12:50 Leicester

Friday 28 December 2018

All12:5013:2513:5514:3015:0515:40

Liz Raphael Celebration Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:52 | Winning time: 5m 10.8s

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Selected odds by:

Accordingtogino²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

13/8

Debut Irish point-to-point winner who cost €4,800 as a three year old. Dam an unraced sister to a bumper winner. In good hands and no surprise to see him make a big impact on debut.

Form: 1-

Archirondel²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White

33/1

Improved on his debut effort when tried at Exeter earlier in the month, though still beaten 19½L in that heavy ground bumper. Looks bred to do better over hurdles, so check the market for clues on his debut in this sphere.

Form: 08

Black Lightning¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford

12/1

Made the frame in three of his four bumpers, although his form has been in recession since his soft ground debut. Well held in both hurdles starts over 2m5f. Can only watch.

Form: 273-350

Captains Run²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White

16/1

Beaten only narrowly on his only completed point-to-point run. 40-1 and tailed off under Richard Johnson on his rules debut at Newbury last month.

Form: P-2SP0

Hahadi²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Bargary| T: David Dennis

50/1

Irish point-to-point winner (fifth start) who has pulled up and been well beaten in two hurdle runs. Can only watch at present.

Form: P/FP-1P6

Lomachenko⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: N J HendersonWS

9/1

Not devoid of promise on debut is a Ffos Las bumper (good) in May, but not as good on hurdle debut at Fakenham (2m4f, good) in October. Since had wind surgery and may do better now, especially up in trip. Interesting.

Form: 84

Milanstorm³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

11/4

Heavy ground Warwick bumper winner in March. Well held on hurdles debut at Ffos Las in November. Was entitled to need that after a break, and is interesting now upped in trip.

Form: 21-6

Phoenix Song²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: J G O'Neill

150/1

Made a respectable debut in a Chepstow bumper in October, but took a backward step at Southwell last time. Probably one to watch on hurdles debut.

Form: 57

Early Learner²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

4/1

Debut Irish point-to-point winner last year. Well held in a Listed bumper on rules debut in January, but much better here over 1m7½f (good to firm) on recent hurdles debut. Probably the one to beat.

Form: 1/0-2

Forecasts

Accordingtogino (13/8), Milanstorm (11/4), Early Learner (4/1), Lomachenko (9/1), Black Lightning (12/1), Captains Run (16/1), Archirondel (33/1), Hahadi (50/1), Phoenix Song (150/1)

Kim Bailey clearly thinks a fair bit of EARLY LEARNER, whom he started under rules in a Listed bumper, and who ran well here on her hurdles debut. She is taken to build on that now upped in trip and go one better. Accordingtogino is a very interesting newcomer for a top team in-form. He could go well, while Milanstorm and Lomachenko are the others of greatest interest.