12:40 Huntingdon

Monday 26 December 2022

All12:0512:4013:1513:4714:2214:5715:32

racingtv.com Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 4m 53.20s

Hall Lane⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: G Sheehan| T: A King| D

4/1

Mount Nelson gelding. Half-brother to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler Osco Mosco. Showed ability when fifth of 12 in a Kempton bumper on debut in March and belied market weakness to make a winning hurdles debut at Wetherby in October (19.7f). That race has worked out.

Form: 5-1

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Hurricane Bay³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr Eddie Edge⁽¹⁰⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 117

2/1

Showed fair form in bumpers and already better over hurdles, runner-up to Hall Lane at Wetherby before going one place better at Doncaster a month ago. More to come.

Form: 53/53-21

Supreme Gift¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁷⁾| T: H D Daly| D

4/1

Irish point winner. Placed in bumpers last season and returned to win a Uttoxeter maiden hurdle in November. Had a bit in hand on that occasion and was unlucky at Newcastle, short of room and colliding with the rail.

Form: 2263-1U

A Definite Getaway³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Dylan Whelan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling

100/1

Too green to show much both starts.

Form: 86

Butch⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: O Murphy

13/2

Kayf Tara gelding. Brother to bumper winners Hauraki Gulf and Eavesdropping. Dam unraced half-sister to useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 23f) Princely Player. Promising start when runner-up in a bumper here in March. Failed to land a blow sent hurdling in October but better expected over this trip.

Form: 2-7

Jacks Orchard⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Luke Scott⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland

50/1

Runner-up on second of 2 starts in Irish points but was badly in need of the experience when down the field on Sedgefield hurdling debut in September, going in snatches.

Form: 62-6

Jigginstown King^t⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harrison Beswick⁽³⁾| T: O Signy

80/1

Fourth in an Irish hunter for John Joseph Hanlon but was well held sent hurdling in first-time tongue strap after 7 months off at Uttoxeter.

Form: P4-8

Phil The Sock⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: K Brogan| T: B Pauling

50/1

Well held in 2 bumpers. Showed more over hurdles when fifth at Uttoxeter in October but brushed aside at Fontwell since.

Form: 70-55

Red Romeo⁴⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: B I Case

80/1

Looked very limited when trained in Ireland.

Form: P/0000-

Sponthus³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Finn Lambert⁽⁵⁾| T: S Thomas

6/1

Placed both starts in Irish points and runner-up in a Stratford novice on hurdling bow in July 2020. First run since when second to runaway winner Firestream at Chepstow (19.4f) last month and he's open to improvement.

Form: 3282/2

Upagainstit^h²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr

25/1

€9,000 3-y-o, £45,000 4-y-o, Presenting gelding. Brother to a point winner. Runner-up sole start in Irish points and fitted with a hood, he's displayed ability over hurdles in recent weeks.

Form: 26-65

We Gotta Getaway⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Max Kendrick| T: F O'Brien

66/1

Low-key introduction in a Chepstow bumper last winter but did show a bit more at Newton Abbot in October. Failed to see his race out on hurdles bow last month.

Form: 0-49

Wetakecareofourown

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: J R Boyle

18/1

€28,000 3-y-o, Mahler gelding. Half-brother to useful hurdler/very smart chaser Castlebawn West and fairly useful 2½m hurdle winner Commandingpresence.

Form:

Non-Runners

Court Cian²⁹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: Mrs F Kehoe J: Paul O'Brien

Forecasts

Hurricane Bay (2/1), Supreme Gift (4/1), Hall Lane (4/1), Sponthus (6/1), Butch (13/2), Wetakecareofourown (18/1), Upagainstit (25/1), Court Cian (25/1), Phil The Sock (50/1), Jacks Orchard (50/1), We Gotta Getaway (66/1), Jigginstown King (80/1), Red Romeo (80/1), A Definite Getaway (100/1)

SUPREME GIFT's race ended abruptly at Newcastle last month but he'd created a good impression at Uttoxeter prior to that so he's well worth another chance. There wasn't much between Hall Lane and Hurricane Bay when they clashed at Wetherby and that should be the case again, with Sponthus another to consider.