14:17 Stratford

Saturday 1 April 2023

All14:1714:5215:2716:0216:3717:12

Happy Birthday Annie Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:19 | Winning time: 4m 17.23s

Alien Storm⁹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 123| D

17/2

Getaway gelding from good jumping family. Improved with each outing in bumpers and made a positive start over hurdles, successful at Plumpton in October and better form when second under a penalty at Kempton. Disappointing handicap debut needs shrugging off.

Form: 53-2129

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Beau Balko⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 124| D

11/10

Successful on his sole Flat start in France and got off the mark over hurdles at the second attempt when dictating at Hereford in November. Disappointing handicap debut but he cast that aside in no uncertain terms when adding to tally at Sandown in February. Likely has more to offer.

Form: 2151

Samuel Spade¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling| OR: 126| D

13/2

No more than a fair handicapper on the Flat but has quickly reached a higher level over hurdles, winning at Kempton and Huntingdon and a good second in a Class 2 event at Huntingdon in between. Jumping errors proved costly in a deeper environment at Cheltenham.

Form: 1210

Iberico Lord⁹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J HendersonWS

9/1

Won a French bumper in May. Faded to finish a well-held sixth of 8 on his Cheltenham hurdle debut in November and was held when falling at Kempton in December. Still early days and he's had a wind op.

Form: 16F

My Boy Grizzle⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: C Ellam

250/1

Fame And Glory gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler Supreme Huntress. Hooded and very strong in the betting in a Tipperary bumper in March 2021 but ultimately held back by inexperience. Left J. D. Motherway and almost certainly needed the run on last week's hurdles bow.

Form: 4/5

Jupiter Du Gite¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 130| D

11/4

Caused a major upset when making all on British/hurdles debut at Newbury in December but proved far too free in a Triumph trial and the main rece itself at Cheltenham. Eases in class but backing him comes with clear risks attached. Hood off.

Form: 3-16P

Non-Runners

Dancila¹²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 6

T: F O'Brien J: P J Brennan

Captain Attridge¹⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: Henry Oliver J: Nick Scholfield

Onnaroll¹³⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: Cynthia Woods J: Non Runner

Forever A Dove¹³⁰

Weight: 10-7| Age: 5

T: J Coulson J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Beau Balko (11/10), Jupiter Du Gite (11/4), Dancila (5/1), Samuel Spade (13/2), Alien Storm (17/2), Iberico Lord (9/1), Forever A Dove (20/1), Captain Attridge (33/1), Onnaroll (150/1), My Boy Grizzle (250/1)

BEAU BALKO turned a Sandown handicap into a one-sided affair in February, and while conceding a penalty in a fairly competitive novice will be no easy task, he could well be up to the job. Jupiter du Gite has his share of talent but is clearly a very difficult ride and it remains to be seen whether the removal of a hood will help, so Alien Storm is feared most.