13:55 Bangor-on-Dee

Saturday 30 November 2019

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:35

corbettsports.com 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:58 | Winning time: 4m 18.78s

Exploiteur²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Lily Pinchin⁽⁷⁾| T: D Killahena & G McPherson

40/1

Made little impact in two Irish point-to-points and hasn't shown anything more than very modest ability in two recent novice hurdles over longer trips than he faces today. Hard to make much of a case for his chance before gaining a mark.

Form: P6-60

Free Ski¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: S Allwood

125/1

Makes limited appeal on what he's shown so far coming from the point-to-point scene with no form to speak of. Well held in a bumper/novice hurdle under Rules - started 100-1 plus both times; hard to see him getting involved.

Form: 4/U-09

King Gypsy¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Ross Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

80/1

Pulled up when making his sole appearance in point-to-points at Garthorpe (started 10-1). Could hardly have shown much less when making his Rules debut over C&D, started 20-1 and hammered 86L. Best watched for now.

Form: P-6

Lemon Shoulder¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Tristan Durrell⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton

40/1

Started at 33-1 on his hurdling/Rules debut at Warwick in a race that his better fancied stablemate won. Struggled in the closing stages and despite being in good hands looks one for the longer term.

Form: 0

Millers Bank³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales

5/2

Showed a reasonable level of form in bumpers finishing second on a couple of occasions before returning after seven months off to make a Fakenham hurdles debut over this trip. Once again filled the runner-up slot, showed enough to be given a chance.

Form: 225-2

Northofthewall^t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: William Marshall⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 120

11/4

The more-fancied of the two that the trainer runs in this he returns to novice company in a bid to break his maiden having run well in an Ascot handicap (2m3f) last time. Track, trip and ground should be to his liking; major player.

Form: 7045-23

Richardson¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Shoemark| T: J Groucott

66/1

Very green on his bumper debut at Taunton and soon left well behind his hurdles debut eight months on only showed a little more promise. Failed to settle fully with his starting price (150-1) telling the story; handicaps will be more his sphere.

Form: 8-0

Vienna Court²³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

7/4

The only filly/winner in the field her allowance is wiped out by the penalty she needs to carry for her Ffos Las debut hurdles win (2m, heavy). Not in the same form last time at Newbury (better race) where conditions proved too quick; respected.

Form: 20-16

Yes No Maybe So⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr

9/2

Encounters a better race having gained a win on his second bumper start at Musselburgh. Unable to defy a penalty in that sphere subsequently he produced a decent effort on his hurdling debut although this will be a tougher examination.

Form: 317-2

Forecasts

Vienna Court (7/4), Millers Bank (5/2), Northofthewall (11/4), Yes No Maybe So (9/2), Exploiteur (40/1), Lemon Shoulder (40/1), Richardson (66/1), King Gypsy (80/1), Free Ski (125/1)

This basically boils down to a four-cornered fight with NORTHOFTHEWALL reverting to novice company after the trip (2m3f) rather stretched him in an Ascot handicap last time, these waters are much calmer. This test will suit Vienna Court better than the 2m on quick ground that she encountered at Newbury last time, these conditions more akin to those of her Ffos Las victory. Don McCain can never be ignored around his local track so Yes No Maybe So enters the equation along with Fakenham second Millers Bank who shaped nicely on that occasion and ought to get involved on the basis of that run.