13:15 Plumpton

Monday 22 January 2024

All13:1513:4514:1514:4515:2015:55

2023 RCA Groundstaff Champions Mares' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:16 | Winning time: 3m 54.38s

Allegro Forte⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Cannon| T: A KingWS

25/1

Displayed promise on bumper debut but well beaten in another bumper, an AW Flat maiden and C&D maiden hurdle since.

Form: 68-0

By The Grace³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson

7/2

Fair form when placed in 2 bumpers on good ground. That makes last month's Wincanton hurdle debut disappointing but she have might have been unsuited by the testing conditions. Could easily bounce straight back and play a prominent role.

Form: 238

Cams Girl⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: R L Llewellyn

200/1

150/1, tenth of 15 in novice hurdle (150/1) at Wincanton (15.2f, heavy) on debut 41 days ago. More one for the longer term judged on that.

Form: 0

Cheap Flights^t⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: G Sheehan| T: P R Webber

150/1

Remote third in maiden hurdle at Hereford (2m) before pulled up in novice hurdle at Huntingdon (19.5f, good to soft) in November. Outsider.

Form: 3P

Hey Day Baby^t²¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

80/1

£45,000 buy after making it fourth time lucky in Irish points. No significant impact in a bumper and 2 novice hurdles in the first half of 2023. Off 7 months. Might be more one for handicaps after this.

Form: 58179-7

Love Bite⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Freddie Gordon⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Henderson

20/1

In top hands but only modest form shown in 3 runs over hurdles, beating only one home at Market Rasen (20.6f, good to soft) 62 days ago.

Form: 57-F60

Sweet Fantasy¹²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: James Owen

11/4

Useful handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m) for Ralph Beckett. Interesting recruit to hurdles.

Form:

Tour Ovalie⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Isabel Williams⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

7/2

Progressive in bumpers, sixth of 15 to in listed event at Cheltenham in November. Beaten a long way on subsequent hurdles debut at Ffos Las (2m, heavy) and she'll need to leave that well behind to get competitive here,.

Form: 4-265

Villainess⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Bannister| T: R Bandey

15/8

Runner-up in a Newbury bumper for Jamie Snowden and she made a promising debut in this sphere after 11 months off when second at Lingfield (2m, good to soft) 42 days ago. Leading claims.

Form: 28-2

Ask Me Another³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Toby Wynne⁽³⁾| T: R L Llewellyn

125/1

Sent off at 40/1 when remote fifth of 7 on her Ludlow debut. Can only watch after that.

Form: 5

Non-Runners

Celtic Orla

Weight: 10-3| Age: 4

T: P Phelan J: N F Houlihan

Forecasts

Villainess (15/8), Sweet Fantasy (11/4), Tour Ovalie (7/2), By The Grace (7/2), Love Bite (20/1), Allegro Forte (25/1), Celtic Orla (25/1), Hey Day Baby (80/1), Ask Me Another (125/1), Cheap Flights (150/1), Cams Girl (200/1)

VILLAINESS made an encouraging start to her hurdle career when second at Lingfield last month and can go one better now. Sweet Fantasy would be a possible big threat if turning out, while By The Grace showed plenty of promise in bumpers and could easily leave her heavy-ground hurdle debut behind back on a sounder surface.