13:53 Wetherby

Wednesday 18 October 2023

All13:5314:2514:5815:3316:0816:4017:15

Alfred Brown Worsted Mills Ltd Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:53 | Winning time: 4m 48.1s

Ask My Heather^h,t¹⁰

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

250/1

Well held all 4 starts in bumpers and fared no better on back of wind op/6 months off when pulled up on hurdles bow at Kelso (20.9f) 10 days ago. Can only be watched.

Form: 4080-P

Bob Bob Ricard¹⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill

11/8

5-y-o who displayed promise all 3 starts in bumpers, chasing home a promising Rock House at Huntingdon (15.8f) back in April. No reason why he won't make his mark over hurdles and one to consider back from 6 months off.

Form: 3/32-

Coup De Coeur⁴⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss Becky Smith| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 118

12/1

Fairly useful maiden hurdler/chaser in France who ran up to his best in this sphere when 6 lengths third (promoted to second) of 8 in handicap at La Teste (16.9f) on final start in June 2022. Starts out for new yard now and interesting what the market makes of him.

Form: 564/683-

Empty Nest¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

200/1

Maiden Irish pointer who made a discouraging start to his Rules career when pulled up in a Hexham novice hurdle (16.2f) 12 days ago, losing touch end of backstraight.

Form: U83-9P

Indian Sunbird³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: Sara Ender| OR: 96

50/1

Fair form at best when placed twice in bumpers but hasn't run to same level over hurdles, albeit hampered when unseating early on in a Uttoxeter maiden (20f) 5 weeks ago. Still, likely best watched here.

Form: 338-4FU

Magical Arthur^t¹⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby

50/1

Imposing sort who makes some appeal on pedigree and he offered more than previously when fifth of 11 in bumper at Newcastle (16.9f) back in May. Interesting what the market makes of him now attentions switch to timber.

Form: 95-5

Paddy O'Mahler¹⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

7/1

Mahler gelding who made a bright start to his career when placed in a pair of course bumpers earlier this year and may have found relatively quick turnaround against him when fifth at Hexham (16.2f) on final outing in April. Longer trip promises to suit now switched to hurdles.

Form: 325-

Jaxonne²⁰⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

80/1

Free Port Lux gelding. 22/1, offered little when tailed-off last of 19 in bumper at Newbury (16.3f, soft) on debut in March. Goes hurdling now but yard look to hold much stronger claims with Bob Bob Ricard.

Form: 0-

My Chiquita^h¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁷⁾| T: B Brookhouse| D

13/8

Fair handicapper on Flat (stays 1¾m) and perfect start over hurdles when off the mark in a Sedgefield maiden (19.8f) 15 days ago, just shaken up to assert. Open to improvement with that under her belt.

Form: 1

Arctic Fox⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Quinlan| T: M Todhunter| BF

7/1

Fairly useful stayer on the Flat who completed for first time over hurdles when runner-up in a mares' maiden at Bangor (16.6f) 6 weeks ago, not recover having lost momentum at the last. Likely she can do better still in this sphere.

Form: P/F2

Riccirella^h,t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

150/1

Showed fair form when reaching the frame in a pair of Southwell bumpers in June, but offered little on Flat debut at Carlisle the following month and no short-term promise in couple of hurdle tries subsequently. Probably one for low-grade handicaps in due course.

Form: P32R7

Non-Runners

Mount Falcon¹⁸⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: T Reed J: Harry Reed

Globe Player²⁰²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: S Edmunds J: C Gethings

Forecasts

Bob Bob Ricard (11/8), My Chiquita (13/8), Paddy O'Mahler (7/1), Arctic Fox (7/1), Globe Player (15/2), Coup De Coeur (12/1), Mount Falcon (25/1), Magical Arthur (50/1), Indian Sunbird (50/1), Jaxonne (80/1), Riccirella (150/1), Empty Nest (200/1), Ask My Heather (250/1)

BOB BOB RICARD has displayed promise all 3 starts in bumpers, last seen chasing home another promising sort in the shape of Rock House at Huntingdon in the spring and, in a novice hurdle lacking a great deal of depth, he gets the vote to come out on top. Sedgefield-scorer My Chiquita and Arctic Fox head up the dangers, with another hurdles debutant Paddy O'Mahler another worth a look.