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| CD

30/100

Sets the standard having gone 3-4 in bumpers last season winning here on debut; finishing off with a Grade 2 victory at Aintree (form looks stronger and stronger). Looks to be a top prospect for the season in novice hurdles and makes his debut here.

Form: 1711-

Sastruga²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: J McGrath| T: Henry Oliver

66/1

Cheap buy (£6,500) after finishing second on his third Irish point-to-point start; given a considerate introduction under Rules over hurdles (could be being brought along with handicaps in mind). Likely to gain further education this time around.

Form: F72-7

Silver Hallmark²⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Adam Wedge| T: F O'Brien

7/2

Winner of his only point-to-point start by 3L last December his only start under Rules so far was an eye-catching/staying-on third to McFabulous in a Newbury bumper. Ought to have a good future over jumps; work to do with his old rival over this 2m.

Form: 3-

First Destination¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: R Stephens

66/1

Bumper winner on his debut back in 2017 he missed a year before reappearing earlier in the year and then more recently at Worcester. Shaped well enough both times over hurdles; given his bumper win will be interesting in handicaps.

Form: 1/6-8

Forecasts

McFabulous (30/100), Silver Hallmark (7/2), Floating Rock (7/1), Desque De L'Isle (14/1), Cook The Books (20/1), Enry Iggins (40/1), Generation Gap (66/1), Buckhorn George (66/1), Sastruga (66/1), First Destination (66/1), Donatello Mail (100/1), Chinwag (100/1), Avoir De Soins (100/1)

One of the leading bumper horses last year MCFABULOUS ended his season in find style when taking an Aintree Grade 2 event, one that has already proved to be decent form. He clashes with old rival Silver Hallmark who also makes his hurdling debut but it will be disappointing if Nicholls horse is beaten on first start over timber. There are some fascinating other contenders who may well need the run but are worth keeping an eye on like the Venetia Williams-trained Desque De L’Isle and Dan Skelton’s Cook The Books.