13:30 Wincanton

Thursday 23 November 2023

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Lenny Roberts Memorial Trophy Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 5m 21.80s

Il Pino³⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

13/8

€52,000 3-y-o, Coastal Path gelding. Dam unraced. Successful sole start in points (Dec 2022) and looks stable first string on jockey bookings.

Form: 1-

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Jail No Bail^t³³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A J Honeyball

40/1

Shaped with encouragement when fifth in a Chepstow bumper last November but had an irregular heartbeat when pulled up on hurdle debut there the following month and not seen since.

Form: 5P-

Katopop²⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Gearoid Harney⁽⁷⁾| T: S Hosie

100/1

Runner-up completed start in points but made an unpromising start to his Rules career when pulled up in a novice hurdle at Taunton 9 months ago.

Form: 2FP-

Lord Of Thunder⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard

11/2

Runner-up on his sole outing between the flags and was picked up for six figures subsequently. Shaped better than bare result when third in a Stratford bumper in April and faced a stiff task sent hurdling in Chepstow Grade 2 6 months later. Should do better.

Form: 23-P

Pentire Head²³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls

3/1

Fetched €145,000 as a 3-y-o and showed plenty of ability when placed all 3 starts in bumpers last season, despite not looking totally straightforward. Harry Cobden prefers Il Pino, though.

Form: 322-

Ri Na Cuirte²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: Ben Clarke

10/1

From the family of very smart staying chaser Nil Desperandum. Finished runner-up on the second of 2 starts in Irish points and shaped with some encouragement when fifth of 15 in a Chepstow maiden (19.4f) on Rules debut 23 days ago.

Form: 62-5

Rockwiththetimes³⁶¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

8/1

£50,000 5-y-o, Shirocco gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including smart hurdler/useful chaser Movewiththetimes and smart 2¼m hurdle winner Venture Capital, stayed 2¾m. Off mark in Irish points at second attempt (Nov 2022). Interesting Rules newcomer.

Form: P/1-

Sparkling Duke²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁵⁾| T: J Tizzard

15/2

Half-brother to 5 winners, including fairly useful hurdler/smart chaser Wounded Warrior and offered plenty more than on his sole start in bumpers when fourth on last month's Aintree hurdle debut (20f). Yard going well and he ought to improve.

Form: 0-4

Thirtyfour Thirty¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: James Best| T: S Hosie

22/1

Fairly useful bumper winner for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the summer but below that level both starts over hurdles. Needs this run for a handicap mark.

Form: 21264

Non-Runners

Idefix De Ciergues³⁹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: Miss R Curtis J: G Sheehan

Forecasts

Il Pino (13/8), Pentire Head (3/1), Lord Of Thunder (11/2), Idefix De Ciergues (6/1), Sparkling Duke (15/2), Rockwiththetimes (8/1), Ri Na Cuirte (10/1), Thirtyfour Thirty (22/1), Jail No Bail (40/1), Katopop (100/1)

IL PINO was successful on his sole outing in points and it looks significant Harry Cobden has chosen to ride him rather than his stablemate Pentire Head, who has shown a decent level of form in bumpers. Sparkling Duke has a good pedigree and should build on his opening effort over hurdles at Aintree, while winning-pointer Rockwiththetimes and Idefix de Ciergues add further spice to the race.