14:30 Huntingdon

Friday 13 January 2023

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:00

Arkle Finance EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 3m 53.55s

Western Zephyr²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: S Bowen| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 120| BF| CD

30/100

Point/C&D bumper winner who justified strong late support sent hurdling after 8 months off at Ludlow in November. Ran below that level when third under a penalty there a month later but it's still early days and he has obvious claims in a race lacking depth.

Form: 110-13

Any Biscuits³¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham

12/1

Showed little in 2 bumpers/maiden hurdles in Ireland for S. Curling.

Form: 5976-

Bury Walls¹²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr Huw Edwards⁽⁷⁾| T: Simon Edwards

300/1

Runner-up on second of 2 starts in points but well held in a pair of bumpers at Worcester 3 months apart.

Form: 7-268

City Roller^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: L Horsfall

80/1

Scorpion gelding who improved with each start in bumpers but didn't take to hurdling at the first attempt at Fakenham 12 days ago, struggling circuit out.

Form: 622P

Galaxy Moon⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| BF

40/1

£50,000 Spanish Moon gelding who was sent off favourite for a Hereford bumper in November but didn't achieve much.

Form: 6

Ingennio^t1⁶⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: R HobsonWS

66/1

Just modest in bumpers and well held on Bangor hurdling debut 65 days ago. Tongue strap on for 1st time. Also had breathing op.

Form: 3-50

Let It Shine³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Liam Harrison⁽³⁾| T: M Scudamore

50/1

Poor in bumpers and just similar form over hurdles.

Form: 8-867

My Gift To You²⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Rex Dingle| T: P R Webber

80/1

Just poor form in a brace of bumpers.

Form: 83-

Steal My Sunshine¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

18/1

Shaped with some encouragement in a couple of bumpers but has failed to do the same both outings over hurdles. Needs this run for a handicap mark.

Form: 45-49

Superstylin⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Miss S Smith

80/1

Down the field both starts in bumpers (won Irish point in between) and well held completed start in maiden hurdles.

Form: 8/B1-60P

Torula¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Luca Morgan| T: B Pauling

9/2

Runner-up sole start in Irish points. Beaten a long way on Lingfield hurdling debut but showed more down in trip when fifth in 15-runner novice at Chepstow (2m) 17 days ago, not knocked about. Well worth monitoring with a view to handicaps.

Form: 2-65

Warner's Cross⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: C Hobson

300/1

Placed in points but offered little in a Uttoxeter bumper on Rules debut 62 days ago.

Form: 3P-7

Welsh Charger⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph

25/1

Just minor promise in a brace of bumpers 7 months apart.

Form: 6-5

Trudiemadlydeeply²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: R L Llewellyn

250/1

Has shown little in a bumper/both starts over hurdles.

Form: 9P0

Non-Runners

Inneston¹³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: G & J Moore J: J E Moore

Forecasts

Western Zephyr (30/100), Inneston (11/10), Torula (9/2), Any Biscuits (12/1), Steal My Sunshine (18/1), Welsh Charger (25/1), Galaxy Moon (40/1), Let It Shine (50/1), Ingennio (66/1), City Roller (80/1), Superstylin (80/1), My Gift To You (80/1), Trudiemadlydeeply (250/1), Warner's Cross (300/1), Bury Walls (300/1)

A likely match between INNESTON and Western Zephyr. The former won a strong bumper for Gabriel Leenders on his only start in France and shaped with lots of encouragement on his recent hurdling debut at Newbury, so he's preferred to Charlie Longsdon's 6-y-o, who was a shade disappointing under a penalty last time.