16:35 Bangor-on-Dee

Wednesday 4 October 2023

All14:0514:3515:0515:3516:0516:3517:0517:35

Nightingale House Hospice Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Off time: 16:37 | Winning time: 4m 22.37s

Easter Junction²⁰¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

9/4

Point runner-up made the frame in 2 bumpers last season, shaping encouragingly when third in a good Musselburgh contest on debut before going off too hard when fourth at Doncaster. Respected hurdles newcomer.

Form: 2/34-

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Fat Harry

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ross Chapman| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

66/1

Multiplex gelding. Brother to fairly useful hurdler/chaser Silva Eclipse, and half-brother to poor chaser Catlin. Dam unraced. Others make more appeal.

Form:

Specialagent Mcgee²⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: Nicky MartinWS

100/1

Backed at long odds but showed nothing when last of 9 in bumper at Ffos Las (15.8f, soft) on debut in January. Gelded/had breathing op since.

Form: 9-

Wordsworth⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe| BF

10/11

Smart Flat stayer shaped encouragingly on hurdles debut when second of 15 in novice hurdle at Ballinrobe (17f, good). Will take all the beating having since left Josh Halley.

Form: 2

Black Occ¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Sheila Lewis

14/1

Point runner-up showed aptitude when fourth of 9 in novice hurdle at Worcester (16f, good to soft) on NH debut 16 days ago, just too keen to see race out thoroughly. Sound place claims on that effort.

Form: 24

Tune In A Box¹⁷⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey

11/1

Prominent in the betting on both outings but looked badly in need the experience when mid-field in a bumper and ran to just poor level when fifth of 9 in novice hurdle at Plumpton (15.9f, good) on hurdles bow 178 days ago.

Form: 45-

Wise Guy¹⁶⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| BF

13/2

Point bumper winner travelled as well as any when fifth of 9 in bumper (10/3) here (good to firm) on NH debut 165 days ago. Should have more to offer now hurdling.

Form: 15-

Chantilly Rose¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

14/1

Showed some promise when third in a Southwell bumper for Peter Niven in spring 2022 and shaped as if needing the run after 18-month absence when fourth of 5 in novice hurdle at Newton Abbot (16.8f, heavy) on hurdles bow 12 days ago. Interesting to see what market makes of her now.

Form: 3/4

Non-Runners

Book Of Verse³⁵

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: S-J Davies J: Cillin Leonard

Gentle Victor¹⁴¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Wordsworth (10/11), Easter Junction (9/4), Wise Guy (13/2), Tune In A Box (11/1), Black Occ (14/1), Chantilly Rose (14/1), Gentle Victor (50/1), Fat Harry (66/1), Specialagent Mcgee (100/1), Book Of Verse (100/1)

WORDSWORTH would be hard to oppose on the form of his hurdling debut second even without acknowledging the quality he showed on the Flat, so is a strong fancy to get the better of hurdles debutant Easter Junction and Black Occ, who made an encouraging start at Worcester last month.