13:25 Chepstow

Saturday 9 January 2021

All11:4512:1712:5013:2513:5814:3015:1015:50

Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:25 | Winning time: 3m 56.60s

Adagio²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 136| D

5/2

Won juveniles at Warwick and Cheltenham since joining this yard and second in Grade 2 at Cheltenham in between. Likely to be competitive again.

Form: 121

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Bannister⁸⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: T R George| OR: 132| D

40/1

Off the mark over hurdles with wide-margin Southwell win in September and better form in defeat in France. Free-going front-runner so these conditions could find him out. Also engaged 12.05 Kempton.

Form: 25125

Elham Valley³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| D

17/2

Fairly useful on Flat (stays 1¾m) and made that experience count when making a successful hurdles debut at Sandown 5 weeks ago. Good platform to build on.

Form: 1

Houx Gris⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: P F Nicholls

13/2

Bumper/hurdle winner in France who was bought for €200,000 in November and has joined a top yard enjoying another excellent season. Likely a major player.

Form: 1231

Mr Shady^p⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Ryan Mania| T: J S Moore| OR: 117

100/1

Fair Flat winner. Ran to a similar level when second in 2m Wetherby juvenile last month but likely biting off more than he can chew in this company.

Form: 42

Nassalam³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 140

1/1

French recruit who has looked potentially very smart when wide-margin winner of 2 juveniles in the mud at Fontwell for new yard. Can take the step up in class in his stride.

Form: 211

Pyramid Place^h⁵⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris| OR: 104

100/1

Fair maiden on AW for John Gosden. Close second on hurdle debut and didn't have to reproduce that form when going one better at Bangor (heavy) in November. Lot more needed up significantly in class.

Form: 21

Yggdrasil³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: Nick Williams

14/1

Half-brother to connections' smart chaser Siruh du Lac. 16/1, promising start when 6 lengths third to Elham Valley at Sandown (2m, heavy) 5 weeks ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 3

Forecasts

Nassalam (1/1), Adagio (5/2), Houx Gris (13/2), Elham Valley (17/2), Yggdrasil (14/1), Bannister (40/1), Mr Shady (100/1), Pyramid Place (100/1)

Gary Moore could have found another smart juvenile in NASSALAM and he's selected to make it 3-3 in Britain. Paul Nicholls has won this twice in recent years and his French recruit Houx Gris looks the chief threat ahead of David Pipe's Adagio.