13:20 Windsor

Sunday 15 December 2024

All12:1212:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Fitzdares Royal Windsor Racecourse Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:22 | Winning time: 3m 59.55s

Boston Boy^t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

12/1

Runner-up sole start in Irish points. Failed to see things out on his first 3 starts under Rules but this 5-y-o was still bang there when running out at the second-last in a 20.5f Leicester maiden hurdle last month. Place possibilities.

Form: 2/55-4R

C'est Different⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Dylan Johnston⁽³⁾| T: S Thomas

22/1

17/2, faded to finish a remote sixth in a Chepstow bumper 7 weeks ago. Might strip fitter now but would need to see market support to consider now hurdling.

Form: 6

Flimsy Nosebag²³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford

50/1

Fair form in bumpers ahead of this switch to hurdles.

Form: 7-35

French Emperor¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Nicky Martin

6/1

£76,000 recruit from the Irish pointing field who offered plenty to work on when third in a 2m Lingfield novice on his hurdle debut. Likely to improve.

Form: 3-3

High Court Judge³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: James Owen

66/1

With a good stable but exposed as a modest performer on the Flat so it'd be a bit of a surprise were he up to making a winning start to his hurdle career here.

Form:

Mon Kaplais¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

18/1

Hinted at ability in maiden hurdles at Chepstow and Newbury last month whilst looking more one for the longer term.

Form: 45

Realistic Optimism^h,t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| D

18/1

Fairly useful bumper winner in Ireland in 2022 but has performed to only a modest level in 2 hurdles for this yard since returning from a long absence.

Form: 2152/53

Starcrossed Lover¹⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: James Bowen| T: N P Mulholland| BF

4/1

Chased home Belloccio in a 2m Punchestown maiden hurdle on debut in May. Bit disappointing when a well-held third in a Downpatrick bumper the following month but that first run was promising. Should play a part on first outing for new trainer Neil Mulholland.

Form: 23

Willoughby Cleeve³⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: N F Houlihan| T: G & J Moore

66/1

Pitched into a listed bumper on his Ascot debut last December and finished well held. Best watched unless the betting vibes are strong now switching to hurdles on return.

Form: 0-

La Pinsonniere⁴⁰⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

4/6

Showed useful form at her best in France for Francois Nicolle last season and sets a good standard for a race like this now starting out for Nicky Henderson.

Form: 2336-

Charles Morin²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-6| J: Sean Houlihan| T: P Phelan

150/1

Modest handicapper on Flat and well held in a pair of Kempton juvenile hurdles this autumn. Booked for another struggle.

Form: 64

Non-Runners

Jackie Diamond²⁰⁰

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: D J S Ffrench Davis J: Non Runner

Forecasts

La Pinsonniere (4/6), Starcrossed Lover (4/1), French Emperor (6/1), Boston Boy (12/1), Realistic Optimism (18/1), Mon Kaplais (18/1), C'est Different (22/1), Jackie Diamond (33/1), Flimsy Nosebag (50/1), High Court Judge (66/1), Willoughby Cleeve (66/1), Charles Morin (150/1)

French-recruit LA PINSONNIERE sets the bar pretty high for a race like this and can make a winning start for the Nicky Henderson yard. French Emperor made a promising start to his hurdle career at Lingfield recently and can fight it out for minor honours with Starcrossed Lover, a new recruit for the Neil Mulholland stable, and Boston Boy.