14:05 Exeter

Sunday 1 January 2023

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Thurlestone Hotel 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 50.3s

Canty Bay⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle

9/1

Promising individual. In frame in 2 bumpers last season and shaped better than distance beaten suggests when eighth of 16 in novice hurdle at Chepstow (19.4f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 44 days ago, losing ground when hampered. Should have more to offer.

Form: 43-8

Copshill Lad^t1²³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Reed| T: M F HarrisWS

13/2

€20,000 3-y-o, £50,000 4-y-o, Kingston Hill gelding. Runner-up sole outing in Irish point and went one better when readily winning a Stratford bumper in May. Much respected on hurdles debut.

Form: 2-1

Dear Ralphy^t⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: A J Honeyball

33/1

Showed ability in a couple of bumpers last season but wasn't at his best on return here in November and step forward is required on hurdles debut.

Form: 64-9

Game Winner³⁰⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham

22/1

Promise when fourth of 10 in bumper at Hereford (16.2f, good to soft) for Paul Nicholls, weakening only final 1f. Interesting if market speaks in his favour making hurdles debut for new yard.

Form: 4-

Grave La Klass²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

33/1

Point winner as looked a longer-term prospect in 3 starts to date, always behind when sixth of 9 in novice hurdle at Chepstow (19.4f, good, 33/1) 29 days ago.

Form: 5P14-76

How Will I Know^t1³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: H Fry

13/8

Fair form when placed both starts in bumpers and shaped encouragingly when third of 17 in novice hurdle at this course (16.7f, soft, 9/2) on hurdles bow 30 days ago. Tongue strap applied and he sets the standard with further progress expected.

Form: 2/3-3

Ideallko⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

200/1

Made mistakes and shaped with little promise when well held in a novice hurdle at Chepstow (16f, good to soft) on NH debut 67 days ago.

Form: 0

Keepitfrombecky^t⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Alan Johns| T: A J Honeyball

80/1

Went in snatches when eleventh of 13 in bumper at Chepstow (16f, good to soft, 22/1) on NH debut 44 days ago. Can't be fancied on that evidence.

Form: 0

Looking For Larry²⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Houlihan| T: T Dennis

50/1

Telescope gelding. Off mark in points at second attempt. Probably best watched on Rules debut.

Form: 21-

Mountain Grey⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: M G Nolan| T: J W Mullins

100/1

Modest form at best in bumpers and reportedly struck into himself when fifth of 10 in novice hurdle at Newton Abbot (16.8f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 97 days ago. Should do better but remains opposable in this company.

Form: 657-5

Mr Mars Man³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: David Prichard⁽⁵⁾| T: J Scott

125/1

Behind in bumper and hasn't completed in a pair of starts over hurdles, so can be easily opposed again.

Form: 8-UP

Rolling River⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Davies| T: O Signy

80/1

Hexham bumper winner found life harder in sterner company at Cheltenham last time. Should be suited by longer trip and is respected on hurdles debut.

Form: 10

Western General⁴⁸

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

9/2

Half-brother to useful hurdler Shantreusse shaped well when second of 15 in novice hurdle at this course (16.7f, good to soft, 7/1) on NH debut 48 days ago. Fancied to do better with slightly longer trip promising to suit.

Form: 3-2

Can You See Her²⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: James Best| T: P Gundry

150/1

Telescope mare was placed sole start between the flags but, unless the betting suggests otherwise, she's probably best watched on Rules debut.

Form: 3-

Lime Avenue^t³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls| BF

11/4

Impressive bumper winner on debut at Chepstow in October. Failed to land the odds on hurdles debut at Wincanton (21.4f, good to soft) next time but the winner of that novice is probably useful and, in any case, improvement should be forthcoming.

Form: 12

Notbitterbutbetter⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Ben Jones| T: A J Honeyball

100/1

Didn't measure up to market expectations starting out in a Kelso bumper in May and out with the washing on return in a listed event at Cheltenham. Probably best watched on hurdles debut.

Form: 50

Non-Runners

Imperial Alex⁵⁴

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: T Lacey J: Non Runner

Keable²⁸¹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: P Hobbs & J White J: T J O'Brien

Forecasts

How Will I Know (13/8), Lime Avenue (11/4), Western General (9/2), Copshill Lad (13/2), Canty Bay (9/1), Game Winner (22/1), Keable (25/1), Grave La Klass (33/1), Dear Ralphy (33/1), Looking For Larry (50/1), Rolling River (80/1), Keepitfrombecky (80/1), Notbitterbutbetter (100/1), Imperial Alex (100/1), Mountain Grey (100/1), Mr Mars Man (125/1), Can You See Her (150/1), Ideallko (200/1)

LIME AVENUE looked something out of the ordinary when bolting up in a bumper and very possibly bumped into another useful rival on hurdles debut, so is fancied to get the better of the similarly promising Western General and How Will I Know in a decent contest.