15:08 Worcester

Wednesday 16 October 2024

All14:0814:3815:0815:3816:0816:3817:10

Sri Lanka Paradise Island Open Maiden NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:08 | Winning time: 4m 7.31s

Blue Bellamy

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Bannister| T: R Bandey

18/1

Black Sam Bellamy gelding. Dam (h123) 2½m/21f hurdle winner, also 13.5f winner on Flat in France. Maiden Irish pointer, third last time (Dec 2023). Needs considering.

Form:

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Escapologist¹⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Joe Ponting

125/1

Once-raced maiden. 66/1, seventh of 12 in bumper at Fontwell (17.7f, good) on NH debut 153 days ago.

Form: 7

Sun Art^h1

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Liam Harrison| T: F O'Brien

9/1

€65,000 3-y-o, Masked Marvel gelding. Dam unplaced sole start over hurdles in France. A likely player on his debut for leading yard. Wears hood.

Form:

Aim Straight

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: N de Boinville| T: D M Simcock

14/1

Australia gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful 1¼m-1½m winner Aiming High. Dam, 1m-1¼m winner, half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 2¾m) Rossvoss. Market can guide.

Form:

Cauvicourt²⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Miss H C Knight

25/1

Once-raced maiden. 16/1, eighth of 12 in bumper at Huntingdon (15.8f, heavy) on NH debut. Off 8 months with work to do.

Form: 8-

King Of Highways²¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon

20/1

Once-raced maiden. Ninth of 15 in bumper at Kempton (16f, good to soft, 9/1) on NH debut. Off 7 months.

Form: 9-

Kingsley

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Benjamin Macey⁽¹⁰⁾| T: J & A O'Neill

13/2

€86,000 3-y-o, Jeu St Eloi gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler/chaser Fest Deiz and fair hurdler/chase winner Gerard Mentor. Not ruled out on his debut.

Form:

Mask Of Zorro¹⁹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard

11/1

Once-raced maiden. Fourth of 7 in bumper at Plumpton (17.8f, good to soft, 6/1) on NH debut. Off 6 months with more needed.

Form: 4-

Ocean Walz¹⁹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: D A Jacob| T: T Symonds

7/2

Fair form shown when runner-up in bumpers at Hereford and Plumpton in the spring. Off 6 months but must enter calculations.

Form: 22-

Start Again³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien

9/2

11/2, shaped well on his yard debut when second of 8 in bumper at this C&D (good) 30 days ago. Very much one to consider.

Form: 7P2

Tormund Giantsbane²⁰⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

3/1

€22,000 3-y-o, Mount Nelson gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to smart hurdler (stayed 25f) Roksana. Won his sole start in points (March 2024) and of obvious interest on his debut for top yard.

Form: 1-

Lily's Ruby

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Tom Cannon| T: Mrs S J Humphrey

200/1

Nayef mare. Dam fairly useful 2m-19f hurdle winner. Betting can prove a good indicator.

Form:

Forecasts

Tormund Giantsbane (3/1), Ocean Walz (7/2), Start Again (9/2), Kingsley (13/2), Sun Art (9/1), Mask Of Zorro (11/1), Aim Straight (14/1), Blue Bellamy (18/1), King Of Highways (20/1), Cauvicourt (25/1), Escapologist (125/1), Lily's Ruby (200/1)

The market should reveal plenty but TORMUND GIANTSBANE landed his only start in points so is taken to make a winning start for the Skeltons now. Fergal O'Brien saddles two interesting contenders in Start Again and Sun Art and they can chase home the selection in that order. Kingsley completes the shortlist.