14:35 Kelso

Friday 17 February 2023

All14:0514:3515:0515:3516:0516:3517:05

Johnston Smillie Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:36 | Winning time: 4m 4.1s

Richhill^t¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 125

8/11

£75,000 5-y-o, Presenting gelding. Gamely off mark in Irish points at third attempt in May and confirmed positives of his hurdles debut effort at Chepstow, when off the mark in a Southwell maiden (20.4f) 3 weeks ago, just holding on. In excellent hands and he may well do better.

Form: P5-131

Dare To Shout¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs A Hamilton

13/8

£50,000 5-y-o, Martaline gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdle winner/useful chaser winner Yukon Lil. Successful on last of 3 starts in Irish points (Nov 13) and plenty of promise to glean from hurdles debut second at Newcastle (16.9f) 17 days ago. Player with progress expected.

Form: 4P-12

Don't Look Back¹⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

80/1

Fair maiden on Flat for Richard Hughes (stays 1m). Easy to back, offered little on yard hurdles bow at Perth (16.2f) back in September 2021 and never involved back on Flat at Hamilton (8.3f) in August of last year. Absent since.

Form: 4-

Kingston Bridge⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans| CD

11/1

Fair form when landing a C&D bumper on debut in November and similar form in defeat both starts since, latterly when fourth at Musselburgh (15.5f) 45 days ago. Interesting what the market makes of him now hurdling.

Form: 124

Zopito⁴⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Coltherd| T: W Coltherd

25/1

Half-brother to 3 winners, including fair hurdler/fairly useful chaser in France Petillo (17f/2¼m winner). Fair form when second in juvenile at Saint-Brieuc in France back in November 2021. Gelded ahead of return/yard debut and market should prove a useful guide.

Form: 2-

Syltezar^p1²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: Ewan Whillans

150/1

Poor form in bumpers and not offered much in 2 hurdle starts so far this winter. Cheekpieces reached for now but low-grade handicaps entitled to be more her bag.

Form: 55-70

Non-Runners

Lihyan¹²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: R Menzies J: Nathan Moscrop

Traprain Law³³

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: Miss Lucinda V Russell J: P W Wadge

Chase A Fortune¹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: C Grant J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Richhill (8/11), Dare To Shout (13/8), Traprain Law (5/1), Chase A Fortune (13/2), Lihyan (13/2), Kingston Bridge (11/1), Zopito (25/1), Don't Look Back (80/1), Syltezar (150/1)

A competitive novice event with the vote in favour of DARE TO SHOUT. Off the mark on the third of his 3 starts in Irish points, he produced an encouraging first effort over hurdles when runner-up to another promising sort at Newcastle 17 days ago and with progress expected, he's fancied to go well. Richhill, for the stable who took this race 12 months ago, and Traprain Law can also play lead roles.