13:30 Warwick

Wednesday 22 November 2023

All12:2512:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Denis O'Connell Memorial 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:31 | Winning time: 4m 8.6s

Soldierofthestorm¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| CD

9/2

Promise in bumpers and made a winning start over hurdles in a C&D maiden in May. Well beaten under a penalty on his Ascot reappearance 18 days ago but he may strip fitter for the outing.

Form: 32-17

Brandt¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: Henry Oliver

150/1

Showed a bit in a couple of bumpers for Gordon Elliott but looks more one for handicaps judged on his 2 hurdles efforts for new yard this autumn.

Form: 62-80

Camino Rocio⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: G Brown

150/1

Half-brother to bumper winner/fairly useful hurdler Judicial Law. Fifth in maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe for Josh Halley in May but tailed off over 21f here for new yard 4 months later. Can only watch after that.

Form: 56

Crac De Megaudais²⁰

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

250/1

200/1, tailed off in Stratford novice on debut 3 weeks ago.

Form: 7

El Saviour⁵⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: L Wadham

4/1

Cost £80,000 after finishing runner-up on his sole start in Irish points in April 2022. It's taken a bit of time for new connections to get him back to the track but it'll still be interesting to see what the betting makes of him.

Form: 2/

Heard That¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Lewis Stones⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy

40/1

Runner-up in a point. Well-held fourth on Hexham bumper debut but showed more when eighth of 17 on C&D hurdle debut a fortnight ago, seeming to pay for a big move into contention and shaping better than the result. Open to progress but Act of Authority has to be considered the stable first string.

Form: 52-48

Jeteye²⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

28/1

Runner-up on his completed outing in Irish points and offered something to work on sent hurdling when fourth in a small-field novice at Haydock (2m) in March. One to note in the betting on return.

Form: 2F4-

Lunar Ocean²¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: P R Webber

200/1

Well beaten in 2 bumpers in the spring and best watched now hurdling after 7 months off.

Form: 06-

Myfanwy's Magic²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Atkins⁽¹⁰⁾| T: M Keighley

150/1

No real impact in a couple of bumpers earlier this year and well-held sixth on Ludlow hurdle debut 4 weeks ago.

Form: 58-6

One Eye On Vegas²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

17/2

Third on bumper debut in March 2021 but not seen again until finishing sixth in a Carlisle novice hurdle last month. Entitled to strip fitter now.

Form: 3/6

Bobbi's Beauty²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: M Keighley

66/1

Successful in an Irish point but down the field in a Cheltenham bumper and pulled up in a Stratford novice hurdle since switching to Rules.

Form: U10-P

Clararose²⁰

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

16/1

Runner-up on her final start in bumpers last season and encouraging third on C&D hurdle debut/reappearance last month. Well beaten at Stratford since but should be in the shake-up if back to the form she showed here.

Form: 602-35

Elle Est Beau¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Tristan Durrell⁽⁵⁾| T: D Skelton

150/1

More one for the longer term judged on her efforts in a bumper and 2 novice hurdles.

Form: 5-80

Spinnaker Blue¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: C J Todd| T: D Skelton

150/1

Half-sister to 3 winners but beaten a long way in a pair of novice hurdles this autumn.

Form: 69

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 55p in the pound

Non-Runners

Act Of Authority²⁶

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: O Murphy J: S Bowen

Forecasts

Act Of Authority (4/5), El Saviour (4/1), Soldierofthestorm (9/2), One Eye On Vegas (17/2), Clararose (16/1), Jeteye (28/1), Heard That (40/1), Bobbi's Beauty (66/1), Myfanwy's Magic (150/1), Elle Est Beau (150/1), Brandt (150/1), Spinnaker Blue (150/1), Camino Rocio (150/1), Lunar Ocean (200/1), Crac De Megaudais (250/1)

ACT OF AUTHORITY wasn't up to a Cheltenham Grade 2 last month but holds good claims with his sights lowered. Clararose and Soldierofthestorm bring C&D form to the table and might be the pair to give the selection most to do, although Irish point recruit El Saviour could also have a say in the battle for minor honours if the betting speaks for him.