16:10 Exeter

Wednesday 2 February 2022

All13:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:45

Virgin Bet Fives Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • 4YO plus  |   Class 4  |   2m 5f 137y  |   Good to Soft (Good in places)  |   12 Runners  |   Turf  |   Weighed In
  • Off time: 16:11  |   Winning time: 5m 48.85s
The word Sky in blue and Bet in white with a red background.
The word Betfair in black.
The words Paddy Power in green.
Cloth number
Odds
Star rating
Horse A-Z
1
Horse silk
Ballyblack34
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-7| J: Rex Dingle| T: J Scott
5/4
Irish point winner who made promising start to hurdle career when giving a useful sort from the Paul Nicholls yard something to think about at Taunton (19f) 5 weeks ago. Longer trip now a help.
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Timeform
2
Horse silk
Chavez37
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls
11/2
Won the first of 2 bumpers last winter and returned from wind surgery to finish second on his Chepstow hurdle debut over Christmas. Looks a sure-fire improver for this top stable.
|
Timeform
3
Horse silk
16/1
Bumper winner (for Colin Bowe) who ran to a fair level when second on his Chepstow hurdle debut in November. Took a backward step when remote fourth at Leicester since. Cheekpieces reached for now.
|
Timeform
4
Horse silk
Last Royal34
Age: 7|  Weight: 11-7| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Kieran Burke| OR:  119
11/4
Bumper winner who recorded encouraging placed efforts in his first 2 hurdles. Had excuse (turned out again just 4 days after a fall 3 out) for below-form fifth at Taunton latest. Retains potential.
|
Timeform
15/2, well held in a Wetherby bumper on his debut 26 days ago. Connections waste no time switching him to hurdles. Probably best watched.
|
Timeform
6
Horse silk
Off My Roccot116
Age: 6|  Weight: 11-7| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe
200/1
Well beaten in a course bumper and Chepstow maiden hurdles in recent months.
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Timeform
7
Horse silk
66/1
Rocamadour gelding. Dam, dual point winner, ran once over hurdles. Blackrock has to be considered the stable first string unless the betting strongly hints otherwise.
|
Timeform
66/1, offered little in the way of short-term promise when well held in a Wincanton bumper on Boxing Day.
|
Timeform
Runner-up on second of 2 starts in points (Dec 5). The winner of that race has done well over hurdles since but he was quite a well-held second.
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Timeform
10
Horse silk
Smartmandarcyt254
Age: 7|  Weight: 11-7| J: Ben Godfrey(3)| T: Claire Hitch| OR:  66
250/1
Well held in a bumper and 3 hurdles.
|
Timeform
Second in a point and fairly useful form when placed in both bumpers. Better effort in novice hurdles in December when second at Fontwell on Boxing Day. Up in trip again. Ought to play a part.
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Timeform
13
Horse silk
Vinnie's Icon23
Age: 8|  Weight: 11-0| J: M G Nolan| T: C J Gray| OR:  74
250/1
Poor form in bumpers and well beaten over hurdles, including in low-grade handicaps. Very stiff task back in maiden.
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Timeform

Non-Runners

12
Horse silk
Wrong Shape Ball23
Weight: 11-7|  Age: 6
T: Nicky Martin  J: Non Runner
NR

Forecasts

Ballyblack (5/4), Last Royal (11/4), Thelasthighking (4/1), Chavez (11/2), Wrong Shape Ball (14/1), Last Quarter (16/1), School For Scandal (33/1), Petitealfie (66/1), Lucky So And So (125/1), Off My Rocco (200/1), Vinnie's Icon (250/1), Saffron Tiger (250/1), Smartmandarcy (250/1)

Verdict

CHAVEZ and Ballyblack both arrive on the back of encouraging hurdle debut seconds and could be the pair to focus on. Paul Nicholls has a line on the former given that he chased home one from his yard at Taunton so it could be significant that he's prepared to take him on with Chavez who gets a narrow vote. Thelasthighking and Last Royal are others likely to be in the shake-up.

  1. CHAVEZ (IRE)
  2. BALLYBLACK (IRE)
  3. THELASTHIGHKING (IRE)

Prize Money

1st: £4,084.002nd: £1,882.003rd: £940.004th: £471.00

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