15:45 Kelso

Monday 27 January 2020

All13:1513:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:15

Try Racing TV For Free Now Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 4m 9.80s

Black Pirate^t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| D

5/4

Smart bumper performer; demonstrated that he retains all of that ability when making a winning hurdles debut at Wetherby (2m, soft) over the festive period; major chance despite the incurred penalty.

Form: 1112/1

Ebony Jewel²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 122| D

11/10

Made it third-time lucky over hurdles when justifying favouritism at Haydock (1m7½f, soft) four weeks ago; should continue to progress with further experience and holds strong claims despite the incurred penalty.

Form: 216-331

Artic Mann¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: N W Alexander

150/1

Sulamani gelding; jumped poorly on hurdles debut over C&D (40-1) a fortnight ago; stable second-string behind Ebony Jewel.

Form: 80

Breaking The Ice²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley

100/1

Has cut little ice in point-to-points for Francesca Nimmo since finishing second on debut at Charlton Horethorne (2m4f); unconsidered on rules/stable/hurdles debut.

Form: 2P-6

Cockle Bay^t1¹⁰⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

33/1

Completed for the first time when winning a 3m maiden at The Pigeons (soft to heavy) in March 2017; joined this triply-represented trainer for £28,000 immediately thereafter; tongue-tied.

Form: PPBP1/

Doyen Breed²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: Mrs L B Normile| D

12/1

Perth bumper winner (2m, soft); outpaced from the second last when third to the Olly Murphy-trained Endlessly on hurdles debut at Ayr (2m, soft) 25 days ago; could feasibly progress; place chance at best.

Form: 7153

Flutter Down²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

50/1

Made a low-key hurdles debut over C&D (soft) four weeks ago; an unappealing stablemate of Cockle Bay and Mr Toastie.

Form: 8-430

Mr Toastie^t²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

150/1

Raced keenly in the rear on debut in a Musselburgh bumper (1m7½f, good to soft), eventually finishing a tailed-off last of ten to Elios D'Or; plenty more needed on hurdles debut for a triply-represented trainer.

Form: 0

Raemoir¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Ryan Mania| T: R M Smith| OR: 96

200/1

Has shown no worthwhile form over hurdles (0-3) and it's virtually impossible to imagine a scenario where he is positively involved; stablemate of Flying Moon; look elsewhere.

Form: 68P9

Six One Nine¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant

33/1

Flattered by his proximity to the winner (Le Cheval Noir) in a bumper here in November (2m, heavy); pulled-up on hurdles debut in very testing ground at Doncaster (2m5f, soft) a fortnight ago; other days lie ahead.

Form: 9-38P

Wee Goldie⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Callum Bewley| T: Mrs H O Graham| BF

9/1

Placed in two of his three starts in bumpers, including when beaten 1L by the Micky Hammond-trained Holly James here (2m, good); is introduced to hurdling at a realistic level; place claims.

Form: 235

Zealous¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: A C Whillans

66/1

3-37 on the Flat, most recently winning a 1m1f Class 5 Lady Riders' contest at Carlisle (August 2019); finished last of 12 on hurdles debut at Carlisle; hardly looks to be a natural for this game.

Form: 0

Flying Moon²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: R M Smith

200/1

Lowly-rated Flat maiden; unsurprisingly was quickly on the back foot at the business end of the race on hurdles debut at Ayr (2m, soft) 25 days ago; stablemate of Raemoir.

Form: 0

Non-Runners

Archi's Affaire⁶⁷

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: W Coltherd J: Sam Coltherd

Forecasts

Ebony Jewel (11/10), Black Pirate (5/4), Archi's Affaire (5/1), Wee Goldie (9/1), Doyen Breed (12/1), Six One Nine (33/1), Cockle Bay (33/1), Flutter Down (50/1), Zealous (66/1), Breaking The Ice (100/1), Artic Mann (150/1), Mr Toastie (150/1), Raemoir (200/1), Flying Moon (200/1)

A sizeable field. However, this surely rests between the penalised duo BLACK PIRATE and Ebony Jewel with a narrow preference for the James Ewart-trained runner on the assumption that he should progress from Wetherby. Returning to action from a lengthy absence there, he demonstrated that he retains all of his ability in putting six rivals to the sword. With experience of competing over hurdles, Doyen Breed gets the tentative nod for the third-placed spot ahead of the hurdling newcomers' Archi's Affaire and Wee Goldie.