15:20 Exeter

Wednesday 1 February 2023

All13:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:30

Virgin Bet Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:22 | Winning time: 5m 32.80s

Copper Cove⁸⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| C

9/1

Successful here on second of 3 bumper starts last term and showed an aptitude for this game when third on return/hurdles debut at Ffos Las (2½m, soft) in November. Open to improvement.

Form: 214-3

Earth King³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Adam Wedge| T: N P Mulholland

80/1

Showed a bit on the first of 2 starts in bumpers for Jack Barber and did so again sent hurdling after 21 months off at Taunton in December. Still, he'll be of greater interest in handicaps further down the line.

Form: 50/6

Great Name That^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Nick Scholfield| T: H Fry

5/2

Winner of sole start between the flags and while he didn't shown much starting out under Rules in an Irish bumper last spring, there were certainly positives to glean from his hurdles debut third at Ffos Las (2½m, heavy). One to consider with improvement on the cards.

Form: P10-3

Imprevu Du Large²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Charlie Sprake⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls

150/1

Well beaten on debut in a bumper here in November and it was a similar outcome on his hurdling bow at Wincanton last month. Sandalwood appears to be the stable first-string.

Form: 08

Looking For Larry³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: David Noonan| T: T Dennis

150/1

Off the mark in points at second attempt but was pulled up in a maiden hurdle here on New Year's Day.

Form: 21-P

Max's Champ³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 113

11/2

Winning pointer who was fair in bumpers and stepped up on hurdles debut effort when fourth of 13 in a Cheltenham maiden hurdle (20.2f, good to soft) on New Year's Day. That form was boosted when the runner-up recently landed a Grade 2 race and he's an each-way player.

Form: F18-434

Sandalwood^p1,t⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

14/1

Showed fairly useful form when second on his final bumper at Newton Abbot last spring. However, he was well beaten on his first completed start in this sphere at Hereford and connections now turn to cheekpieces.

Form: 662-U8

Starwalker²⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Mrs S Gardner

150/1

No impact in 5 starts between the flags and it's best to look elsewhere.

Form: 72-P9P

The King Of Ryhope⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| BF

10/11

Successful sole outing in Irish points in 2020 and made a promising start over hurdles 2 years on at Carlisle (2½m, heavy) in October, having been well backed. The winner has since gone in again and this 7-y-o looks the one to beat.

Form: 1/2

Gio's Girl²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: James Best| T: P Gundry| OR: 93

80/1

Winning pointer who showed little spark over this C&D last month when returning from a 2-year absence.

Form: 20225/P

My Girl Katie²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: G Harris

50/1

Successful on her sole start in points and showed a fair bit on her Rules debut when fourth in a mares' novice hurdle at Ludlow (21.3f). Performed to a similar level over the same C&D next time and is probably more of a handicapping prospect.

Form: 146

Forecasts

The King Of Ryhope (10/11), Great Name That (5/2), Max's Champ (11/2), Copper Cove (9/1), Sandalwood (14/1), My Girl Katie (50/1), Earth King (80/1), Gio's Girl (80/1), Looking For Larry (150/1), Imprevu Du Large (150/1), Starwalker (150/1)

If able to build on the promise of his hurdles debut second at Carlisle, THE KING OF RYHOPE should prove hard to beat. Moving up in trip is unlikely to be an issue for this former point winner and he gets the nod ahead of Great Name That, who also made an encouraging start in this sphere at Ffos Las. Copper Cove is open to improvement and makes some each-way appeal, a remark that also applies to Max's Champ on the strength of his latest effort at Cheltenham.