13:30 Exeter

Friday 8 December 2023

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

British Stallion Studs EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

4YO to 6YO | Class 4 | 2m 161y | 16 Runners | Turf

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls

Fairly useful in bumpers and he shaped well on the back of a wind op when fifth of 8 in novice hurdle (7/2) at Hereford (19.7f, good) on hurdles bow 32 days ago. Can take a step forward.

Form: 25-5

Benville Bridge⁶³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs F M Shaw

200/1, sixth of 12 in bumper at Wincanton (15.2f, good to soft) on NH debut. Off 21 months ahead of his hurdles debut.

Form: 6/

Golden Ambition²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling

Made a promising start over hurdles when fourth of 10 in novice (80/1) at Lingfield (19.5f, soft) 24 days ago. Can do better.

Form: 0-4

Letthedustsettle²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: T Lacey

Successful on his sole outing in points and has shaped with promise on both runs in this sphere, third of 8 in novice hurdle (9/2) at Uttoxeter (15.8f, heavy) 20 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 1-63

Meraki Mist⁴⁰⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Simon Earle

200/1, pulled up in novice hurdle at Chepstow (16f, good to soft) on hurdles bow, tailed off when pulled up 3 out. Off 13 months.

Form: 8/5P-

Mistymal³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

100/1, pulled up in novice hurdle at Chepstow (19.4f, soft) on hurdles bow 38 days ago. This winning pointer needs to take a big step forward.

Form: 541-3P

Moorefields²⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: C J Down

Mahler gelding. Dam fairly useful hurdle winner around 2m (stayed 2½m). Placed in Irish points so he's a considered newcomer.

Form: 344-

Nordic Storm

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: J Tizzard

£45,000 3-y-o. Norse Dancer gelding. Dam, bumper winner/placed over hurdles, is a half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/very smart chaser (2m-2½m winner) Kadarann and useful hurdler (stayed 3m) Kadara. Much respected newcomer.

Form:

Pride Of Paris²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: V R A Dartnall

Lightly-raced maiden who posted a very good fourth of 11 in novice hurdle (6/1) at Taunton (19f, good to soft) 22 days ago. Possibilities.

Form: 75-74

Royal Defender^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe

Point winner who showed fair form when third of 8 in novice hurdle at Lingfield (16f, good to soft) 17 days ago. No forlorn hope.

Form: 15B-93

Royal Jewel²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White

Runner-up in an Irish point and he hinted at promise when fifth of 15 in novice hurdle (18/1) over C&D 28 days ago. Open to progress.

Form: 7-225

Spirits Bay²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jordan Nailor| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

A useful bumper winner who made a promising start over hurdles when second in 2m Sandown maiden last month. He looks very much the one to beat with improvement on the cards.

Form: 131-2

Storming Nelson²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner

Not knocked about when eighth of 15 in novice hurdle at this C&D (soft, 200/1) on NH debut 28 days ago. Can build on it now.

Form: 5P-658

Time Theft³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryan Carver| T: N P Mulholland

Runner-up sole start in points but pulled up in novice hurdle at Wetherby (19.7f, soft, 66/1) on NH debut 34 days ago. In good hands and should still do better in this sphere.

Form: 2/P

Larchmont Lass^h²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls

Useful form when winning listed bumper at Sandown in March and she resumed with a good fifth in similar company at Cheltenham last month. Interesting hurdling debutante.

Form: 321-5

Sammy's Guarantee^h1,t²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey

Runner-up sole outing in point bumpers. Has shown ability when in mid-field in a pair of novice hurdles this autumn but will need improvement if she's to get her head in front.

Form: 2-76

Forecasts

Spirits Bay (7/4), Larchmont Lass (11/2), Letthedustsettle (7/1), Banteer (7/1), Royal Defender (8/1), Golden Ambition (10/1), Pride Of Paris (10/1), Nordic Storm (12/1), Royal Jewel (12/1), Moorefields (33/1), Sammy's Guarantee (50/1), Benville Bridge (66/1), Mistymal (66/1), Meraki Mist (100/1), Storming Nelson (100/1), Time Theft (100/1)

Useful bumper scorer SPIRITS BAY rates a sure-fire winner in this sphere on the back of a promising debut second at Sandown and rates a confident choice to go one better before tackling better company. Paul Nicholls' hurdling newcomer Larchmont Lass brings plenty of potential too and can chase home Nigel Twiston-Davies' exciting prospect ahead of fellow-debutant Nordic Storm.