12:25 Fakenham

Monday 4 January 2021

All12:2512:5513:2513:5514:2514:5515:25

Thorpland Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:25 | Winning time: 4m 13.25s

George Of Naunton^h³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Hooded when below-form eighth of 13 in novice hurdle at Southwell (15.8f) 34 days ago, pulling hard. Lot more needed.

Form: 64-58

Go Pharisee Flyer¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Bannister| T: W Greatrex

125/1

Hinted at ability in bumpers but last of 16 in novice hurdle (100/1) at Newbury (16.3f, soft) 19 days ago. Lot more is required.

Form: 4480

Gyllen²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: James Best| T: Tim Vaughan

50/1

Smart 10f Flat winner for Andre Fabre. 100/1 on first run for 16 months when seventh of 14 in novice hurdle at Taunton (16.5f, soft) on NH debut 25 days ago. Should do better for new yard.

Form: 7

I'm So Busy⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 120

15/8

Fair maiden hurdler for Jessica Harrington but below-form seventh of 14 in novice hurdle (3/1) at Uttoxeter (19.9f, heavy) 43 days ago. Good claims on form if bouncing back for new handler.

Form: PP47-27

John Betjeman^p²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 110| BF

15/2

Modest maiden on Flat and over hurdles. Good second of 10 in novice (11/10) at Wincanton (15.3f, soft) 20 days ago given he did too much too soon. Cheekpieces on now and can make presence felt.

Form: 232-62

Masteroftheheights²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris

8/1

Winner of bumper at Fontwell in September. Encouraging hurdling debut third at Wetherby but fell first in novice hurdle at Wincanton (15.3f, soft) 20 days ago. Remains well in the mix.

Form: 163F

Ripper Roo³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| BF

7/2

2/1, second of 13 in bumper at Southwell (15.8f, good to soft) on NH debut 34 days ago. Much respected on hurdles debut.

Form: 1-2

Swedishhorsemafia⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: S Thomas

10/1

Encouraging third of 8 in novice hurdle (5/1) at Sedgefield (19.8f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 41 days ago. Likely to do better, so he needs considering.

Form: 43

Thorn^h¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽³⁾| T: J Gallagher

12/1

Fair winner at 7f on Flat. 50/1 and hooded when promising fifth of 16 in novice hurdle at Newbury (16.3f, soft) on NH debut 19 days ago. Sure to do better, so he's one for the shortlist.

Form: 5

Just Once^t⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs I G-Leveque| OR: 95

66/1

Modest and temperamental on the Flat. Similar level over hurdles, though well held off stiff mark in 2m Stratford handicap last time. Respected.

Form: 5550

Soloist²⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: Alexandra DunnWS

250/1

Fair 12f Flat winner for Keith Dalgleish. Little show for new yard, cheekpieces on when last in 2m juvenile hurdle at Doncaster (100/1) 9 months ago. Hard to make a case for on return after wind op.

Form: P8-

Sopat¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: P W Middleton| BF| CD

5/1

Point/bumper winner in 2019. Gambled on despite 20-month absence when eighth of 11 in novice here (20f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 15 days ago. Should improve.

Form: 2161/8

World Trip^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Fergus Gregory⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy

100/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 80/1 and tongue strap on, respectable sixth of 11 in novice hurdle at Southwell (15.8f, heavy) 22 days ago. May well do better.

Form: 4956

Yoyo³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly

66/1

33/1, last of 5 in novice hurdle at Bangor (16.7f, heavy) on hurdles bow 37 days ago. Lots more required.

Form: 565

Forecasts

I'm So Busy (15/8), Ripper Roo (7/2), Sopat (5/1), John Betjeman (15/2), Masteroftheheights (8/1), Swedishhorsemafia (10/1), Thorn (12/1), George Of Naunton (50/1), Gyllen (50/1), Just Once (66/1), Yoyo (66/1), World Trip (100/1), Go Pharisee Flyer (125/1), Soloist (250/1)

A few with chances but MASTEROFTHEHEIGHTS shaped well on his hurdling bow at Wetherby so is fancied to bounce back from his Wincanton blip and add to his earlier bumper success. Swedishhorsemafia seems sure to build on his Sedgefield third so rates the chief threat, although John Betjeman is another who needs considering if ridden less aggressively than last time.