16:00 Chepstow

Wednesday 20 March 2019

All14:2014:5015:2516:0016:3017:05

Technonicol-Borner Waterproof Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 4m 54.25s

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Selected odds by:

Beau Haze⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Ben Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: P C Dando

100/1

Hurdles debut for one who showed some mild promise on his Ffos Las bumper debut (supported) but failed to run to anything like that level when next seen in that same sphere. Would need to take a big step forward to compete here.

Form: 40

Connect Four²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: C Gethings| T: T R George

33/1

With a good yard (cost £82,000 as a three-year-old) but lacked the necessary experience to make any impact on his bumper debut here last month. Only 8-1 in the market on that occasion; hurdles debut now, this should reveal more.

Form: 0

Crindle Carr⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J L Flint

100/1

Modest Flat handicapper (has won over 2m) whose first foray over hurdles (first two runs for this yard) gave little encouragement. Will at least gain a mark after this; low-grade handicaps will be more his area of interest.

Form: 65-

Glen Vine⁷⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: T Scudamore| T: D PipeWS

4/1

Cost €95,000 as a three-year-old (has a decent jumping pedigree); showed on his sole bumper outing that he needed further (promising start). Shaped in a similar manner on his hurdling debut at Exeter over slightly shorter; returns from wind surgery.

Form: 24

I'm A Starman²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: M G Rimell

66/1

Pedigree offers only limited appeal; looked to have outrun that though when offering something to work on from a C&D hurdling debut. Failed to really get involved though but did run on through beaten performers; should come on.

Form: 7

Jumpsuit⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams

66/1

Has quite a taking pedigree (related to a couple of useful sorts); looked to need the run on his bumper debut (stable second string) at Warwick (2m, good). Now makes his hurdles debut looking to build on that first run; more needed.

Form: 6

Karabunga Dude

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling

16/1

Stable in rude health at the present time; gelding by Black Sam Bellamy who makes his Rules/hurdles debut. Market confidence would be a positive and should be noted.

Form:

Mcnamaras Band²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

11/4

Bumper winner (on debut), justified good support at Worcester in the summer of 2017. Given a fair break before making his C&D hurdles debut (departed late on in luckless fashion); again shaped well over C&D last time, more progress to come.

Form: 1-S3

Mercy Mercy Me^p1⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 128WS

8/11

Campaigned at the top-level for the most part (bumper winner on debut); placed in a Grade 2 hurdle, found the Tolworth Hurdle (Grade 1) too tough last time. Now returns from wind surgery, down in grade; cheekpieces on first-time; major player.

Form: 187-235

Phoenix Song^b1⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: J G O'Neill

100/1

Poor in two bumpers late last year he showed even less sent hurdling at Leicester when last seen; beaten a long way out. Blinkers go on for the first-time, will need a lot more than the addition of the headgear to win this.

Form: 57P

Sainlouis Des Pres⁷¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| BF

14/1

Just the one sighting of this Saint Des Saints gelding so far when with Paul Nicholls (well backed) at Ffos Las (2m, good). Now with a new yard and given the size of the absence likely to need this run.

Form: 4/

Forecasts

Mercy Mercy Me (8/11), Mcnamaras Band (11/4), Glen Vine (4/1), Sainlouis Des Pres (14/1), Karabunga Dude (16/1), Connect Four (33/1), I'm A Starman (66/1), Jumpsuit (66/1), Beau Haze (100/1), Phoenix Song (100/1), Crindle Carr (100/1)

Two of the runners (on form) stand head and shoulders above the rest of the field with MERCY MERCY ME given a narrow vote over McNamaras Band on the back of a return from a wind operation, with cheekpieces on for the first-time and a noticeable drop in grade. It’s hard to fault the form of McNamaras Band so far especially as it’s been gained over C&D and he’s the main danger. Glen Vine, Karabunga Dude and Sainlouis Des Pres are a trio of others who are worth keeping an eye on in the market and race.