13:10 Wincanton

Saturday 16 February 2019

All13:1013:4514:2015:0015:3016:0516:3517:10

Betway 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:12 | Winning time: 3m 45.1s

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Selected odds by:

Clondaw Whisper^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: B Barr

50/1

Well beaten at huge prices in two starts and hasn't shown anywhere near enough to get involved here. Easy to pass over on the formbook.

Form: U/PF70

Hey Bud⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁵⁾| T: J Scott

10/1

Ran well in a pair of bumpers last term and shaped with promise when not knocked about on hurdling debut at Exeter before 16L third of 18 in 2m2½f maiden there on New Year's Day. Has to find more dropped in trip.

Form: 24-73

Hurricane Arcadio²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: James Best| T: M Blake

33/1

Placed in both his starts in Irish point-to-points, he went with little promise on his debut over 2m3½f at Chepstow (hooded there). 100/1 on that occasion and likely to be holding limited aspirations once again.

Form: 23P

Lord Duveen¹²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 125| BF

11/2

Stepped up on Exeter hurdling bow when second of eight at Kempton in March. Still green and reappearance at Chepstow (2m, good) was a letdown when favourite for similar event to this, off since.

Form: 52-6

Mr Stubbs⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: P Henderson

50/1

Modest in the point-to-point field and just as bad since in three starts under rules here and in Ireland. Doesn't appear to have anything going for him at present.

Form: 44-3670

River Bray^t1⁸¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: C Gethings| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 121WS

11/2

Has looked a tricky ride at times and can pull hard. Ran well when third on handicap debut at Exeter (2m1f, good) in November and some promise again over further at Lingfield next time. Back from a break here and one of the likelier types.

Form: 852-337

Katpoli^h1,t⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: D A Jacob| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 132

9/4

Huntingdon winner over 2m on good ground in November on rules bow. Has since run good races in defeat in pair of Triumph Hurdle Trials at Cheltenham. This looks easier on paper and should give a strong account.

Form: 4P143

Broke Away¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: L Heard| T: Alexandra Dunn

66/1

Some ability shown in a couple of bumpers (in Ireland) but two poor runs over timber so far at Taunton and plenty to ponder at this point in time.

Form: 5407-P7

Sweet Obsession²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn

66/1

Mare was a triple-figure price last month on introduction in Exeter maiden hurdle (2m1f, good to soft) and she threw in the towel a long way from home before being pulled up. Watching brief.

Form: P

Westerner Ocean¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: J J Burke| T: Alexandra Dunn

33/1

Runner-up on three of her four point-to-point starts, though not seen in that sphere since May 2017, she made an uninspiring rules debut this month at Taunton (2m3½f, soft). May be fitter this time at least.

Form: 222/5-7

Dogon²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Brendan Powell| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 138

7/4

Chase winner in France in November, given a stiff task on debut for this yard in Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham last month and cried enough after jumping third last. May do better.

Form: 3-3231P

Forecasts

Dogon (7/4), Katpoli (9/4), River Bray (11/2), Lord Duveen (11/2), Hey Bud (10/1), Hurricane Arcadio (33/1), Westerner Ocean (33/1), Mr Stubbs (50/1), Clondaw Whisper (50/1), Broke Away (66/1), Sweet Obsession (66/1)

KATPOLI and Dogon appear the duo to concentrate on here. The latter has twice run well in good races at Cheltenham since winning at Huntingdon in November and appears to have fair claims of regaining the winning thread now. Paul Nicholls' inmate meanwhile was pitched into a graded Cheltenham contest on debut in December and should be much better than he showed then. He is already a (chase) winner in France and can go well. River Bray and Lord Duveen look the best of the rest.