12:40 Newbury

Thursday 9 November 2023

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

Agetur UK Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 4m 9.13s

Beny Nahar Road²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| BF

12/1

Fairly useful maiden on Flat. Too free when sixth of 8 in 2m handicap at Ascot in May on his first outing for Paul Nicholls. In need of experience when second in a novice at Wincanton on hurdling debut but should do better.

Form: 2

Bitsnbuckles¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: David England| T: O Murphy

150/1

Runner-up in a point and shaped as if better for the run sent hurdling on first outing since leaving Michael C. Griffin after 6 months off when ninth of 15 in a novice at Ludlow (15.8f, soft) two weeks ago.

Form: 4542-89

Celtic Ned²³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore

125/1

Closely related to 2 winners but pulled up in a novice at Kempton on hurdling debut. Has left Pat Phelan/off 7 months since.

Form: P-

Crypto Currency⁶⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Dylan Whelan⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle

16/1

Winning pointer who shaped encouragingly switched to a bumper when fifth at Sandown. Low-key start to hurdling career over C&D almost 2 years ago and hasn't been seen since. New yard.

Form: 3157/

Crystal Mer²⁰⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: P R Webber

80/1

Sea The Stars gelding who was a good fifth in a Cheltenham listed event on New Year's Day and confirmed he has a fair level of ability when 2 lengths second at Doncaster next time. Latest run was poor and off 6 months prior to this hurdling bow.

Form: 7526-

Good Lord¹⁷

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

100/1

Fair winner over 11f from 3 starts on Flat in Germany. Subsequently sold out of Marcel Weiss yard for €19,000 and not much encouragement so far over hurdles.

Form: 8-6

Jaxonne²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill

150/1

Offered little both starts under Rules and looks set for another struggle.

Form: 0-8

Joker De Mai²²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: Harry Derham

4/1

Useful chaser. 43/10, won 6-runner minor event chase at Auteuil (17.9f, soft). Off 7 months. Switches from chase to hurdles. First run for yard after leaving J. Delaunay. Solid claims back over hurdles for new yard.

Form: 662211-

King William Rufus³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon

18/1

Showed plenty when placed all 3 bumper outings last season and should improve for his initial experience of hurdling at Uttoxeter a month ago. Not dismissed.

Form: 232-6

Onewayortother³⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: T Lawes| BF| D

22/1

Gambled on and looked potentially useful when landing a Kempton bumper early in 2022. Testing conditions perhaps against him when pulled up on hurdles debut last November and he's bound to do better in time, albeit the ground is unlikely to be much quicker here.

Form: 1/P-

Willmount²⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

1/3

Expensive winning pointer who followed suit on both bumper outings and is firmly expected to maintain his unbeaten record switched to hurdling.

Form: 1/11-

I'm On My Way⁵⁹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: R P McLernon| T: N P Mulholland

250/1

Not seen since last of 10 in novice hurdle at Chepstow on NH debut 19 months ago and can only be watched here.

Form: S3P0/

Tooting¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Bryan Carver| T: N P Mulholland

200/1

Out of a winning hurdler but little encouragement at Plumpton on hurdling debut.

Form: 8

Forecasts

Willmount (1/3), Joker De Mai (4/1), Beny Nahar Road (12/1), Crypto Currency (16/1), King William Rufus (18/1), Onewayortother (22/1), Crystal Mer (80/1), Good Lord (100/1), Celtic Ned (125/1), Bitsnbuckles (150/1), Jaxonne (150/1), Tooting (200/1), I'm On My Way (250/1)

WILLMOUNT has created a good impression in winning all 3 starts (point on first occasion) to date and he's likely to make it four from four switched to hurdling. Beny Nahar Road is open to improvement and Joker de Mai is of interest on British debut.