13:33 Wetherby

Saturday 1 February 2025

All12:3013:0013:3314:0814:4315:1515:5016:22

Wilmot-Smith Memorial Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:33 | Winning time: 5m 4.0s

A Great Excuse²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Liam Harrison| T: F Brennan

125/1

300/1, fifth of 11 in novice hurdle at Ffos Las (15.8f, heavy) on hurdles bow 21 days ago. Up in trip with lots more needed.

Form: 6P3-05

Auchinlek²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson

100/1

Seventh of 14 in bumper at Ayr (16f, heavy, 15/2) on NH debut 26 days ago. Makes hurdles debut up in trip.

Form: 7

Bells Of Ufford^t⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

33/1

Tongue strap on for 1st time, fourth of 13 in novice hurdle at Southwell (15.8f, good to soft, 17/2) on hurdles bow 47 days ago. Needs to build on it over this longer distance.

Form: 1-754

Caramelo Rapido¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

150/1

Twice-raced maiden and first run since leaving Max Young when sixth of 8 in novice hurdle at Market Rasen (18.6f, good to soft, 50/1) on hurdles bow 15 days ago. Big step forward is required.

Form: 4-336

Caughtinyourtrance^t,p1⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Charlotte Jones| T: James Moffatt

14/1

Winning Irish pointer and made a promising start when placed in pair of bumpers last spring. Off 8 months before only seventh of 9 in novice hurdle at Hexham (20.1f, soft) on hurdles bow 52 days ago but remains with potential with cheekpieces on for 1st time.

Form: 133-7

Followcato⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling

10/3

Went backwards from his hurdling debut Aintree fourth when only fifth of 11 in novice hurdle at Ascot (21.6f, good to soft) 43 days ago. Worth another chance for good yard though.

Form: 23-45

Jacques Clouseau^t1⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: Mrs M Rowley| D

25/1

Notnowcato gelding. Won sole start in points in April and showing promise in fifth when fell last on his hurdling bow in 2m5f Warwick novice. Tongue tied with better still to come.

Form: 1-F

Lud'or²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Jordan Nailor| T: T Symonds| OR: 118

4/7

French recruit who has shown fairly useful form when placed in a trio of maiden hurdles this winter, coming in second of 11 at Ffos Las (2m) three weeks ago. The clear form pick.

Form: 52-232

Mythical³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: S Whitaker

300/1

Modest Flat winner who came in only seventh of 9 in novice hurdle (125/1) at this course (16f, soft) on NH debut 36 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 7

Nube De Trueno⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton

125/1

Twice-raced maiden. 40/1, seventh of 8 in novice hurdle at Doncaster (19.4f, good to soft) 49 days ago. In good hands but lots more is required.

Form: 07

Old But Gold⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: M Todhunter

125/1

Had wind op before coming in last of 12 in novice hurdle at Carlisle (17f, soft, 8/1) on NH debut 48 days ago.

Form: 2-0

Pragnell⁶⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: C E Longsdon

10/1

£65,000 4-y-o, Diamond Boy gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler West Away. Dam bumper winner. Won sole start in points (Mar 2023) and interesting to see what the market makes of him.

Form: 1/

Skuna Bay⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 110

12/1

Place in points and in the frame in maiden hurdles at Carlise and Bangor (19.6f, heavy) this winter. One for the shortlist.

Form: 32-34

Isabel De Clare¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Joshua Thompson⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond

33/1

Failed to build on hurdling promise when fourth of 11 in novice hurdle at Newcastle (16.9f, good to soft, 11/1) 16 days ago. Needs to get back on track.

Form: 5-654

Forecasts

Lud'or (4/7), Followcato (10/3), Pragnell (10/1), Skuna Bay (12/1), Caughtinyourtrance (14/1), Jacques Clouseau (25/1), Isabel De Clare (33/1), Bells Of Ufford (33/1), Auchinlek (100/1), A Great Excuse (125/1), Nube De Trueno (125/1), Old But Gold (125/1), Caramelo Rapido (150/1), Mythical (300/1)

A few of these bring potential but Tom Symonds' French recruit LUD'OR possesses much the best form so is taken to open his account after three good placed efforts for his current yard. Hurdling-newcomer and winning-pointer Pragnell could emerge as the main danger and is worth a market check with the likes of Skuna Bay, Followcato and Jacques Clouseau all worthy of consideration too.