13:55 Ffos Las

Thursday 6 February 2025

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Turf Services Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 5m 51.92s

Clearisthewater⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Miss Brodie Hampson⁽³⁾| T: A Watson

25/1

Winning Irish pointer. No great shakes in bumpers but showed an aptitude for hurdling when second in 12-runner novice hurdle at Plumpton (15.8f) in December. Appeals as the type who will be suited by this increase in trip.

Form: 4-16492

Fat Faced Columbo⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: M G Nolan| T: R Mitford-Slade

16/1

€22,000 3-y-o, €20,000 4-y-o, Mahler gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including fairly useful hurdler Tough Trade and fair hurdler/fairly useful chaser Grand Turina. Runner-up completed start in Irish points (Nov 10). Market should guide on Rules/hurdles bow.

Form: P-2

Ferando⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Shane Fenelon⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs A M Thorpe

100/1

Fetched €90,000 as a 3-y-o but proved weak in betting and ultimately showed little when pulled up in a Newbury maiden hurdle for Nicky Henderson in November. Looks best watched on the back of that and since switched yards.

Form: P

Libre De Choeur⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: R Patrick| T: C Boultbee-Brooks

5/2

Finished third on sole start in points and posted a fairly promising first effort under Rules when third in 21f novice hurdle (16/1) at Warwick 8 weeks ago. Entitled to progress and considered.

Form: 3-3

Mountain Mike²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Luke Scott⁽⁵⁾| T: Dr R Newland & J Insole

4/9

Showed encouragement when second only start in bumpers and, following 8 months off, again shaped well when second of 10 in a maiden hurdle here (20f) 26 days ago, headed run-in but staying on. Open to improvement with his stamina now tested further. Leading claims.

Form: 3-22

Nil Vert

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Conor Ring| T: Evan Williams

125/1

€13,000 3-y-o, Cokoriko gelding. Half-brother to 2m hurdle winner Nest Love. One to note in the betting for clues on debut with yard also responsible for Woodythewoodpecker.

Form:

Pink Eyed Pancho²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Liam Harrison| T: D Brace

250/1

Placed in a point bumper but offered little in an Aintree bumper on Rules debut in May and similar story starting out over hurdles at Taunton last month, jumping ponderously and pulled up before 4 out. Can only be watched.

Form: 03-0P

Poete Ardent²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Houlihan| T: C Boultbee-Brooks

250/1

Little promise in maiden/novice hurdles in recent months.

Form: P9

Pyleigh Master²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Miss Ella Herbison⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke

11/1

Point bumper winner who offered something to work on sent hurdling after 9 months off when fifth of 14 in an Exeter maiden (16.7f) 24 days ago. Up in trip and could do with learning to settle (also pulled hard in bumper when trained by owner).

Form: 13-5

Woodythewoodpecker²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

25/1

Bred to be a stayer and shaped in kind when fourth on bumper debut at Southwell (15.8f) in May. Similarly never figured when fifth of 7 on return in a bumper here 26 days ago but this increase in trip promises to suit now hurdling.

Form: 45

Non-Runners

Wicked Thoughts⁶⁹

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: P F Nicholls J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mountain Mike (4/9), Wicked Thoughts (7/4), Libre De Choeur (5/2), Pyleigh Master (11/1), Fat Faced Columbo (16/1), Clearisthewater (25/1), Woodythewoodpecker (25/1), Ferando (100/1), Nil Vert (125/1), Pink Eyed Pancho (250/1), Poete Ardent (250/1)

MOUNTAIN MIKE confirmed the positives of his bumper debut second in the spring when filling the same spot on hurdles bow here 26 days ago and, with further progress in the offing now upped further in trip, he can come out on top. Libre de Choeur is feared most ahead of Clearisthewater.