14:35 Taunton

Monday 14 March 2022

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:50

William Hill Champion Chase Top Price Guarantee Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 4m 20.10s

Alto Alto³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Paul O'Brien| T: C Gordon

33/1

Modest bumper form before he unseated rider 5th in novice at Fontwell (17.7f, soft, 28/1) on hurdles bow 35 days ago. Can do better now.

Form: 535-5U

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Apothicaire³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton

5/2

33/1, much improved from his hurdling bow when third of 11 in novice hurdle at Carlisle (17f, soft) 35 days ago. May do better still, so he's firmly in the picture.

Form: P63

Castle Quarter¹⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N P Mulholland

25/1

Fair10f scorer on the level for Michael Appleby but off the track since September. Another debutant who needs considering for his new stable despite his absence.

Form:

Helix²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Benjamin Poste| T: M Bradstock

66/1

Fair 11f Flat winner. Twice-raced maiden over hurdles, having wind op before fourth of 8 in novice at Plumpton (15.9f) 28 days ago. Needs another big step forward now.

Form: 64

Henry Box Brown³⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

10/1

Debut bumper winner for Shane O'Brien but off the track for 11 months since. Market can guide for hurdling newcomer on his comeback run.

Form: 1-

Lord Bill²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Rex Dingle| T: G Harris

100/1

Twice-raced maiden under NH rules, only ninth of 10 in novice at Newbury (16.3f, 150/1) on hurdles bow 22 days ago. Has lots to find on form.

Form: 8779

Merry Monty^h1¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: David Noonan| T: C J Down

150/1

Lightly-raced maiden hurdler. Modest fifth of 8 in novice here (19f, 80/1) 11 days ago. Hooded for 1st time with lots to do.

Form: 70585

Mister Marbles¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 112

1/1

Fair maiden who posted good second of 15 on back of breathing surgery in novice hurdle (9/4) at Ludlow (15.8f) 19 days ago. Well in the mix.

Form: 5252

Prince Of Bad Lins¹¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Alan Johns| T: R G Hawker

80/1

33/1, much improved from hurdling bow when third of 8 in juvenile at Exeter (16.7f) 113 days ago. No forlorn hope after his lay-off.

Form: 73

Winterwatch^t⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry

7/2

Fair winner at 13f on Flat. Yet to match that form in two runs in this sphere, tongue strap on when fourth of 7 in juvenile at Warwick (16f) 50 days ago. More is required.

Form: U4

Non-Runners

Big Bill Newman⁴³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: Alexandra Dunn J: Harry Reed

Cadeau D'Or¹⁵⁴

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: D Pipe J: Mr Martin McIntyre

Pachacuti¹⁷

Weight: 11-6| Age: 5

T: D Pipe J: T Scudamore

Petrossian¹¹²

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: P F Nicholls J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mister Marbles (1/1), Petrossian (9/4), Apothicaire (5/2), Winterwatch (7/2), Pachacuti (6/1), Henry Box Brown (10/1), Cadeau D'Or (10/1), Big Bill Newman (20/1), Castle Quarter (25/1), Alto Alto (33/1), Helix (66/1), Prince Of Bad Lins (80/1), Lord Bill (100/1), Merry Monty (150/1)

PETROSSIAN shaped promisingly on his hurdling bow when runner-up at Kempton and this fairly useful bumper winner is expected to build on that and go one better at the chief expense of Apothicaire who also showed up well when third at Carlisle last time. Mister Marbles is another with the form to play a part, while newcomer Castle Quarter and the progressive Pachachuti need factoring in too.