15:10 Chepstow

Tuesday 16 January 2024

All12:5513:3014:0514:3515:1015:4516:15

Always Gamble Responsibly At Vickers.Bet 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Absolute Steel²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey

No impact in a Market Rasen bumper and 2m course novice hurdle last month.

Form: 50

Ask Me Out⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

Pulled up in maiden/novice hurdles in November. Hard to make any sort of case for.

Form: PP

Broughshane²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill

Cost £150,000 after easily winning his sole start in Irish points. Well backed prior to running out approaching home turn on hurdle debut at Ascot last winter. Shaped as if needing run when 21 lengths third on C&D return 13 months later. Sure-fire improver for stable enjoying a good start to 2024.

Form: 1/R-3

Grand Escaparde⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: C Gethings| T: K Bailey & M NichollsWS

Limited encouragement in a course bumper and 2 Warwick novice hurdles. Has had wind surgery prior to this.

Form: 0-75

House Of Stories³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss R Curtis

Won a point in May 2021. It took a long time for new connections to get him to the track but he shaped with promise when second of 5 in a 2½m Ffos Las novice hurdle last month. Entitled to progress.

Form: 051/2

Johns Dream²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Finn Lambert⁽⁵⁾| T: Sheila Lewis

No show in a bumper and 2 novice hurdles in recent months.

Form: P-36P9

Just In A Bit³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Alex Edwards| T: Mrs M Rowley

Placed in points. 14/1, showed a bit when fourth of 6 in novice hurdle at Southwell (20.5f, soft) on Rules debut 30 days ago. May do better.

Form: 3-24

Mad Mike^b³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Hobbs & J White

Badly needed experience in sole bumper and has made no impact in a pair of Exeter novice hurdles, including in blinkers last time.

Form: 5-P5

Maximum Effort²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Davies| T: Noel Williams

Well held in 2 bumpers but offered more when fourth on his C&D hurdle debut 3 weeks ago, finishing just under 4 lengths behind the reopposing Broughshane.

Form: 9-04

Valfortore¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams

Distant sixth of 8 in bumper at Exeter on heavy-ground debut 15 days ago. Wastes no time switching to hurdles.

Form: 6

Non-Runners

Jaunty Belle¹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: D A Rees J: Non Runner

Forecasts

House Of Stories (1/1), Broughshane (7/4), Valfortore (7/1), Just In A Bit (10/1), Maximum Effort (14/1), Grand Escaparde (50/1), Mad Mike (66/1), Absolute Steel (66/1), Johns Dream (100/1), Jaunty Belle (100/1), Ask Me Out (100/1)

Jonjo O'Neill has made a flying start to 2024 and BROUGHSHANE is taken to build on his promising effort here on Welsh National day and provide him with another winner. Ffos Las runner-up House of Stories and Maximum Effort, who wasn't too far behind the selection last time, can give him most to do.