12:45 Catterick

Tuesday 28 December 2021

All12:1012:4513:2514:0014:3015:02

Betting Better With Sky Bet Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 4m 53.1s

Coolmoyne⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Callum Bewley| T: S Waugh

150/1

Half-brother to 2½m hurdle winner Highland Life, but there wasn't much encouragement to be gleaned from his ninth in a Kelso novice a couple of months ago. Unlikely to feature.

Form: 9

Fearless Action¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant| OR: 110

7/1

Took a step forward from hurdling bow when excellent second of 12 in 16.8f novice at Sedgefield in November but didn't quite back it up when filling the same position at Newcastle earlier this month.

Form: 3-5722

Fingal's Hill¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: P Atkinson| C

40/1

Shirocco gelding who knew his job when making winning bumper debut here over a year ago. Failed to build on that since but should take to hurdling.

Form: 10-0

Follow Your Arrow⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley

66/1

Crillon gelding. Dam, French chaser (winner around 2½m), half-sister to ungenuine but useful hurdler (17f-25f winner) Quick. Likely to be brought along gradually.

Form: 4S-3P

Gemini Fire¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth

150/1

Placed on the first of 2 starts in points but looks one for the longer term under Rules judged on first two hurdling efforts.

Form: 2F-78

Just Paddy's Band¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: C O'Farrell| T: Micky Hammond

40/1

Fair in bumpers but both hurdling outings suggest he's being brough along with handicaps in mind, so hard to imagine he'll figure in this.

Form: 1-3494

Knot Another One

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁷⁾| T: J Ewart

50/1

€25,000 3-y-o, Ocovango gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/smart chaser (stayed 19f) Croco Bay. Likely to need more time.

Form:

Living's Boy An Co^p³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: J S Wainwright| OR: 99

80/1

Fair hurdler at best for Noel Meade but neither outing for his current stable has contained any encouragement.

Form: U4U568

Midnight Centurion²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 117| BF

13/8

Runner-up in 2 bumpers before filling same position on hurdling bow at Uttoxeter (strong form) in October. Bit disappointing over fixed-brush obstacles at Southwell since, but remains with potential.

Form: 22-24

Okavango Delta⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin

10/1

Fair and consistent bumper performer who went backwards from a positive hurdling debut when only eighth in novice at Ayr 42 days ago. Too soon to write off.

Form: 3253-28

Silver Flyer⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

5/2

€37,000 3-y-o, £50,000 5-y-o, Malinas gelding. Brother to useful hurdler Miah Grace, and half-brother to useful hurdler Silver Sheen. Won completed start in Irish points (Oct 17). One to note.

Form: UF-1

Where's Hector⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Bannister| T: M & D Easterby

11/2

Half-brother to useful hurdler/smart chaser Does He Know and there was plenty to like about his debut second at Hexham (2m) last month. Longer trip now should suit and open to improvement.

Form: 2

Step To The Top²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Ryan Mania| T: Craig Lidster

14/1

Useful form when placed in bumpers for Noel Williams last term. Disappointing so far over hurdles, though, moving stables again prior to latest seventh in novice at Leicester. Has a bit to prove.

Form: 2/369-37

Non-Runners

Not What It Seems²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: Micky Hammond J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Midnight Centurion (13/8), Silver Flyer (5/2), Where's Hector (11/2), Fearless Action (7/1), Okavango Delta (10/1), Step To The Top (14/1), Not What It Seems (16/1), Just Paddy's Band (40/1), Fingal's Hill (40/1), Knot Another One (50/1), Follow Your Arrow (66/1), Living's Boy An Co (80/1), Coolmoyne (150/1), Gemini Fire (150/1)

SILVER FLYER is bred to be a useful hurdler and has already tasted success between the flags so he gets the vote to make a successful Rules debut. Midnight Centurion's second at Uttoxeter on his penultimate outing is strong form and he's worth another chance to build on it back over conventional hurdles, while Where's Hector can't be ignored upped to a trip that should suit.