12:45 Taunton

Saturday 21 January 2023

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:1715:5016:20

Clarity Cleans EBF 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

4YO to 7YO | Class 4 | 2m 3f 1y | 14 Runners | Turf

Abbeyhill²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Reed| T: N P Mulholland

Winning pointer but heavy defeats both starts under Rules, latterly on hurdles debut having changed hands.

Form: P1-00

Carrigdoun Boy²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr Anthony O'Neill⁽⁷⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 114

Point winner at second attempt who looked potentially useful when making perfect start in bumpers at Southwell. Left his hurdling debut form behind when pulling clear with an odds-on favourite at Kempton and Fakenham handicap debut easily excused (badly hampered 3rd). Well worth another chance.

Form: 12-342P

Earth King²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland

Showed a bit on the first of 2 starts in bumpers for Jack R. Barber and did so again sent hurdling after 21 months off over C&D recently but unlikely to be of interest this side of handicaps.

Form: 50/6

Farnoge³²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Bryony Frost| T: P F Nicholls

€145,000 3-y-o, £125,000 4-y-o, Camelot gelding. Half-brother to 4 winners, including smart hurdler/useful chaser Hawk High and fair hurdler Mountain Hawk, stays 2½m. Joined Paul Nicholls after finishing runner-up on his sole outing in Irish points last February. Of obvious interest.

Form: 2-

Gladiatus⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams

Runner-up sole start in Irish points and shaped with promise when third of 10 in a novice hurdle at Chepstow (16f, good) in November. However, disappointed at Ffos Las a month later.

Form: 2-35

Kap Chidley²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

Made frame on last 2 of 3 starts in Irish points but looked one for the longer term on last month's Rules/hurdling debut at Chepstow.

Form: F427

Roccovango²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R T Dunne| T: Ian Williams

Placed on first couple of outings in bumpers and showed promise sent hurdling on first outing since leaving M. M. Lynch after 8 months off when third at Haydock (15.6f) 22 days ago. Looks sure to improve, especially over this longer trip.

Form: 32-03

Rollo's Kingdom²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: David Prichard⁽⁵⁾| T: J Scott

Showed ability when sixth in a Chepstow bumper on debut but failed to repeat that effort in a similar event there next time and now tries hurdling.

Form: 66

Spago^t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

Fair in bumpers and offered something to work on sent hurdling when third in a C&D novice 22 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 4-23

Talkingtothemoon³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Rex Dingle| T: A J Honeyball

Off mark in points at second attempt in May and shaped well switched to Rules when third in a Chepstow bumper last month, rallying from 3f out. Well held on Hereford hurdling debut subsequently but ought to do better somewhere down the line.

Form: 2136

Dolly Bird⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Bryan Carver| T: C Honour

Related to winners but went with little encouragement in a Warwick bumper on her debut in November.

Form: 0

Gilwen Rosie²⁶

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

Made little appeal on pedigree and was well held in a Wincanton bumper on her debut 26 days ago.

Form: 0

Somespring Special⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: A J Honeyball

Runner-up sole start in points but didn't last out on her Rules debut at Exeter (23.1f) in November. Down in trip.

Form: 2P

Archie Macdart²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: James Davies| T: Joe Ponting

Offered little first time up when a well-held fourth in a course juvenile hurdle 22 days ago.

Form: 4

Forecasts

Farnoge (2/1), Carrigdoun Boy (11/4), Roccovango (4/1), Spago (4/1), Gladiatus (12/1), Kap Chidley (25/1), Rollo's Kingdom (33/1), Talkingtothemoon (33/1), Somespring Special (33/1), Earth King (50/1), Archie Macdart (50/1), Dolly Bird (66/1), Gilwen Rosie (66/1), Abbeyhill (100/1)

ROCCOVANGO made an encouraging start over hurdles when third at Haydock recently and promises to be suited by the step up in trip, so he's an appealing candidate. Farnoge is a noteworthy Rules newcomer having joined Paul Nicholls after finishing runner-up on his sole outing in Irish points. Carrigdoun Boy's latest run is easily excused and he's still one to view positively, too.