14:05 Hereford

Wednesday 11 December 2024

All12:3513:0513:3514:0514:3515:0715:37

Green Dragon Hotel Hereford Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 6m 25.56s

Imperial Storm¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr James Shaw⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 112

125/1

Bumper/ hurdles winner for Fergal O'Brien but off for 500 days prior to pulling up in a point in May and then ran poorly back under Rules in a Chepstow handicap hurdle for new yard last month.

Form: 2313/P0

Gris Majeur¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Ben Jones| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 111| C

6/1

Point/bumper winner who capitalised on falling mark when registering a third career success over hurdles at Hereford (21.7f) in October. Not in same form when fourth at Warwick but chase debut wasn't devoid of promise at Chepstow. Upped markedly in trip returned to timber.

Form: 62/7146

Grove Road^v¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁵⁾| T: James Owen| OR: 108| CD

3/1

Ended a losing run in a change of headgear in 10-runner handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot in July. Followed from a 4 lb higher mark back from a break at Huntingdon (25f, soft) recently and is clearly back on the up for his excellent yard. One to beat from revised mark.

Form: P-94P11

Mikimoto^p1²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: M Keighley| OR: 108| C

11/1

Successful only start in bumpers for Henry Daly. Promise over hurdles for new yard, runner-up first 2 starts and possibly needed the run after 10 months off when fourth in a Stratford maiden (22f) in October. Pitched in quite deep on handicap bow and offered little. Up in trip with cheekpieces on.

Form: 1/22-4P

Spitalfield¹⁹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Andrew Burke-ott⁽⁷⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 108

12/1

Opened his account in good style in 9-runner handicap hurdle at Ffos Las (23.9f, good) in May. Has never been a fluent jumper and he came unstuck over the fixed-brush obstacles when seventh of 9 a fortnight later.

Form: 4364-17

Drop Flight^p²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Ben Sutton⁽⁵⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 105

50/1

Landed 5-runner hunter at Exeter in March prior to falling early in the Foxhunters' Chase at Aintree the following month. Easily best effort for this yard when a keeping-on third over 20f at Carlisle in October but he was disappointing up in trip at Warwick latest. Cheekpieces applied.

Form: 1F-7837

Gustoso^p³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: H D Daly| OR: 102

11/2

Much improved when opening his account in first-time cheekpieces at Huntingdon in April. Backed it up with a good third at Perth later that month but low-key return to action this autumn. Now tackles a new trip.

Form: P913-86

Pipers Cross^p⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Cameron Johnstone-Baker⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 99| BF

7/1

Dual winner around 3m in the spring for Robbie Llewellyn. Stuck to her task pretty well when fifth starting out for new yard at Bangor in October (23.2f) and this step up in trip promises to suit. Big player with cheekpieces back on.

Form: 21314-5

Weaver's Answer^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 95

12/1

Improved with cheekpieces added when gaining second hurdle success at Plumpton in February and may have found the race coming too soon at Ayr under a penalty. May have needed the run on last month's return to action.

Form: 18314-6

Newtonian^p³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Stan Sheppard| T: M Sheppard| OR: 82

7/2

Got off the mark at Warwick in May and nothing wrong with a brace of in-frame efforts upon return in October. 2 lb out of the weights but he should still give his running.

Form: 43-1P34

Non-Runners

Groom De Cotte¹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 8

T: G Brown J: Isabelle Ryder

Forecasts

Grove Road (3/1), Newtonian (7/2), Groom De Cotte (4/1), Gustoso (11/2), Gris Majeur (6/1), Pipers Cross (7/1), Mikimoto (11/1), Weaver's Answer (12/1), Spitalfield (12/1), Drop Flight (50/1), Imperial Storm (125/1)

A visor has really perked GROVE ROAD up and given he was value for extra at Huntingdon last time, the hat-trick may well be on the cards. Pipers Cross made a sound start for her new yard at Bangor and she's a threat up in trip with cheekpieces back on, while Groom de Cotte is likely to give it another good shot.