12:25 Doncaster

Saturday 14 December 2019

All11:5012:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:20

bet365 Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:25 | Winning time: 4m 18.9s

Logan Rocks²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: J M Quinlan| T: Miss A Murphy

11/4

Showed ability in all of his bumpers without winning but put that right in ready fashion first time over hurdles where he was an impressive winner over 2m at Huntingdon (good to soft). 6lb penalty wouldn't have stopped him there; likely won't here.

Form: 23244-1

Baron De Midleton¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison

6/1

Cost £32,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point in 2017. Off the track for 727 days after that before making Rules debut with a respectable fourth on heavy ground at Newcastle. Step up on that needed but entirely possible.

Form: F661/4

Blakeney Point^t⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

9/2

Listed winner on the Flat was rated 105 at his peak. Not quite at his best in 2019 but still rates a high class recruit and one expected to make a bold bid first time up providing a clearish round.

Form:

Borodin⁸⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

14/1

92 rated triple Flat winner for Richard Fahey who was effective at 7f-1m2f on the level. Ought to give a solid showing on hurdles bow if jumping well and not ignored here.

Form:

Exploiteur¹⁴

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

16/1

Well held in novice events at Stratford, Warwick and Bangor and makes no appeal here on evidence so far.

Form: P6-604

Perfect Predator²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King| BF

3/1

Taunton bumper winner sent off odds-on but proved a bitter disappointment at Huntingdon latest after an encouraging second on hurdles debut at Hereford. Latest effort on good to soft having raced on good before; bounce back possible.

Form: 7212-27

Shah An Shah⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon

80/1

Well held in a bumper and two novice hurdles and he was 100/1 when 10th of 15 at Huntingdon latest. Makes no appeal.

Form: 3-50

Spice War³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood

6/1

Well below the other Flat recruits with a rating of 65 but was in good form latterly and his Kempton fifth on hurdles bow wasn't without promise. Others preferred here but should win races.

Form: 5

Racks Cross²¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: Mrs H O Graham

33/1

£43,000 purchase in May having scored as favourite at the fourth time of asking by 8L in an Irish mares maiden point-to-point. Market will be a useful guide on Rules bow.

Form: 323-1

Forecasts

Logan Rocks (11/4), Perfect Predator (3/1), Blakeney Point (9/2), Baron De Midleton (6/1), Spice War (6/1), Borodin (14/1), Exploiteur (16/1), Racks Cross (33/1), Shah An Shah (80/1)

Although up against some useful Flat performers who could be smart hurdlers LOGAN ROCKS represents far and away the safest bet on the back of his smooth Huntingdon success last month on similar ground. Listed winner Blakeney Point has the potential to be a big danger if jumping soundly and he may be a greater danger than Perfect Predator although that one is expected to leave his latest odds-on flop well behind now.