19:50 Stratford

Thursday 9 May 2024

All16:4017:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:20

Join Racing TV Now Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 19:52 | Winning time: 4m 25.80s

Fandabidozi^p,t³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Lily Pinchin| T: G Hanmer| OR: 100

14/1

Posted some fair efforts in defeat last summer but he was well held returned to this sphere (fit from the Flat) at Huntingdon last month.

Form: 433247-

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The Sad Shepherd¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph| OR: 97

12/1

Point winner who was runner-up in 2m Perth maiden hurdle on final start for Stuart Crawford last June. No show both starts for new yard, though, and others make more appeal.

Form: 4/PU267-

Dixie Flyer^b1²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: R P McLernon| T: S Curran| OR: 93

25/1

Fair form at best when trained by Henry de Bromhead, but he's 0-15 over hurdles and hopes here are very much pinned on the first-time blinkers sparking improvement.

Form: 800070-

Basman Palace^t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Elizabeth Gale⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Gray| OR: 91

12/1

Hasn't pulled up any trees in his 5 starts over hurdles, albeit his latest fourth in a 12-runner Taunton handicap (16.5f, soft) wasn't a bad effort. Shapes as though this stiffer test will suit and he's an each-way candidate.

Form: 770344-

Amalfi Bay^t⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Ben Godfrey| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 87

8/1

Fair Flat winner who got back on track following a breathing op when second of 7 in a novice hurdle at Exeter (18.5f, good) in October. Beaten a long way out on subsequent handicap debut in this sphere at Taunton but he's probably worth another chance.

Form: 562P-

Silverbridge¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 94

11/4

Showed fair form in pair of 1½m maidens on Flat for John Joseph Murphy in Ireland. Initial efforts in this sphere were low key but upped his game when third of 10 on recent handicap debut at Bangor (16.7f) and could be a factor if able to build on that.

Form: 433-

El Vigaro¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Stan Sheppard| T: M Sheppard| OR: 83

12/1

Unplaced both starts in Irish points and only poor form shown over hurdles to date.

Form: 76408-

Ceejaybe^p,t¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Miss J S Davis| OR: 90

18/1

Produced his best effort to date over hurdles when second at Huntingdon in February but hasn't come close to matching that in 2 subsequent starts.

Form: 33P265-

Charming Getaway⁶²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 78WS

4/1

Didn't show much in a bumper/half-a-dozen starts over hurdles for Kim Bailey and best watched here following a 20-month absence/wind op on debut for new yard.

Form: 669986/

Haafback^h,t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Bradley Harris⁽³⁾| T: Mrs E Bishop| OR: 71

8/1

Lightly-raced maiden hurdler who left his previous form behind when second on handicap debut at Kempton (2m, good) 17 days ago. Wouldn't be without a chance if able to build on that here.

Form: 99/P992-

James Baie^b1¹²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: David Noonan| T: M Young| OR: 68

7/1

Hasn't shown much at all in his 4 runs over hurdles and looks up against it from 6 lb out of the weights here. Blinkers applied.

Form: 6/300P0-

Non-Runners

Military Tycoon⁵³

Weight: 10-12| Age: 4

T: N P Mulholland J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Forecasts

Silverbridge (11/4), Charming Getaway (4/1), Military Tycoon (5/1), James Baie (7/1), Amalfi Bay (8/1), Haafback (8/1), The Sad Shepherd (12/1), El Vigaro (12/1), Basman Palace (12/1), Fandabidozi (14/1), Ceejaybe (18/1), Dixie Flyer (25/1)

AMALFI BAY needs to bounce back from a disappointing display at Taunton but he appeared to be getting the hang of things when runner-up in a Exeter novice prior to that and is worth chancing in this open-looking contest. Silverbridge and Military Tycoon both have low mileage and are feared most in that order of preference, while Basman Palace and Haafback will also have chances if able to build on their latest improved efforts.