12:58 Hereford

Thursday 4 January 2024

All12:5813:2813:5814:2814:5815:2815:58

Bet 10 Get 10 At PlanetSportBet Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:58 | Winning time: 5m 3.62s

Lelant³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Isabel Williams| T: Evan Williams| OR: 105

12/1

Some promise in maiden/novice hurdles and improved at the second time of asking in handicaps when going down only narrowly at Taunton (19f, good to soft) in November. Need considering.

Form: 672-U62

La Gomera⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Harriet Tucker⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Hales| OR: 105

9/1

Point winner who finished runner-up for the second time over hurdles in a C&D maiden in November. Opening mark demands improvement but she is unexposed.

Form: 12P4-42

Max's Champ²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Toby Wynne| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 103

20/1

Point winner in March 2022. Runner-up in a C&D maiden last spring but well below that level in 3 handicaps since returning to action. Remains to be seen whether a return to this venue sparks a revival.

Form: U62-0P6

Talimar Pearl^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Freddie Gingell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 100

7/2

Runner-up in handicaps on his latest 3 starts, the latest after a break at Fontwell 23 days ago. Ought to be thereabouts again.

Form: 5992-22

I Got Stung⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Jack Hogan| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 99

9/1

Better with each start in 2m novice hurdles. While his opening mark isn't obviously generous he should have more to offer now stepping up in trip.

Form: 65-54

Ede'iffs Rock¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis⁽³⁾| T: W G M Turner| OR: 97

15/2

Consistent sort who has been placed on all 3 outings since switching to handicap company. Another who should have a part to play.

Form: 9-22233

Rick Blaine^t¹⁸³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Lily Pinchin| T: S Lycett| OR: 97

33/1

Modest Flat winner who showed similar form when third in 2m maiden/novice hurdles at Worcester during the summer. Switches to handicap company for the first time in this sphere back from 6 months off.

Form: 33

Regally Blonde^t⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Tristan Durrell| T: B I Case| OR: 96WS

40/1

Fairly useful Flat winner in Ireland for Andrew Oliver. Yet to get near that level over hurdles, travelling well but not finding much when sixth of 11 on 2m Doncaster handicap debut 7 weeks ago. Has undergone wind surgery since.

Form: U653-6

Propelled²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Freddie Gordon⁽³⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 95

11/1

From a top yard but it's been all downhill since finishing second on his Huntingdon hurdle debut in March 2022, fading into a remote sixth in 3m Ludlow handicap on reappearance 29 days ago.

Form: 2/646P-5

Nimbus Boy^t1⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Ned Fox| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 89

6/1

Little sign of ability in Ireland for Paul Nolan. Remote fifth in 2m course maiden hurdle on his first outing for this stable but a return to handicap company provides him with a more realistic chance.

Form: 0/0000-5

Libor Lad^t³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Fergus Gillard| T: David Dennis| OR: 87| D

4/1

Showed improved form to get off the mark in 8-runner handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter 39 days ago. On the upgrade and not taken lightly despite a 6 lb rise.

Form: 060-221

Silver Atom³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Alice Stevens| T: A Watson| OR: 80

16/1

Poor maiden hurdler for Ben Pauling but has won on the Flat for this yard since and made a sound return to hurdles when third of 13 over C&D at the end of November. Considered.

Form: 756P-83

Non-Runners

One Man Party¹³³

Weight: 10-2| Age: 7

T: D G Bridgwater J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Talimar Pearl (7/2), Libor Lad (4/1), Nimbus Boy (6/1), Ede'iffs Rock (15/2), La Gomera (9/1), I Got Stung (9/1), Propelled (11/1), Lelant (12/1), Silver Atom (16/1), Max's Champ (20/1), One Man Party (20/1), Rick Blaine (33/1), Regally Blonde (40/1)

SILVER ATOM made a reasonable return to hurdles when keeping on from too far back for third over C&D in November and is given a chance to build on that. Lelant, Libor Lad and the unexposed I Got Stung head the many possible dangers in a competitive opener.