13:40 Uttoxeter

Friday 26 July 2024

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:35

Brit Direct Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 3m 51.66s

Guard Duty^h¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 114| CD

1/1

Bumper in winner in late 2022 who left his hurdling debut form behind in a first-time hood when landing a 9-runner C&D novice 17 days ago, drawing clear on the run-in. May do better still and could be up to defying a penalty.

Form: 13/41

Bowling Buddy⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy

4/1

£20,000 6-y-o, Ask gelding. Dam unraced sister to fairly useful hurdler (2¼m winner) Oscar Chimes. Won second of 2 starts in Irish points in May and has joined a good yard. Interesting, especially if supported in the betting.

Form: 4-1

Burrows Close

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

50/1

Dabirsim gelding. Half-brother to 2 winners on Flat, including 6f winner Burrows Seeside. Dam French 5f-6.5f winner. Market for clues.

Form:

Connolly¹⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: James Best| T: S-J Davies

200/1

Well held in bumpers/maiden hurdle (bled on final outing). First run for yard after leaving Emma Lavelle.

Form: 08/97-

Dark Soldier³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Sheila Lewis

150/1

Tailed off both starts over hurdles 6 days apart.

Form: F2P6-88

Virtual Rock^t1¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: James Bowen| T: R Eddery

6/4

Useful on the Flat in France for S. Kobayashi and showed he retains some of that ability sent hurdling when 5 lengths second of 9 to Guard Duty in a C&D novice (soft) 17 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time and may do better.

Form: 2

Wheresmemoneygone⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Hammond| T: M Young

250/1

Unpromising in points and was pulled up in a maiden hurdle at Southwell (20.4f, good) on Rules debut 45 days ago, losing place fifth. Down in trip.

Form: F-4P

Line Out⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: L Morgan

200/1

Unplaced completed start in points and shaped with no encouragement when pulled up in maiden hurdle at Southwell (20.4f, soft) on NH debut 52 days ago, struggling leaving back straight. Down in trip.

Form: P6-P

Baby Evie^t⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlotte Jones| T: James Moffatt

50/1

Looks one for the longer term.

Form: P-F55

My Bobby's Lass^t1²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Mrs M Rowley

66/1

Looks one for low-grade handicaps later on. Tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 60-6

Traditude Tara^t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: C J Todd| T: P & M Bowen

80/1

Down the field in 2 maiden hurdles.

Form: 207-76

Habibi^h²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: J Coulson

200/1

Limited in bumpers and well held completed start over hurdles.

Form: 308-PU5

Molly Mischief²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: G Sheehan| T: J Candlish

12/1

Progressive in AW Flat handicaps this year, winning convincingly over 11f at Southwell in April. Possible testing ground was against her when pulled up on Southwell hurdle debut in May and she did show a bit more at Worcester 25 days ago.

Form: P4

Forecasts

Guard Duty (1/1), Virtual Rock (6/4), Bowling Buddy (4/1), Molly Mischief (12/1), Baby Evie (50/1), Burrows Close (50/1), My Bobby's Lass (66/1), Traditude Tara (80/1), Dark Soldier (150/1), Habibi (200/1), Connolly (200/1), Line Out (200/1), Wheresmemoneygone (250/1)

GUARD DUTY proved more settled in a first-time hood when running out a comfortable winner over C&D 17 days ago and, with the potential for further improvement, he's taken to defy a penalty and confirm his superiority over Virtual Rock. Bowling Buddy is an interesting Rules debutant having joined Olly Murphy following an Irish point win in May and strong market support for him would need taking seriously.