11:40 Doncaster

Saturday 16 December 2023

All11:4012:1512:5013:2514:0514:4015:15

bet365 Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 11:40 | Winning time: 4m 11.00s

Cofficionado^t¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-4| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

9/1

Well held in Haydock maiden on sole start on Flat in September 2022 and has performed to only a modest level at best in 2 juvenile hurdles this season. Needs improvement.

Form: 43

Havanazam⁸⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 11-4| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T SymondsWS

12/1

Fair on Flat (stays 11f) for Andrew Balding. Has had wind surgery ahead of this hurdle debut. One to note in the betting.

Form:

Kado De Joie²⁰²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-4| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson

11/8

€105,000 after finished 2¼ lengths fourth (promoted to third) in a maiden bumper at Vichy in May. Interesting recruit for the Nicky Henderson yard.

Form: 3

Running The Game^t²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 11-4| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore| BF

8/1

Fair maiden on Flat in France (third once from 3 starts). Stopped quickly when distant third of 4 on his Fontwell hurdle debut last month but the fact he went off at 5/6 suggests he's well regarded. Could prove a different proposition now.

Form: 3

Whispering Royal⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

15/8

Fair Flat winner who made a sound start to his hurdle career when third of 11 at Wincanton at the end of October. The first 2 in that race are useful and he's a major player with improvement on the cards.

Form: 3

Wilpena Pound⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-4| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: J R Jenkins

200/1

Little form on the Flat. Would be a shock winner on hurdle debut.

Form:

Rue De La Mer¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 10-11| J: C J Todd| T: D Skelton

22/1

Fair maiden on the Flat in France for Fabrice Vermeulen but made an unpromising start to her hurdle career for new yard when pulled up at Newbury earlier this month. Needs to leave that well behind.

Form: P

Ruler Of The River^t²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 10-11| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

18/1

Just a modest maiden on the Flat in Ireland for Jack Davison and likely didn't achieve much when 14 lengths second of 5 on his Leicester hurdle debut last month.

Form: 2

Non-Runners

Seahouses⁴¹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 3

T: F Brennan J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Kado De Joie (11/8), Whispering Royal (15/8), Running The Game (8/1), Cofficionado (9/1), Havanazam (12/1), Ruler Of The River (18/1), Seahouses (20/1), Rue De La Mer (22/1), Wilpena Pound (200/1)

It turns out WHISPERING ROYAL was up against a couple of really useful types when third at Wincanton so he's given a chance to build on that initial promise. Nicky Henderson French bumper recruit Kado de Joie would rate a big threat if the betting vibes are strong, while the fact that Running The Game went off at odds-on for his hurdle debut suggests he's thought capable of a lot better by a stable which does well with juveniles.