ESH Group Maiden Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 16:51 | Winning time: 4m 11.2s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Al Shahir⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

4/5

Decent efforts in bumpers at both Carlisle (soft) and Southwell (good to soft) and should not be long before he breaks his duck.

Form: 22

Anywaythewindblows¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Craig Nichol| T: N G Richards

11/2

€45,000 purchase by same sire as that of Annie Power. Very interesting newcomer from a yard in decent form and with a 50% strike rate in this sphere at this track.

Form: 3

Ballasalla

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr

5/1

€70,000 buy as a three-year-old and represents top connections in great form, although countering that the yard is 0-11 in bumpers at this track in the past five seasons. Market check advised.

Form:

Getonsam²⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Dale Irving⁽⁵⁾| T: J C Haynes

33/1

Sole start was a quiet one at Hexham last summer and yard has not had a bumper winner in the last few seasons, so best watched today.

Form: 6776-7

Judge Earle

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: R A Fahey

11/1

€17,000 purchase from top yard largely associated with the Flat, but whose strike rate in bumpers is 33%. Good jumping pedigree and top pilot booked, so looks all set for a decent introduction.

Form: 67-

Wig Wam Wiggle²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Joe Colliver| T: Micky Hammond

20/1

Sire has made a good start with his jumps progeny. This gelding was a €10,000 purchase, though yard's runners could be in a bit better form and not known for many bumper winners, so percentage call is to oppose.

Form: 23

Dali Mail

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Callum Whillans⁽³⁾| T: D W Whillans

28/1

Failed to trouble the auctioneer's gavel and despite a recent winner for the yard, it has had no bumper winner in several seasons and this one looks best watched on debut.

Form:

Mathayus

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Henry Brooke| T: Jedd O'Keeffe

14/1

Modest £8,500 buy with a decent pedigree, if not particularly jumps oriented. Yard has had 1-4 in this sphere in past five seasons, while its only recent National Hunt runner was a winner, so a market check strongly advised.

Form:

Forecasts

Al Shahir (4/5), Ballasalla (5/1), Anywaythewindblows (11/2), Judge Earle (11/1), Mathayus (14/1), Wig Wam Wiggle (20/1), Dali Mail (28/1), Getonsam (33/1)

Mathayus may be capable of going well on debut, while the same can be said of Ballasalla who should be capable of getting involved. Al Shahir is the one to beat on racecourse form and a win would be no surprise, though the suggestion is ANYWAYTHEWINDBLOWS. Nicky Richards' charge is of good jumping stock and the trainer has a tremendous record in bumpers here, while his runners are generally going very well at present. 1. Anywaythewindblows 2. Al Shahir 3. Ballasalla