14:25 Warwick

Saturday 16 January 2021

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:05

Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 5m 14.10s

Adrimel^p1,t⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: T Lacey| OR: 132

7/2

Dual bumper winner who has made a promising start to his hurdling career, supplementing Sandown maiden win with success in introductory event at Haydock. Cheekpieces go on and can progress further.

Form: 1/110-11

Fitz Well¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: R Dickin

500/1

Fair fourth of 11 in maiden hurdle at Hereford on debut, but failed by a long way to repeat that effort when tailed off at Newbury 18 days ago. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 3-40

Glen Mooar²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: R Dickin

500/1

Well held in bumper/both starts over hurdles.

Form: 7/F-07

Jay Bee Why³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| CD

8/1

Irish point winner who was well held in a Newbury bumper, but proved a different proposition sent hurdling when forging clear in good style in 17-runner maiden over C&D last month. Sure to progress.

Form: 10-1

Lord Of Kerak³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 133

11/1

Good pedigree and struck at the third time of asking over hurdles in 7-runner novice at Uttoxeter (19.9f, heavy) last month, quickly stretching clear run-in. Should go on improving.

Form: 221

Make Me A Believer^t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 137

11/2

Chepstow bumper winner who was unlucky to bump into Bear Ghylls on hurdling debut before going one better in determined fashion at Cheltenham (16.8f). Can go on improving back up in trip.

Form: F/1-21

Midnight River⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| D

5/1

Placed in strong bumpers and made a successful hurdling bow at Uttoxeter on return. Good second at Cheltenham before narrowly resuming winning ways at Leicester (20.5f) last time. Should go well.

Form: 33-121

Mint Condition²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: J Candlish| OR: 135| D

8/1

Ex-pointer who has returned an improved model, making it 3 wins from 4 starts this season in 13-runner handicap at Wetherby (21.2f) 3 weeks ago. May well have more to offer.

Form: 42-1141

Oscar Elite⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 140

5/1

Winning pointer at third attempt and looked useful when slamming the opposition on his Chepstow Rules debut. Followed up in 3-runner affair there (23.6f) last time and is the type to go on improving.

Form: 581-11

Sending Love^t⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 135

16/1

Clearly had an issue or 2 but was well prepared to make third Rules start a winning one after 8 months off at Ffos Las. Ran about as well as could have been expected up in grade at Sandown last time.

Form: 1/3P-13

Pure Bliss^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 125

9/1

Point/bumper winner who made it 2-2 over hurdles when landing a mares' novice at Exeter (heavy) 30 days ago. Further progress likely, so not completely ruled out now taking on the boys up in grade.

Form: 1/1P-11

Non-Runners

Optimise Prime³⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: B Pauling J: David Bass

Forecasts

Adrimel (7/2), Midnight River (5/1), Oscar Elite (5/1), Make Me A Believer (11/2), Mint Condition (8/1), Jay Bee Why (8/1), Pure Bliss (9/1), Lord Of Kerak (11/1), Optimise Prime (12/1), Sending Love (16/1), Glen Mooar (500/1), Fitz Well (500/1)

MAKE ME A BELIEVER ran out a determined winner of a small-field Cheltenham novice last month and, with the performance backed up by the timefigure, he's fancied to continue his good work now stepping up in class. Midnight River boasts some solid form for a yard that has won 2 of the last 5 renewals of this contest, so he merits respect, along with the promising Oscar Elite.