13:00 Exeter

Friday 26 February 2021

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:16

Topsham Mares' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:00 | Winning time: 4m 35.85s

Familiar Spirit³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex

80/1

Fame And Glory half-sister to 3 winners, including bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler Alverstone. Little impact in a couple of mares' bumpers and considerable improvement needed on hurdles debut.

Form: 59

Gold Leader²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

40/1

Not devoid of appeal on paper, but sent off at 50/1 and beaten a long way on recent debut in 19f Warwick novice hurdle.

Form: 7

Little Else⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott

13/2

Game winner of a soft-ground Chepstow bumper in December. Out of her depth in listed company at Huntingdon next time, but makes hurdles debut at a realistic level and she's worth a second look.

Form: 510

Ordered Lives⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Liam Harrison⁽⁷⁾| T: F O'Brien

13/2

Shaped well when a staying-on fourth (after not clear run 2f out) at Ffos Las on debut in October. Has failed to build on that in 2 starts since, though, and Volkovka is clearly the stable No 1.

Form: 454

Quietlyflowsthedon⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| BF

40/1

Out with the washing on debut in a Hereford bumper last month, but better was clearly expected (heavily backed) and it'll be interesting to see if support arrives again ahead of this hurdles bow.

Form: 0

Saddlers Quest²²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs D A Hamer

15/2

Modest form in bumpers and while she hasn't shaped too badly in novices hurdles at Bangor and Ffos Las the last twice, handicaps may well be her calling.

Form: 58-345

Who Told You⁹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: James Best| T: P Gundry

200/1

Successful once from half-a-dozen starts between the flags. Returned lame when falling at around the halfway point on Rules debut here (23f, heavy) in November.

Form: 13PB4/F

Windswept Girl³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Ben Godfrey⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Honeyball

2/1

Impressive bumper winner who showed an aptitude for hurdling when third at Lingfield in November. Probably best to overlook subsequent run here (didn't get home upped to 23f) and she's not discounted.

Form: 1-236

Yashims Girl

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P Gundry

250/1

Califet mare. Half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser Hill Sixteen. Yard is hardly synonymous with winning newcomers and she's best watched on this occasion.

Form:

Volkovka^h²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 119| D

13/8

Fairly useful Flat winner in France and going right way over hurdles, solid third in listed company at Doncaster (16.6f, soft) last time. Reproduction of that form will make her very hard to beat.

Form: P5123

Non-Runners

Storm Katie¹²⁸

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: O Sherwood J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Volkovka (13/8), Windswept Girl (2/1), Ordered Lives (13/2), Little Else (13/2), Saddlers Quest (15/2), Storm Katie (12/1), Gold Leader (40/1), Quietlyflowsthedon (40/1), Familiar Spirit (80/1), Who Told You (200/1), Yashims Girl (250/1)

It's hard to look beyond VOLKOVKA, who put in a good shift when third in a listed race at Doncaster last month, form which is head-and-shoulders above anything these rivals have achieved. A line can be drawn through Windswept Girl's latest effort here and she is clear second choice ahead of fellow bumper winner Little Else.