13:12 Uttoxeter

Tuesday 10 December 2024

All12:1212:4213:1213:4214:1214:4215:12

Happy 40th Birthday Leanne Heathcote Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 2)

Off time: 13:12 | Winning time: 4m 11.82s

Escape The Glory¹⁹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Kielan Woods| T: D J Jeffreys

150/1

Cityscape gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler All The Glory and fair hurdler The Accountant. Fourth sole start in point bumpers in May so he's a considered newcomer under Rules.

Form: 4

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Fingle Bridge⁷¹⁴

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

2/7

Fairly useful form when landing 10-runner bumper at Chepstow 23 months ago. Has his fitness to prove on his comeback/hurdles debut.

Form: 21/

Jumbo Mills¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

33/1

Has been brought along steadily, patiently ridden when ninth of 16 in novice hurdle (40/1) at Warwick (16f, soft) 19 days ago. Sort to do better in due course.

Form: 89

Kick For Touch³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White

40/1

Very green when a debut fifth of 10 in novice hurdle (22/1) at Ffos Las (15.8f, good to soft) 30 days ago. Can take a step forward.

Form: 5

Koukeo²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill

7/2

Runner-up in a bumper and he made a promising start in this sphere when second of 12 in novice hurdle at Carlisle (17.2f, good to soft, 4/1) 21 days ago. Big shout.

Form: 0-22

Leech⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Conor Ring| T: Evan Williams| D

66/1

Fairly useful bumper winner but failed to match that level when fifth of 7 in novice hurdle (12/1) at Leicester (15.5f, heavy) 9 days ago. Needs to take a step forward.

Form: 310-65

Malfoy Manor²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

15/2

Runner-up in a point and he took a big step forward when fourth of 12 in novice hurdle at Carlisle (17.2f, good to soft, 14/1) 21 days ago. Holds very good form claims.

Form: P/28-64

Soldier Dan⁵⁹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Reed| T: L Morgan

125/1

€45,000 3-y-o, £8,000 5-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Half-brother to fair hurdler/chaser Pennyforapound. Dam ran once in bumper. Placed in points in 2022/23. Possibilities.

Form: 3PP3F/

Damzon^b¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Benjamin Poste| T: H J Evans

150/1

Blinkered for 1st time, unseated rider 5th in novice hurdle (80/1) at Hereford (19.7f, good to soft) on hurdles bow 13 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 6-25U

Feet On The Ground¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien

50/1

In the frame in Irish points and set a lot to do when eighth of 10 in novice hurdle at this C&D (heavy) on NH debut 16 days ago. Can do better in the longer term.

Form: P-428

Non-Runners

Portobello Girl²⁴

Weight: 10-13| Age: 5

T: A Ralph J: Murray Dodd

Forecasts

Fingle Bridge (2/7), Koukeo (7/2), Malfoy Manor (15/2), Jumbo Mills (33/1), Kick For Touch (40/1), Feet On The Ground (50/1), Leech (66/1), Portobello Girl (100/1), Soldier Dan (125/1), Damzon (150/1), Escape The Glory (150/1)

The market could prove revealing here but KOUKEO shaped well when a debut hurdling second at Carlisle and can go one better with improvement on the cards from this son of Kapgarde. Malfoy Manor has the form to play a part and is next on the list with newcomers Soldier Dan and Fingle Bridge also worthy of respect.