12:45 Taunton

Friday 30 December 2022

All12:4513:1513:4514:1514:4515:1515:45

Alne Park Stud Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 4m 17.52s

Blueking D'oroux⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| BF

11/8

Showed fairly useful over hurdles in France, winning on debut at Fontainebleau and backing that up with a couple of in-frame efforts at Auteuil. Folded tamely on first run for Paul Nicholls in Cheltenham Grade 2 last month but is clearly thought capable of much better.

Form: 12-4P

Trojan Horse⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 11-7| J: Rex Dingle| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 112

2/1

Fairly useful on Flat, stays 12.5f, winning in April. Fair start over hurdles when third at Kempton and duly built on that when off the mark in ready fashion at Fontwell. Open to further improvement.

Form: 31

Archie Macdart

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: Joe Ponting

125/1

Dartmouth gelding. Dam (b85), second sole start in bumper, sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 25f) Bucking The Trend.

Form:

Atlantic Breeze²²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke

150/1

Fair form at best on Flat, well held in 2022. Sold out of Donnacha O'Brien's yard for only 5,000 gns in July and gelded. Perhaps best watched.

Form:

Edinburgh Rock⁷¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris

20/1

Fair maiden on the Flat for Ralph Beckett, stays 1½m. Not discounted now going hurdling for his new yard.

Form:

Fourofakind¹³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham

9/2

Fairly useful 12f maiden on Flat for Johnny Murtagh. No forlorn hope on this switch to hurdling for new trainer.

Form:

Ghyll Manor³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Max Kendrick| T: D J Jeffreys

250/1

Has made a discouraging start to his career and easily passed over.

Form: 30

Ice N Slice³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: James Best| T: K Woollacott

200/1

Well held both starts to date.

Form: 46

Major Gatsby⁹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Houlihan| T: W G M Turner

125/1

Had a productive time on the Flat this year, winning 4 times over 7f. The obvious concern is whether he'll have the stamina for jumping.

Form:

Mr Rumbalicious³³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

40/1

Modest maiden on Flat who has run to just a poor level both starts over hurdles. Handicaps more likely to be his bag.

Form: 52

State Legend¹⁹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C J Todd| T: Ian Williams

11/1

Fairly useful 1m4f Flat winner for James Ferguson. Off 6 months but he needs considering on yard/hurdling debut

Form:

Tidal Storm⁶⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: E Walker

10/1

Fair handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m). Below form last 2 starts in that sphere but is related to a couple of winning hurdlers, so worth a market check.

Form:

Inspiratrice^h²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: S Bowen| T: Nicky Martin

200/1

Looks of little account.

Form: 60

Promiseduamiracle²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Gearoid Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: S Hosie

200/1

Showed nothing in a Wincanton bumper on debut 29 days ago.

Form: 0

Forecasts

Blueking D'oroux (11/8), Trojan Horse (2/1), Fourofakind (9/2), Tidal Storm (10/1), State Legend (11/1), Edinburgh Rock (20/1), Mr Rumbalicious (40/1), Archie Macdart (125/1), Major Gatsby (125/1), Atlantic Breeze (150/1), Inspiratrice (200/1), Promiseduamiracle (200/1), Ice N Slice (200/1), Ghyll Manor (250/1)

TROJAN HORSE created a good impression when making his second start in this sphere a winning one at Fontwell last month and has plenty of scope to do better again judged on Flat ability, so he's fancied to defy a penalty. Blueking d'oroux folded tamely on his British debut at Cheltenham but his French form suggests he's capable of much better, while State Legend is the pick of the hurdling newcomers before market clues.