13:15 Newbury

Friday 5 March 2021

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:40

BetVictor Juvenile Hurdle

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 3m 58.15s

Herbiers^p,t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 118| D

2/1

French bumper winner (12f) who confirmed promise of hurdles debut second when running out a comfortable winner of a juvenile maiden at Hereford (2m) last month. May do better again.

Form: 41721

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Old Friend¹³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: G & J Moore

14/1

Fair maiden on Flat (stays 1½m) closely related to useful hurdler/chaser Montalbano. Consistent on AW/turf during second half of 2020 and joined new yard for 24,000 gns in October. Market should guide

Form:

Saint Palais¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁵⁾| T: R Bandey

4/1

Twice raced in France for Francois Nicolle and matched form of his chase second on those shores when third behind Herbiers at Hereford recently. 6 lb better off with that rival now.

Form: 8-23

Salamanca School²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Adrian Heskin| T: W Greatrex

40/1

Fairly useful on Flat, stays 1¼m. Made little impact in that sphere in 2020 and not much in the way of short-term promise in couple of hurdle spins for present stable.

Form: 86

Siempre Rapido⁶⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Fergus Gillard⁽⁵⁾| T: Nick MitchellWS

50/1

Fair 12f maiden on Flat for Stuart Kittow. Sent off at 50/1 and well beaten before halfway on yard/hurdles bow at Taunton in January. Undergone wind surgery since.

Form: P

Siroco Jo⁶⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

10/3

Showed plenty when second on debut at Clairefontaine (16.9f) last summer but easy to back and failed to run his race at Kempton in December. However, far too soon to write off for powerful stable.

Form: 2P

See The Eagle Fly¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: H Whittington| OR: 120

7/2

Fair form when landing a juvenile hurdle at Fontwell (17.7f) in October. Struggled next 2 starts (when yard was notably quiet) but much better signs when third in a jumpers bumper recently. Claims.

Form: 1463

Lady De Vega^h²⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Rex Dingle| T: P R Webber

50/1

Low-mileage filly who made winning handicap debut on Flat at Leicester (1¼m) in June. Acquired by new stable for 16,000 gns in August and worth a check in the betting for clues. Hooded once more.

Form:

West On Sunset⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore

50/1

Has beaten only a few home in a pair of junior bumpers in recent months. In good hands but lots more needed on hurdles debut.

Form: 05

Forecasts

Herbiers (2/1), Siroco Jo (10/3), See The Eagle Fly (7/2), Saint Palais (4/1), Old Friend (14/1), Salamanca School (40/1), Siempre Rapido (50/1), West On Sunset (50/1), Lady De Vega (50/1)

SIROCO JO proved to be a disappointment on his yard/British debut when pulled up at Kempton over Christmas. However, he had previously showed plenty of ability when second on his sole start in France and is probably worth another chance for his powerful stable. Hereford scorer Herbiers and See The Eagle Fly rate the chief threats, whilst Saint Palais isn't discounted either.