13:45 Stratford

Thursday 2 November 2023

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:05

EBF And Traffic Lights Jamie 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Off time: 13:46 | Winning time: 4m 8.32s

Macanogue¹⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 115| D

17/2

Improved when landing a gamble in 14-runner maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan (2m, good to soft) in May and since sold out of Luke Comer's yard for £30,000. Will probably need to improve in order to defy a penalty on debut for new yard.

Form: P0/959-1

Bowenspark²⁰¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R Patrick| T: H D Daly| D

4/9

Won first 2 starts in bumpers last term and wasn't beaten far into fourth in a 20-runner Grade 2 event at Aintree when last seen in April. Doesn't appear to be entirely straightforward, but he's clearly talented and will surely go close if his jumping holds up now switched to hurdles.

Form: 1144-

Crac De Megaudais

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: T R Gretton

200/1

Saddex colt. Half-brother to modest hurdler/chaser Fly de Megaudais. Doesn't appeal as a probable first-time-out winner on paper.

Form:

Damarta^h⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy

14/1

Though carrying over his headstrong tendencies from bumpers, he still caught the eye when just failing to snatch third on hurdling debut at Uttoxeter in May. Hasn't threatened in 2 starts so far this season, but potential remains and he will be particularly interesting when switched to handicaps.

Form: 43-457

Grain Trade²²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen| T: Billy Aprahamian

200/1

Sent off at 50/1 and finished out with the washing on debut in a Newbury bumper (16.3f, soft) during the spring (later found to be sore behind and showing signs of heat stress). Hard to warm to starting out over hurdles here.

Form: 0-

Lone Soldier³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton

66/1

Green sole outing in bumpers and shaped as if better for the run sent hurdling after 9 months off (had breathing op) when eighth of 11 at Newton Abbot (16.8f, soft). Capable of better, albeit it's likely that he'll be seen in a better light in handicaps later on. Harry Skelton prefers Clararose.

Form: 6-8

Thatza Dazzler^h²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: C Brace| T: D Brace

125/1

Didn't show much in a couple of bumpers for Fergal O'Brien last term, and no show on yard/hurdles debut in a first-time hood (retained) when returning to action at Chepstow.

Form: 55-9

Clararose²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

12/1

Runner-up on the third of her 3 starts in bumpers last season and, following a wind op during the summer, she resumed with an encouraging third of 10 on hurdles debut at Warwick (2m, good). Likely to benefit from a stiffer test in time, but leading claims here all the same.

Form: 602-3

Realisation³⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon

10/3

Picked up for £130,000 after finishing second on sole start between the flags and she did the job well when making a winning Rules debut in a bumper at Bangor (16.7f, soft) last October. That form looks decent (second and third have both won since) and she's of strong interest now hurdling.

Form: 2/1-

Forecasts

Bowenspark (4/9), Realisation (10/3), Macanogue (17/2), Clararose (12/1), Damarta (14/1), Lone Soldier (66/1), Thatza Dazzler (125/1), Crac De Megaudais (200/1), Grain Trade (200/1)

Bumper winners REALISATION and Bowenspark both make plenty of appeal now tackling hurdles, and while the latter is greatly respected on the strength of his effort at the Aintree Grand National meeting in April, Realisation is marginally preferred. She was pretty impressive when landing a bumper at Bangor last year and is a potentially useful recruit to this sphere. Clararose looks the pick of those with hurdles experience, given that Damarta is likely to come into his own in handicaps later on.