13:25 Chepstow

Saturday 22 February 2025

All13:2514:0014:3215:0715:4416:1716:52

Pertemps Network Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:25 | Winning time: 5m 7.60s

Clearisthewater¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Miss Brodie Hampson⁽³⁾| T: A Watson

33/1

Winning Irish pointer. No great shakes in bumpers but showed aptitude for hurdling when second on hurdles bow at Plumpton (15.9f) in December. Backward step when well-beaten fifth at Ffos Las (21.9f) 16 days ago and handicaps will be more his thing on the back of this.

Form: 164925

Five Quarters³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Ben Godfrey| T: K Woollacott

8/1

Runner-up sole start in points (Dec 1) and despite being easy to back, offered something to work on when second in 12-runner maiden hurdle at Taunton (19f) 5 weeks ago. Entitled to progress, not least when tackling longer trips.

Form: 22

Hung Jury^p1⁵⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: James Best| T: M Keighley

20/1

€24,000 3-y-o, Court Cave gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to smart hurdler/high-class chaser (stayed 25f) Champion Court (by Court Cave). Multiple winning pointer, unplaced last time (Dec 29). Worthy of a market check on debut with cheekpieces fitted.

Form: 31-3495

Kapal Layar²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 106

15/8

Promise when third only start in bumpers and steadily improved in this sphere, best effort yet when second of 7 on handicap debut at Uttoxeter (15.8f) 4 weeks ago. Feasible to think he can do better still now stamina is tested further.

Form: 3442

Nil Vert¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Conor Ring| T: Evan Williams

300/1

€13,000 3-y-o, Cokoriko gelding. 125/1, always behind when pulled up in maiden hurdle at Ffos Las (21.9f) 16 days ago.

Form: P

Pragnell²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: David Bass| T: C E Longsdon

10/3

£65,000 4-y-o, Diamond Boy gelding. Won sole start in points (Mar 2023) and encouraging start under Rules when fourth in 14-runner maiden at Wetherby (19.7f, soft) 21 days ago, rallying well. Likely he'll come on for the run and respected with progress forthcoming.

Form: 1/4

Pure Blue^t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Lorcan Williams| T: J Scott

125/1

Well held in a bumper/maiden hurdle here both outings to date.

Form: 00

Rubys Legacy^t³²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Callum Pritchard⁽⁵⁾| T: D A Rees

40/1

Clovis Du Berlais gelding. 11/2 and tongue strap on, offered something to work on when fourth of 6 in bumper at Ffos Las (15.8f, heavy) for Anothony Honeyball last March. Probably best watched now hurdling on return for new yard.

Form: 4-

Star Of Diamonds⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| BF

7/2

Winning pointer at fourth attempt and shaped quite promisingly when fourth of 10 at Haydock (24.2f) on hurdling debut in December, weakening only late on. Couldn't match that when fifth in a Uttoxeter maiden (23.3f) later that month but he's certainly not one to be writing off.

Form: 34/S1-45

Tyrrhenus

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Tristan Durrell⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton

6/1

Affinisea gelding. Half-brother to useful hurdler West Balboa and fair hurdler Cottie. Dam unraced half-sister to fair hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 2½m) Clew Bay Cove. Appeals as a likely type on paper for leading yard and market confidence behind him would look highly significant.

Form:

Woodythewoodpecker¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

50/1

Bred to be a stayer and having showed ability in pair of bumpers 8 months apart, he ultimately shaped like a longer-term project in this sphere when pulled up on hurdles bow at Ffos Las (21.9f) 16 days ago.

Form: 45P

Arctic Blue⁷⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: David Noonan| T: W S Kittow

200/1

Blue Bresil mare. Well held only start in bumpers for Ben Clarke and absent 22 months prior to being pulled up on yard/hurdles bow back at Exeter (16.7f) in December. Easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 7/P

Non-Runners

Ballymena Boy¹³

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: R L Llewellyn J: Liam Harrison

Devon Blue⁵²

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: J Scott J: Bryan Carver

Forecasts

Kapal Layar (15/8), Pragnell (10/3), Star Of Diamonds (7/2), Tyrrhenus (6/1), Five Quarters (8/1), Hung Jury (20/1), Clearisthewater (33/1), Ballymena Boy (33/1), Rubys Legacy (40/1), Woodythewoodpecker (50/1), Devon Blue (100/1), Pure Blue (125/1), Arctic Blue (200/1), Nil Vert (300/1)

PRAGNELL produced a promising first effort under Rules when fourth in a Wetherby maiden 3 weeks ago and, very much appealing as a likely improver with that under his belt, he could be the way to go for a yard in good form. Kapal Layar is steadily going the right way and is feared along with Star of Diamonds. Newcomer Tyrrhenus is another to note in the betting for Dan Skelton.