13:35 Hexham

Saturday 14 October 2023

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

Mick Blair Memorial Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:37 | Winning time: 4m 19.9s

Choose A Copper¹⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

2/5

£95,000 5-y-o, Well Chosen gelding. Half-brother to useful chaser Copper West, stayed 3m. Placed only completed start in points and represents in-form yard.

Form: UF-2

Endofconversation¹⁹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

18/1

£5,500 3-y-o, £10,000 5-y-o, Clovis Du Berlais gelding. Half-brother to unreliable bumper winner/fair hurdler Leaderofthedance. Dam unraced. Beaten 20 lengths by only finisher in his point during the spring.

Form: 2-

Knacker Trapper¹⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J Kington| T: A Crook

100/1

Minor promise in 3 starts in bumpers but bred to do better over obstacles.

Form: 944-

One Step Up¹⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards

11/1

Showed a bit more at Perth on second start in April but looks a handicap project.

Form: 08-

Rich Spirit⁴⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

80/1

Bred to be sharp but modest form in a brace of bumpers last summer.

Form: 55-

V Twelve¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Theo Gillard| T: M Todhunter

16/1

Fairly useful form on the Flat, stays 1¼m, improved when off the mark in 10f Windsor handicap a year ago. Runner-up completed start over hurdles last season but disappointing on the level since. Better expected now.

Form: U2-

Carrigeen Kali¹⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander

16/1

Hit the frame in a couple of bumpers from 4 starts last season. No surprise were she to need a stiffer test of stamina over obstacles.

Form: 9445-

Line In The Sand⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Jonathon Bewley| T: G Bewley

28/1

Showed more than she did in her sole bumper sent hurdling when sixth of 18 in maiden at Punchestown (22f) on final start for David Kenneth Budds. Drop to 17.2f looked against her starting out for this yard in August and trip has to be a concern again.

Form: 33-3967

You Some Girl^h¹⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Menzies| D

15/2

Fair bumper performer who wasn't seen to best effect when sixth of 13 in Wetherby novice (16f, soft) on hurdles bow in April. Never a factor over C&D later that month but has to be capable of better as a hurdler.

Form: 135068-

All Ways And Ever^t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: B S Hughes| T: V Thompson| OR: 99

25/1

Limited on the Flat and didn't achieve an awful lot despite finishing runner-up on second hurdles start at Limerick. Stable debut.

Form: 626

Forecasts

Choose A Copper (2/5), You Some Girl (15/2), One Step Up (11/1), Carrigeen Kali (16/1), V Twelve (16/1), Endofconversation (18/1), All Ways And Ever (25/1), Line In The Sand (28/1), Rich Spirit (80/1), Knacker Trapper (100/1)

This trip will probably be on the sharp side for CHOOSE A COPPER given his breeding but this isn't a deep race and this £95,000 point recruit looks the way to go. V Twelve should have more to offer as a hurdler this season and is feared most.