16:39 Fontwell

Saturday 3 October 2020

All14:1914:5415:2916:0416:3917:1017:40

Bigmore Associates Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:39 | Winning time: 5m 8.47s

Audacity²⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: W GreatrexWS

15/2

Given peach of a ride when landing 14f listed bumper on New Year's Day. Limitations exposed in that division after and doesn't possess the scope of some as hurdler given pedigree. Has had a wind op.

Form: 32190-

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Bannixtown Boy²²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: James Davies| T: R Rowe

40/1

Maiden Irish pointer but offered something to work on when fourth of 7 in a course bumper in February.

Form: F24-

Beyond The Pale⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

2/1

Maiden pointer. Promising start under Rules when second in Market Rasen bumper in June 2019 and off the mark on August's reappearance. Bred for hurdling and represents in-form yard.

Form: 3/P29-1

Blame The Game²⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon

14/1

Brother to useful hurdler/smart chaser Spiritofthegames, and half-brother to 5 winners, including bumper winner/useful hurdler Mackeys Forge. Made the frame on Irish point debut in January.

Form: 4-

Counteract²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: M G Nolan| T: Miss S Smith

80/1

Minor promise only in 4 starts and is likely a handicap project.

Form: 5066-

Fifty Ball²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| BF

9/4

€60,000 buy after winning a pair of French bumpers last autumn. Failed to justify favouritism in a 17.7f novice here last month, but he did shape with promise and is open to improvement.

Form: 74/511-3

Friary Land²⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Callum McKinnes⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 87

28/1

First worthwhile form when eighth of 14 on final start for John Neilan in Ireland. Lots more needed to be competitive in a novice but he's joined a successful yard.

Form: 0068-

Getalead²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Ella Pickard

4/1

Surpassed last winter's bumper form when a head-second at Perth last month. Bred to for the NH game and this step up in trip promises to suit.

Form: 685-2

Kala Noire²⁰⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: S Thomas

22/1

Promise in bumpers 2 years apart but lot depends on whether he can stand training now hurdling.

Form: 4/8-

Lakeside Lad³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: J W Mullins

150/1

Alkaased gelding. Half-brother to bumper winner Oscars Boss. Never involved on debut at Newton Abbot a month ago.

Form: 6

Smarter³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle

18/1

Fairly useful Flat winner for William Haggas and a line can be drawn though hurdles debut effort at Newton Abbot where he was badly hampered 3 out.

Form: 5

Follow The Paint³⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: Fergus Gregory⁽³⁾| T: L Horsfall| C

100/1

Multiple point winner who won mares hunter chase here in May 2019. Well held in a handicap chase in August and looks up against it switched to hurdling.

Form: 131P5-6

Non-Runners

Valleres²²⁴

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: A King J: D A Jacob

Sei Bella²²⁶

Weight: 10-5| Age: 6

T: M McGrath J: T J O'Brien

Forecasts

Beyond The Pale (2/1), Fifty Ball (9/4), Valleres (10/3), Getalead (4/1), Audacity (15/2), Blame The Game (14/1), Smarter (18/1), Sei Bella (20/1), Kala Noire (22/1), Friary Land (28/1), Bannixtown Boy (40/1), Counteract (80/1), Follow The Paint (100/1), Lakeside Lad (150/1)

Plenty of depth to this novice, but point-winner VALLERES shaped with plenty of promise when third in what is traditionally a strong bumper at Kempton in February and this step up in trip is sure to suit on hurdles debut. Fifty Ball and Smarter are both better than they could show last time and head the opposition.