13:00 Taunton

Thursday 9 December 2021

All12:3013:0013:3514:1014:4015:1015:40

Newton King Estate Agents Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:00 | Winning time: 4m 9.04s

Paso Doble^p1¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 126| D

4/5

Fairly useful Flat winner who landed the odds at Kempton in May. Disappointing sixth in Persian War Hurdle but back on track on handicap debut last time. Obvious claims with cheekpieces applied.

Form: 3-162

Huelgoat^h²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls| BF

22/1

Won a 1½m bumper in France. Failed to take advantage of a good opportunity on British debut at Exeter and again failed to justify favouritism sent hurdling following a wind op. Bit to prove now.

Form: 8612-7

Jeremy The Jinn⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

9/4

Made the ideal start when comfortably landing a 9-runner bumper at Market Rasen in the spring and similar form when sixth at Cheltenham 7 weeks ago. Makes hurdles bow for yard going great guns.

Form: 16

Mister Marbles³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Ben Jones| T: P Hobbs & J White

12/1

In a top stable but ran to just a modest level in a 2m maiden hurdle at Chepstow on debut 36 days ago, needing stiffer test. Should do better in time.

Form: 5

Muy Bien^h²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry

80/1

Twiced-raced in bumpers and shaped as if in need of the experience sent hurdling in a first-time hood when tenth at Exeter 29 days ago. Should have more to offer over further in time.

Form: 5-70

Ocean Heights^t1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| D

14/1

Fair bumper winner who was sold out of Lucy Wadham's yard for £26,000 in August. Failed to reward support at long odds on hurdling debut but may do better somehwere down the line over timber.

Form: 4-5310

Pilsdon Pen²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: David Prichard⁽⁵⁾| T: J Scott

125/1

Modest on the Flat for Joseph Tuite in 2019 but offered little in both starts over hurdles last month. Hard to make a case for on that evidence.

Form: 88

Social City³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| D

25/1

Fairly useful Flat winner, notching a 4-timer towards the back end of last year. Little to shout about recently and probably best watched on yard/hurdling debut.

Form:

Sword Beach⁸⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Adrian Heskin| T: A King

8/1

Dual winner on the Flat at Windsor this summer. Tailed-off when last seen at Doncaster 3 months ago but is in top hands for this introduction to hurdling so a market check is advised.

Form:

Time Bandit¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Ben Godfrey⁽⁵⁾| T: Ben Clarke

66/1

Runner-up sole start in point bumpers but achieved nothing when tailed off in an Aintree bumper in May. Showed a bit on hurdles bow/return a fortnight ago but more needed.

Form: 2-60

Walk Away Now²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Brendan Powell| T: C L Tizzard

80/1

Arvico gelding who showed nothing on debut when pulled up at Wincanton last month. Faces another struggle here.

Form: P

Lady Ironside²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: C J Gray

250/1

Half-sister to multiple Italian jumps winner Azamourday. Fair maiden on Flat in Ireland, but tailed-off last on hurdles bow for this yard 29 days ago. Easily ignored.

Form: 0

Liimari⁴⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: A G Newcombe

200/1

Limited impact in bumpers and on the Flat. Off 15 months and easy to look elsewhere for this hurdling debut.

Form: 09/

The Height Of Fame⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: Kieran Burke

125/1

Modest form at best in 2 bumpers in March but did hint at ability when sixth of 8 at this C&D (good to firm) 43 days ago. Makes hurdles debut.

Form: 58-6

Forecasts

Paso Doble (4/5), Jeremy The Jinn (9/4), Sword Beach (8/1), Mister Marbles (12/1), Ocean Heights (14/1), Huelgoat (22/1), Social City (25/1), Time Bandit (66/1), Walk Away Now (80/1), Muy Bien (80/1), Pilsdon Pen (125/1), The Height Of Fame (125/1), Liimari (200/1), Lady Ironside (250/1)

This looks to revolve around PASO DOBLE, who got firmly back on track when finishing runner-up on handicap debut at Kempton last time. He looks very much the type to benefit from first-time headgear, so is fancied to go in again for a yard that has won a division of this race for the last 3 years. Hurdling debutants Jeremy The Jinn and Sword Beach could provide the main dangers.