14:00 Sandown

Sunday 6 November 2022

All12:5013:2514:0014:3515:0515:3516:05

Falling Leaves Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 4m 25.27s

Aurigny Mill^h1,t1²⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Alan Johns| T: V R A Dartnall

100/1

Poor form in bumpers. Off 8 months. Makes hurdles debut. Hood/tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 04-

Bold Reaction²²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| D

11/8

Irish point winner who went very close to making a winning start under Rules in a Doncaster bumper. Made amends in similar event at Kelso in March and likely type now sent hurdling.

Form: F/121-

Colonel Harry^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| BF

10/3

Easy winner of second start in Irish points (subsequently bought for £130,000) and beaten only by a good prospect in novice hurdle at Uttoxeter on Rules debut 5 weeks ago. Player.

Form: F1-2

Hitthekettle²⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Doggrell⁽⁷⁾| T: M Gates

100/1

£12,000 6-y-o, Ocovango gelding. Dam (h105) 21f hurdle winner. Off mark in Irish points at seventh attempt (Feb 6).

Form: P/P6841-

Matterhorn^t1⁵⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

15/8

Showed plenty when 11 lengths third of 15 in listed newcomers race at Auteuil in 2020/21, only outing over hurdles, in lead when landing very awkwardly at the last. Potentially a nice prospect for top yard.

Form: 3/

Monymusk Lad⁵⁰¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: L Horsfall

400/1

Went the wrong way in bumpers and modest form both starts over hurdles. Off 16 months. First run for yard after leaving Philip Hobbs.

Form: 48/857-

Our Champ²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Henderson

12/1

Successful sole start in points and showed plenty when finishing close fourth on Rules/bumper debut at Killarney in May. Not knocked about when second at Plumpton on hurdles bow/return 3 weeks ago and open to progress.

Form: 1-42

Uncle Bert

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

20/1

Pether's Moon gelding. Dam (c111/h126), 17f-2½m hurdle/chase winner, half-sister to useful hurdler/very smart chaser (stays 3½m) Vieux Lion Rouge. Market should reveal expectations.

Form:

Heart Of The Sun²⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: Cynthia WoodsWS

400/1

Mid-field at best in maiden/novice events on Flat (sold from David Simcock £2,500 in March).

Form:

Honest Oscar⁶⁹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: A Irvine

100/1

Third sole start in Irish points and occupied same position in a weak Plumpton bumper in December 2020. Off the track since.

Form: 33/

Isayalittleprayer⁶⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: J E Moore| T: G & J MooreWS

80/1

Fair maiden on the Flat who showed ability over hurdles when third at Fakenham. Pulled up next time but back on track when second switched to a bumper at Lingfield. Returning from a long absence here so best watched.

Form: 3P2/

Non-Runners

Boom Boom²¹⁸

Weight: 11-4| Age: 4

T: N J Henderson J: N de Boinville

El Paco²⁰⁰

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: R Rowe J: James Davies

Forecasts

Bold Reaction (11/8), Matterhorn (15/8), Boom Boom (9/4), Colonel Harry (10/3), Our Champ (12/1), Uncle Bert (20/1), Isayalittleprayer (80/1), Aurigny Mill (100/1), Hitthekettle (100/1), El Paco (100/1), Honest Oscar (100/1), Monymusk Lad (400/1), Heart Of The Sun (400/1)

Paul Nicholls often does well with French recruits and MATTERHORN is potentially another nice prospect on the back of his third in a listed newcomers hurdle race at Auteuil 18 months ago. Expensive point-recruit Colonel Harry made an encouraging start when second at Uttoxeter so is a likely threat, while stablemates Bold Reaction and Boom Boom are interesting hurdling debutants given their form in bumpers.