13:20 Ascot

Friday 22 December 2023

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Howden Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:20 | Winning time: 5m 17.81s

Bob Bob Ricard^b1⁶⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| BF

18/1

5-y-o who displayed promise all 3 starts in bumpers and positive start over hurdles when second in a Wetherby novice (19.7f) in October, inexperience getting the better of him late on. Blinkers on for 1st time and entitled to do better.

Form: 3/32-2

Havock⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

50/1

Showed fair form on the first 2 of 3 bumpers outings and went like the best horse at the weights when second of 6 on Stratford hurdle debut, but that was a very ordinary affair.

Form: 045-2

Ideal Des Bordes²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

8/1

Won his sole start in points and shaped promisingly behind a pair of subsequent winners in a Warwick bumper in May and did the same sent hurdling when filling same pot in a 10-runner maiden here (19.3f) 4 weeks ago. Likely to improve but has a fair bit of ground to make up with Welcom To Cartries.

Form: 1-33

Leader In The Park²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling

10/3

Cost £250,000 after making a winning start to his point career in February and shaped promisingly when second in 5-runner C&D novice 27 days ago. Open to improvement.

Form: 1-2

Monks Meadow³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 108

33/1

Runner-up on his completed start in Irish points and has made an encouraging start over hurdles, shaping better than the distance beaten suggests when third at Kempton (21f) 39 days ago, weakening run-in. This looks tougher, though.

Form: F-2223

Nineelmspark⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: C Brace| T: F O'Brien

200/1

Finished down the field in a pair of bumpers for Thomas Gallagher. Has transferred to a good stable but this is a tough starting point over hurdles.

Form: 60

Rockwiththetimes²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

150/1

Off mark in Irish points at second attempt (Nov 2022) but was well held starting out under Rules in a Wincanton novice hurdle 29 days ago. Probably needs more time.

Form: P/1-7

Silver Jet^t1²⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: H Fry

8/1

£125,000 5-y-o, Jet Away gelding. Dam ran twice on Flat in France. Runner-up sole start in Irish points in March and is an interesting newcomer to Rules. Wears tongue strap.

Form: 2-

Welcom To Cartries²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

4/6

No Risk At All gelding. Easy winner of sole start in Irish points (Dec 2022) and, on the back of a breathing operation, shaped with plenty of encouragement when second in 10-runner maiden at this course (19.3f, good) 4 weeks ago, edged out final 50 yds. Sure to progress and holds leading claims.

Form: 1-2

Oneforthefairgreen⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: M Keighley

125/1

Showed fair form on 2 of her 4 starts in bumpers for Stephen Gerard Carey. Significantly up in trip for hurdle/stable debut.

Form: 93-72

Non-Runners

Meetmeatthearch²⁸

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: R Rowe J: Non Runner

Sonification⁴²²

Weight: 11-4| Age: 5

T: Harry Derham J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Welcom To Cartries (4/6), Leader In The Park (10/3), Ideal Des Bordes (8/1), Silver Jet (8/1), Bob Bob Ricard (18/1), Sonification (25/1), Monks Meadow (33/1), Havock (50/1), Meetmeatthearch (100/1), Oneforthefairgreen (125/1), Rockwiththetimes (150/1), Nineelmspark (200/1)

WELCOME TO CARTRIES shaped with plenty of promise when just touched off on his hurdling debut here 4 weeks ago and is an obvious choice to go one better with improvement on the cards. Leader In The Park and Ideal des Bordes head up the opposition in an interesting maiden.