13:15 Taunton

Monday 30 December 2024

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

Royal Oak Hillcommon Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 4m 8.13s

Mill Street⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-7| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| OR: 99

11/2

Made frame on 3 of 4 starts in US Flat maidens and it was a case of third time lucky over hurdles for new yard when landing a Sedgefield juvenile (16.8f, good) in decisive fashion last month. That form is nothing special, though, and he looks vulnerable under a penalty.

Form: 251

Moutarde¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-7| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁷⁾| T: Anthony Charlton| OR: 114| D

5/4

Fair Flat winner in Ireland for Gavin Cromwell and made the most of a good opportunity as he got off the mark over hurdles at the third attempt in 8-runner juvenile at Kempton (2m, good to soft) on penultimate start. Struggled in a Cheltenham Class 2 event next time but this race is not so hot.

Form: 2416

Bradman¹⁷⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: James Best| T: K Bishop

125/1

Dual winner of 1½m AW handicaps on the Flat for Charlie Fellowes last winter but he has failed to fire all 4 previous starts on turf, which is a worry ahead of this hurdles/yard debut.

Form:

Bramble Jelly³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis⁽⁵⁾| T: D J S Ffrench Davis

80/1

Modest Flat winner who almost certainly achieved little when landing a 2-finisher event at Leicester on her hurdle debut last month. Predictably struggled under a penalty at Kempton 7 days later and more of the same likely here.

Form: 15

Clotilda^t²²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 127| D

6/4

Fairly useful maiden hurdler/chaser in France who didn't need to match that form to make a winning start for Paul Nicholls in 2m Huntingdon juvenile, form which was given a boost when the second won what looked like a decent race at Kempton on Friday. Yard has landed this race 3 times since 2018.

Form: 642231

Infinity Blue^h⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: D Pipe

28/1

Fairly useful handicapper on the Flat for Julie Camacho, winner of 6f contest at Newmarket during the summer and went close at Wolverhampton (7f) last month. Since joined a top jumps yard but stamina has to be a concern given that he's untried beyond 7f on the level.

Form:

Offiah's Boy^t,p1⁵³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Taylor Fisher| T: J Tickle

200/1

Modest maiden on the Flat for Tom Ward and last of 5 in Ludlow juvenile on last month's hurdle debut for new stable. First-time cheekpieces and refitted tongue tie combination will need to major spark improvement if he's to take this.

Form: 5

Thomas G⁸⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Rex Dingle| T: A J Honeyball

33/1

The second of his 3 starts in maidens on the Flat was encouraging but he hasn't shown much otherwise in that sphere and opposable starting out over hurdles here for new yard.

Form:

Zenato⁶⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien

10/1

Found some improvement when narrowly opening his account at Nottingham (1¼m, heavy) in October, on what turned out to be his final start for Ed Dunlop. As a half-brother to fair hurdler Auld Brig there has to be hope that he'll take to this game and he's certainly in good hands.

Form:

Non-Runners

I Love Paris¹²

Weight: 10-7| Age: 3

T: C Honour J: Bryan Carver

Forecasts

Moutarde (5/4), Clotilda (6/4), Mill Street (11/2), Zenato (10/1), Infinity Blue (28/1), Thomas G (33/1), Bramble Jelly (80/1), I Love Paris (100/1), Bradman (125/1), Offiah's Boy (200/1)

CLOTILDA made an immediate repayment on the €100,000 new connections forked out for her when landing a 3-runner Huntingdon juvenile and, with the second giving that form a timely boost at Kempton the other day, she should prove hard to beat. Zenato is an intriguing recruit to this sphere on the back of his Flat success in October and he is next on the list ahead of Moutarde, who will find this company more palatable compared to his latest assignment.