12:45 Taunton

Monday 30 December 2024

All12:4513:1513:4514:1714:5215:2716:00

Stables Business Park Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 4m 44.98s

Jackpot Des Bordes^t³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| C

4/6

Made a winning bumper debut at Hereford 13 months ago and left hurdling debut effort behind when winning 13-runner novice here (16.5f, good to soft) last month, getting away with the drop in trip around this sharper track. Carries a penalty but will go on improving back at a more suitable trip.

Form: 12-61

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Alderley Charlie^h1⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: P Gundry

200/1

Ask gelding who made little appeal on paper and shaped accordingly at Chepstow (16f, good to soft) just under 8 weeks ago. Hood applied but easy to look elsewhere.

Form: P

Bank On Frank⁶⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling

8/1

Passing Glance gelding. Dam (h74) placed on first of 2 outings over hurdles, maiden on Flat. Runner-up only outing in points (Feb 2023). One to note.

Form: 2/

Chedington's Guest¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Anderson⁽³⁾| T: Kieran Burke

9/1

Went close here on his third and final start in bumpers and showed ability again under a more patient ride sent hurdling after 8 months off when sixth of 13 in novice at this course (16.5f, good) 18 days ago, late headway. More required to be in the shake up.

Form: 643-6

Devon Dude²²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

9/1

Dartmouth gelding who is bred to stay well but displayed enough speed to win 4-runner bumper at Chepstow (16f, heavy) in March. Fared easily best of those held up in a falsely-run race when fourth of 14 in novice at Ffos Las (20f, good) on hurdles bow 7 months ago and should improve.

Form: 1-4

Katana⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson

14/1

€45,000 half-brother to French hurdler/chaser Gangster de Coddes who showed ability amidst greenness when fifth of 8 in bumper at Wincanton (15.2f, good) a couple of months ago. Has to be respected for his top yard quickly switched over hurdles.

Form: 5

Steel Dancer¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Godfrey| T: A J Honeyball

200/1

Offered little on sole bumper outing back in the spring and it was a similar story on hurdling debut at this track (16.5f, good) earlier in the month. Looks one for handicaps further down the line.

Form: 6-0

U Cant Be Serious²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Freddie Gingell⁽³⁾| T: J Tizzard

5/1

Rangy gelding who displayed fair form without tasting success in handful of bumper starts. Ran below that level sent hurdling after 10 months off at Exeter (16.7f, heavy) recently and may well be being brought along with handicaps in mind.

Form: 6/456-7

Calli Black^t¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: James Davies| T: D Weston

25/1

Winner of her sole completed start in points and placed in a couple of bumpers. Upped to 21f for hurdles debut and proved too free to last out at Warwick in October but was below that level with a tongue tie fitted at this track (16.5f, good) subsequently.

Form: 3620-67

Kenmya¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton

125/1

A fair 5-time winner on Flat in France/Spain (stays 10f) but is yet to do anything over hurdles. Handicaps are where she'll come into her own presumably.

Form: 956

Forecasts

Jackpot Des Bordes (4/6), U Cant Be Serious (5/1), Bank On Frank (8/1), Devon Dude (9/1), Chedington's Guest (9/1), Katana (14/1), Calli Black (25/1), Kenmya (125/1), Steel Dancer (200/1), Alderley Charlie (200/1)

JACKPOT DES BORDES got away with a drop in trip around this sharper track when scoring here last month and, with improvement on the cards back up in distance, Paul Nicholls' 5-y-o could take some stopping. He gets the vote over Katana, who showed ability amidst greenness in a Wincanton bumper a couple of months ago and warrants considerable respect now hurdling. Bank On Frank can edge out Devon Dude for third.