13:15 Newbury

Sunday 21 February 2021

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

Read Paul Nicholls On Betting.Betfair Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:15 | Winning time: 3m 57.1s

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Selected odds by:

Gowel Road³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 131| CD

7/2

Well-bred sort who showed improved form when making a winning handicap debut over C&D 32 days ago, forging clear. Open to further improvement and well respected under a penalty.

Form: 241

Defining Battle^t1⁵⁸⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

18/1

Fairly useful and progressive on Flat in 2019, stays 11f. won last 2 starts. Has a 585-day absence to overcome, but with the Skeltons flying, he requires close market check on hurdle bow. Tongue tied.

Form:

Hoi Polloi⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| BF| D

9/2

€120,000 Shantou gelding. Settled matters in the style of a good one in a Kempton bumper in February but held back by inexperience when second on hurdling bow at Hereford in November. Will improve.

Form: 1-2

Kennack Bay²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling

125/1

Offered more than he had in a Warwick bumper when fourth of 8 in a Doncaster novice hurdle in December, but ran poorly back there last time.

Form: 0-46

Moore Margaux

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: G Sheehan| T: O Murphy

80/1

Flemensfirth gelding. Dam 2m/2¼m hurdle/chase winner (stayed 2½m), also 1¾m winner who stayed 2m on Flat. Worth a market check on debut for good stable.

Form:

Nobby⁷⁰²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| D

16/1

Useful in bumpers in 2018/19, winning twice at Warwick before excellent second in C&D listed event final outing. Off 23 months but he still remains a useful jumping prospect.

Form: 12112/

Rocco Du Berlais⁴³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J MooreWS

200/1

Well held in 2 bumpers (suffered post-race ataxia last time). Has had a wind operation.

Form: 09-

Seymour Promise⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard

66/1

Shaped encouragingly when fourth of 9 in a Kempton bumper on debut. Ran no sort of race in a better contest at Cheltenham, but showed something to work on when third on Huntingdon hurdling debut.

Form: 4-03

Spotty Dog³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Reed| T: M Hawker

300/1

Little promise in bumper/trio of maiden hurdles.

Form: 64P9

Who Is That⁹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: J E Moore| T: C Gordon

200/1

Failed to make an impact starting out in a bumper at Ascot in November and similar scenario likely now switched to hurdles.

Form: 0

Good Ball^t1⁵⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 131| CD

9/4

Promising second over hurdles at Auteuil in October and went one better on his British/yard debut in introductory event over C&D 54 days ago. Remains open to improvement. Tongue tie on.

Form: 21

Ahorsewithnoname⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

9/4

Bumper winner who landed a brace of 1½m novice events on the Flat for Brian Ellison in 2019. Very promising start over hurdles when second in C&D listed novice in November and open to progress.

Form: 431/2

Non-Runners

Pol Crocan¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: P Hobbs & J White J: R Johnson

Give Us A Swig⁷⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: S Curran J: Harry Bannister

Tip Top Mountain¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: R Walford J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Good Ball (9/4), Ahorsewithnoname (9/4), Gowel Road (7/2), Hoi Polloi (9/2), Pol Crocan (15/2), Nobby (16/1), Defining Battle (18/1), Give Us A Swig (25/1), Seymour Promise (66/1), Moore Margaux (80/1), Tip Top Mountain (100/1), Kennack Bay (125/1), Rocco Du Berlais (200/1), Who Is That (200/1), Spotty Dog (300/1)

GOOD BALL had 3 next-time winners in behind, including Gowel Road, when scoring over C&D in December, so there's plenty to like about his follow-up claims fitted with a first-time tongue tie. Ahorsewithnoname produced highly encouraging first effort over hurdles in November and is expected to improve, with Gowel Road and Hoi Polloi others to note in an intriguing opener.