18:50 Fontwell

Thursday 24 August 2023

All17:0517:4018:1518:5019:2019:50

V2 Rodeo Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:51 | Winning time: 4m 24.30s

Book Of Tales⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 11-2| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon

11/2

Fair on Flat (stays 1¾m), twice a winner in 2023 for Charlie Johnston. Changed hands for 30,000 gns in July and he's much respected now starting out over hurdles.

Form:

City Of Ruins²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 98

11/8

Promising sort who comes here on the back of a very good second of 12 in juvenile hurdle at Stratford (16.3f, good to soft, 9/4) 21 days ago. Holds leading claims.

Form: 32

Ocean Ridge^h,t²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 11-2| J: Brendan Powell| T: S Durack

40/1

Modest maiden on the Flat, only tenth of 13 in handicap at Bath (11.6f, good) 20 days ago. More is needed now going hurdling.

Form:

Steven Seagull¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 11-2| J: G Sheehan| T: J Ryan

28/1

Modest maiden on the Flat. Well held at Stratford on hurdling debut so others appeal more.

Form: 0

Unification⁶¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: James Owen

9/4

Fair maiden on the Flat for Jim Bolger, sixth of 10 in handicap at Down Royal (10.3f, good) 61 days ago. Much respected on his yard/hurdling bow.

Form:

Dance Havana^t¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 10-9| J: J M Quinlan| T: Alice Haynes

8/1

Dual winner on Flat, most recently when taking 14f Thirsk handicap in July. Encouraging fourth in Uttoxeter juvenile on her hurdling debut so needs considering.

Form: 4

Feach Amach⁷⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 10-9| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke

25/1

Fair maiden on the Flat for Jim Bolger, sixth of 9 in maiden at Navan (10f, good to soft) 74 days ago. Not ruled out for her new yard starting out in this sphere.

Form:

Grain Of Hope⁵⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle

11/1

Half-sister to useful hurdler Zanjabeel. A fair maiden on Flat for Charlie Johnston, good second in 14f Thirsk handicap in July. Changed hands since for 19,000 gns. Considered newcomer.

Form:

Forecasts

City Of Ruins (11/8), Unification (9/4), Book Of Tales (11/2), Dance Havana (8/1), Grain Of Hope (11/1), Feach Amach (25/1), Steven Seagull (28/1), Ocean Ridge (40/1)

A few of these bring potential, not least CITY OF RUINS who was a promising runner-up at Stratford last time and can go one better now. Dance Havana could emerge as the chief threat to Donald McCain's charge, with hurdling newcomers Book of Tales and Unification also in the picture.