12:55 Taunton

Thursday 14 November 2019

All12:5513:2514:0014:3515:0515:4016:10

Cornish Rock Gin Selling Hurdle

Off time: 12:55 | Winning time: 4m 55.07s

Farmer Boy^h²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 115

9/2

Sole win came at Market Rasen back in March but has run well in defeat since, and again not discredited when fifth of 8 to Iolani at Carlisle last time. Drops in class, but not favoured by the weights in this affair.

Form: 245225

Golden Poet^b,t¹⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 117

20/1

Solid place claims on form of his third at Galway in July for Denis Hogan, but didn't take to chasing subsequently, and his form since returned to hurdles has taken a downward turn. Making debut for a new yard here.

Form: 89F7-50

Ragtag Rascal⁵⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁷⁾| T: J D Frost

100/1

A half-brother to stable's fair hurdler/chaser Triple Chief, and showed some ability in a couple of Flat outings for Amanda Perrett. Facing a stiff enough introduction to hurdling against experienced rivals, and best watched.

Form:

Sleep Easy^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 123

13/8

An infrequent winner in recent times (barren since March 2017), but he wasn't entirely disgraced in a competitive handicap hurdle at Cheltenham last time, and will be competitive now dropped markedly in class.

Form: 833-140

Top Of The Rocks^b1⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Mrs K Stephens| OR: 73

66/1

Poor performer who remains a maiden, and although competitive at his level, he's meeting several rivals on vastly disadvantageous terms in this contest, and blinkers unlikely to make much difference.

Form: 6-52689

Utility²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 127| D

5/4

Went the wrong way for Jonjo O'Neill, but revived by current yard, winning twice over fences in the summer. Ahead of Sleep Easy in a Cheltenham handicap last time, and able to meet that rival on better terms, so clearly the one to beat.

Form: F11F40

War Drums^b1¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: M G Nolan| T: Alexandra Dunn

33/1

Once fairly useful on the Flat, but regressive in recent times, and no promise over hurdles. Blinkered and down in class here, but others much more solid.

Form: P-8

Non-Runners

Seeanythingyoulike²⁸

Weight: 11-0| Age: 8

T: J Scott J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Utility (5/4), Sleep Easy (13/8), Farmer Boy (9/2), Golden Poet (20/1), War Drums (33/1), Top Of The Rocks (66/1), Ragtag Rascal (100/1)

There isn't a huge amount to choose between UTILITY and Sleep Easy on balance of form, but the former was ahead of the latter in a handicap at Cheltenham last time, and is better off at the weights, so he gets the verdict in the circumstances. Farmer Boy is best of the rest, but while he has solid place claims, he will find it hard to concede weight to a pair of superior rivals.