12:30 Taunton

Saturday 23 January 2021

All12:3013:0513:3514:1014:4515:2516:0016:30

British EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 4m 57.30s

Alaphilippe³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 128

4/1

Irish point winner who is unbeaten in a bumper and 2 hurdles since joining this yard. Likely he has more to offer and even a double penalty may not stop him.

Form: 4P1-111

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Seelotmorebusiness⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Bryony Le Clerc| T: P F Nicholls

11/2

Created a good impression when making a winning start in Ffos Las bumper and overcame inexperience to maintain unbeaten record switched to hurdling at Chepstow 11 weeks ago. Will improve up in trip.

Form: 11

Stellar Magic²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| CD

7/2

Point winner who justifield strong support to make a winning hurdling debut (9/4) over this C&D 24 days ago, showed his inexperience when hitting the front suggesting there's a fair bit more to come.

Form: 1-1

Get On Jeremy⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: M G Nolan| T: J G Cann

250/1

Made an inauspicious start over hurdles when pulled up at Plumpton (20.5f, soft, 150/1) on NH debut 47 days ago. Faces another struggle here.

Form: P

Green Dolphin³⁸²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: H Fry

20/1

Fairly useful winner in bumpers. Strong in betting but proved a major disappointment when pulled up on Aintree hurdle bow and didn't show much when a well beaten fifth over C&D 12 months ago.

Form: 315/P5-

Port O'clock^h1,t1³²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis

80/1

€2,000 3-y-o, Sans Frontieres gelding. Brother to fair hurdler/chaser Little Red Lion. Dam point winner. Wears tongue strap. Won last 2 of 5 starts in points, sole finisher latest (Mar 2020).

Form: 5F/P11-

Revels Hill¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: K Brogan⁽⁵⁾| T: H Fry

50/1

Point winner who made promising hurdling bow when sixth of 12 in novice at Leicester (20.5f, soft) in November. However went backwards from that effort a fortnight ago so probably best watched.

Form: U1-60

The Boat⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

200/1

Looked one for the longer term when well held both starts.

Form: 79

Tile Tapper²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Bryan Carver⁽³⁾| T: C Honour| OR: 130

10/11

Bumper winner who made positive start over hurdles when second to the unbeaten Metier at Ascot in November. Much further behind that rival in Grade 1 next time but should make his presence felt here.

Form: 3/41-323

Myfanwy's Jewel¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁷⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn

250/1

Went with little encouragement in a Ludlow bumper on debut in November and little impact both starts over hurdles so far.

Form: 0P9

Non-Runners

Aeronisi⁸⁶

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: Tim Vaughan J: Alan Johns

Mechelen Star¹⁵⁷

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: S Lycett J: Non Runner

Sam Barton⁵⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Tile Tapper (10/11), Stellar Magic (7/2), Alaphilippe (4/1), Seelotmorebusiness (11/2), Sam Barton (6/1), Green Dolphin (20/1), Revels Hill (50/1), Aeronisi (50/1), Port O'clock (80/1), Mechelen Star (100/1), The Boat (200/1), Myfanwy's Jewel (250/1), Get On Jeremy (250/1)

An intriguing opener in which Chris Honour's TILE TAPPER gets the vote to open his account in this sphere having not been disgraced behind the unbeaten Metier on both starts over timber so far. He faces some serious opposition however, with Seelotmorebusiness, Alaphilippe and Stellar Magic all looking sure-fire improvers, and they won't allow the selection to have it all his own way.