13:35 Taunton

Thursday 8 December 2022

All12:2813:0013:3514:0814:3815:0815:40

Taunton Rotary Centenary Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:38 | Winning time: 4m 0.5s

Rubaud²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| CD

8/13

Useful performer on the Flat in France and improved markedly from his hurdling debut when landing a 7-runner novice over C&D last month. Plenty more to come and should be involved.

Form: 8-1

Brentford Hope¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: R Hughes

11/8

Smart Flat winner who was runner-up in a novice at Ludlow on hurdling debut. Open to improvement, and looks to have plenty in favour on less testing ground. Strong claims.

Form: 2

Clay²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King

150/1

Fairly useful maiden on Flat for Richard Hannon (stays 1¼m) but lost his form in that sphere and stable/hurdling debut in a novice at Chepstow was uninspiring.

Form: 0

Gun Runner Cash^h¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss Thomosina Eyston⁽⁷⁾| T: B Lund| D

150/1

From a successful jumps family and perfect start when landing a Perth bumper for Gordon Elliott in April. Below that level since, including for new connections, and plenty on second hurdling start.

Form: 1-4486

Instant Gambler¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Alexandra Dunn

250/1

Maiden Irish pointer who was only eighth in a C&D novice on completed start over hurdles. Others preferred.

Form: P46FU-8

Invincible De Mee¹²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

25/1

Well-bred sort who showed ability in French bumpers but is likely to have an educational start to hurdling.

Form: 68488-3

Let It Shine¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Liam Harrison⁽³⁾| T: M Scudamore

40/1

Just modest form in a pair of bumpers and no impact in a novice at Huntingdon on first go over hurdles.

Form: 8-86

Little Pi⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Stan Sheppard| T: M Sheppard

66/1

Dunaden gelding who showed limited encouragement whrn down the field in a bumper at Bangor on debut 44 days ago. Others preferred.

Form: 9

Russies Dream³⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryan Carver| T: C J Down

150/1

Little encouragement in a couple of bumpers and off a year prior to this hurdling debut, so hard to make a case for.

Form: 90-

Sailed Away^h1,t²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Philip Armson⁽³⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn

50/1

Made frame sole start in point bumper and shaped with some encouragement on Rules debut at Bangor in September. Has left Stuart Edmunds ahead of hurdle debut. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 4-30

Sassified²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White

14/1

Fairly useful on Flat (stays 11f) in Ireland for Johnny Murtagh and shaped as if in need of the run on after 13 months off when sixth in a novice at Market Rasen on hurdling debut. Should improve.

Form: 6

The Rain King^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn

80/1

Fairly useful on Flat (stays 8.5f), successful at Windsor in May but has been below form since and well held first two starts over hurdles.

Form: 0/8

Nous Esperons²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Ben Jones| T: P Hobbs & J White

100/1

Beaten a fair way on sole start for David Pipe in a Wincanton bumper in January and down the field in a novice at Exeter on first go over hurdles.

Form: 5-0

Shee's A Stella²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs D A Hamer

250/1

No promise so far in bumpers/over hurdles.

Form: 5-060P

Forecasts

Rubaud (8/13), Brentford Hope (11/8), Sassified (14/1), Invincible De Mee (25/1), Let It Shine (40/1), Sailed Away (50/1), Little Pi (66/1), The Rain King (80/1), Nous Esperons (100/1), Clay (150/1), Russies Dream (150/1), Gun Runner Cash (150/1), Shee's A Stella (250/1), Instant Gambler (250/1)

BRENTFORD HOPE is a talented Flat performer who showed aptitude for hurdling when second in a novice at Ludlow recently, so he's well worth a chance to open his account at the second attempt in this sphere despite the presence of Rubaud, an easy winner over C&D last month. That pair will probably have it between them but Sassified is open to improvement.