16:45 Ascot

Saturday 15 February 2025

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3716:1016:45

Betfair Mares' Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:47 | Winning time: 3m 43.05s

Belle Le Grand^t¹³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| D

15/8

Universal mare who finished placed on completed start in points and left Rules debut form behind when winning 8-runner Fairyhouse bumper (2m) in October. Seen to good effect from the front then but she could yet have more to offer having made a very interesting yard switch.

Form: 3-F41

Jackie Hobbs⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: Harry Derham| D

10/11

Fetched £130,000 after winning her only start in points and looked a good prospect when winning 11-runner bumper at Ludlow (15.7f, soft) on Rules bow in December. Open to improvement and she's highly respected under a penalty.

Form: 1-1

Chanelle Noir^t1

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Miss Chloe Emsley| T: Ben Clarke

20/1

Sholokhov mare. Dam, fair 21f hurdle winner, half-sister to useful hurdler/smart chaser (stayed 3¼m) Umbrigado. Yard just 1-23 with their runners in bumpers in recent seasons.

Form:

Compromising⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Cannon| T: L Wadham

100/1

Marcel filly. Dam unraced half-sister to useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 25f) Its'afreebee. Proved easy to back and didn't offer much short-term encouragement when last of 13 in bumper at Uttoxeter (15.8f, heavy) on NH debut 46 days ago.

Form: 0

Izakaya

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: James Davies| T: C Poulton

66/1

€6,000 3-y-o, Adlerflug mare. Dam, 9f winner, half-sister to fairly useful hurdler (2m/17f winner) Iniciar. Likely outsider on racecourse bow.

Form:

Just A Heartbeat^t¹¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Miss Megan Bevan| T: H Fry

14/1

Scorpion mare who produced a promising first effort when fourth in 8-runner C&D bumper in October, in need of the experience and too far out of her ground when the tempo increased. In good hands and she appeals as a likely improver back from a break. Stable won this 12 months ago.

Form: 4

Neon Madonna³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry

22/1

Telescope mare. Dam 2m-3m hurdle/chase winner. Easy to back and ultimately shaped like a longer-term project when seventh of 12 in bumper at Wincanton (15.2f, soft) on NH debut 30 days ago.

Form: 7

Rue De Lota

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J M Quinlan| T: T Gallagher

28/1

Karaktar mare. Half-sister to fairly useful French chaser Coulee Verte. Dam hurdler/chase winner in France (2¼m-19f winner). Dam hurdler/chase winner in France (2¼m-19f winner).

Form:

Sure To Please¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

50/1

Sent off at big prices and whilst she improved a little on debut effort when sixth of 9 in bumper at Market Rasen (16.6f, good to soft) 11 days ago, weakening 2f out. Likely longer-term project over jumps.

Form: 86

Laffer Curve

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Ben Jones| T: T H Weston

15/2

Jack Hobbs filly. Dam (c122/h106), 2m-2½m chase winner, closely related to fair French hurdle winner/useful chaser (17f-2¾m winner) Ebene du Breuil.

Form:

Forecasts

Jackie Hobbs (10/11), Belle Le Grand (15/8), Laffer Curve (15/2), Just A Heartbeat (14/1), Chanelle Noir (20/1), Neon Madonna (22/1), Rue De Lota (28/1), Sure To Please (50/1), Izakaya (66/1), Compromising (100/1)

A £130,000 purchase on the back of success in her only start in points, JACKIE HOBBS looked a good prospect when winning a Ludlow bumper on Rules debut 73 days ago. Open to improvement, she looks a big player again for the Harry Derham yard. Belle Le Grand starts out for the Skeltons having made her final start in Ireland a winning one and she's the chief threat. Harry Fry pair Just A Heartbeat and Neon Madonna can do battle for minor honours.