14:00 Worcester

Tuesday 14 November 2017

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:30

British Stallion Studs EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 4m 1.7s

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Selected odds by:

Onefortheroadtom²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: B J Geraghty| T: H Fry

2/5

Point-to-point winner, sold for £100,000 in April. Beat the Aintree Festival bumper winner at Exeter on first start for this yard last month and the third has come out and won since. Will be hard to beat in follow up bid despite conceding weight.

Form: 1-1

Captain Jack²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R J Price

66/1

Has shown very little in five starts to date, including hurdles debut last time when tailed off again. Hard to fancy on all known form.

Form: 0976-5

Eau De Nile³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: H D Daly

40/1

Beaten a long way on bumper debut despite hefty price tag and only minor promise in a bumper here last time when well beaten. Needs a huge step forward to figure here on hurdles debut.

Form: 0-4

Hands Of Stone^t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams

80/1

Showed a fair amount of ability in some moderate bumpers but fell on hurdles debut last month and tailed off on two subsequent starts. Needs to bounce back to the form he was in in the spring to even have an each-way chance.

Form: 342-F50

Head Lad

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

40/1

Linda's Lad gelding, cost €15,000 as a two-year-old and €42,000 as a three-year-old. Brother to a Grade 3 hurdles winner and dam a chase winner. Tough spot to make a debut but any market support would be interesting.

Form:

Newquay Cards³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams

66/1

Well beaten in both starts in bumpers and no real progress on hurdles debut last time. Likely to need more time and quite possibly further.

Form: 97-7

Pointed And Sharp^h⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White

40/1

Not disgraced on debut in a bumper but has struggled on two hurdles starts and hasn't looked the easiest ride. Hood retained from last week and may need more time to be seen to best effect.

Form: 5-60

Pulp Fiction^h,t1³⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: J J Burke| T: B I Case

8/1

Nice 25/1 third of 16 in a Cheltenham bumper on debut under Rules. Will probably want a little more of a stamina test than this given time but has each-way claims if ready to go on comeback in a first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 33-

Ready And Able²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill

20/1

Cost a fair sum at the sales last year (€115,000) but not backed and well beaten on both starts, both over hurdles. Would need a huge step forward to figure here but interesting that stable jockey takes the ride over Head Lad at least.

Form: 48

Some Man²³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

5/2

Beat Hollow gelding, dam a sister to Gold Cup winner Denman. Won sole point-to-point start and bought by this yard for the princely sum of £165,000 in April. Bound to want further than this with time but no surprise if his class sees him go close.

Form: 1-

Forecasts

Onefortheroadtom (2/5), Some Man (5/2), Pulp Fiction (8/1), Ready And Able (20/1), Pointed And Sharp (40/1), Head Lad (40/1), Eau De Nile (40/1), Captain Jack (66/1), Newquay Cards (66/1), Hands Of Stone (80/1)

ONEFORTHEROADTOM was impressive on hurdles debut last time when beating a couple of smart sorts home and with that experience and a recent run under his belt, he could be very tough to beat. Some Man is beautifully bred and it would be no surprise if he was to go close with the experience of a point-to-point already in the bag. Ready And Able has been well beaten on both starts to date and while he needs plenty of improvement, he's bred to be a useful sort.