13:40 Plumpton

Monday 18 December 2023

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

Eleanor Hunnisett Memorial Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 5m 15.32s

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Selected odds by:

Azolo²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Alan Johns| T: Ben Clarke

200/1

Big prices and well held in bumper/novice hurdle to date.

Form: P2-0P

Bentley's Return⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon

10/3

Showed fair form when reaching the frame on 3 of his 4 bumper starts last season and offered something to work on despite making a bad mistake 4 out when third on hurdles bow at Fontwell (19.2f) in October. Open to improvement.

Form: 5423-3

Captain Howse³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: M Goldstein| T: K Jewell

80/1

Modest handicapper on Flat, successful at 2m. Weakened quickly on belated return/stable debut at Lingfield (15.7f) last month and he's probably best watched now hurdling for the first time.

Form:

Churchtown Gigi²⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽³⁾| T: P Butler

200/1

Vita Venturi gelding. Winning Irish pointer, pulled up last 2 starts (latest Mar 19). Likely outsider on Rules/hurdles debut.

Form: 1PP-

D'ambonnay²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Reed| T: C Poulton

200/1

Well held in a brace of bumpers 20 months apart and fared no better on last month's hurdling debut at Lingfield (19.5f).

Form: 0/08

Fierce Warrior³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

10/3

Sholokhov gelding who left debut form behind as he got off the mark in 8-runner bumper at Worcester (2m) in May. Didn't look straightforward when midfield in 14-runner maiden hurdle at Market Rasen on return 32 days ago but too soon to be writing him off.

Form: 5-15

In d'Or³²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 112

9/4

€140,000 purchase from France who ran below best when third on yard debut at Fontwell (19.2f) in January. However, returns with yard going great guns and pick of his form in this sphere gives him sound claims.

Form: 23/3-

Jack Sparrow Grey³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: G & J Moore

14/1

Kap Rock gelding. 6/1, fifth of 7 in bumper at Sandown (16f, good to soft) on NH debut 36 days ago, shaping as if the experience would bring him on. Up in trip for hurdles debut.

Form: 5

Koenigsstern²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: James Davies| T: N J Gifford

9/1

Dual winning pointer, fell last time (April 10). Very easy to back but showed plenty of ability making hurdles debut when fourth in an Exeter novice (16.7f) on hurdles debut 4 weeks ago. Entitled to do better stepping up in trip.

Form: PR11F-4

Menaggio³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

10/3

Showed ability amidst greenness when sixth in big-field Newbury bumper on debut in March and similarly offered something to work on when fifth on hurdles bow at Kempton (21f) 5 weeks ago. Can do better again for good yard.

Form: 6-5

No No Espresso³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Paul O'Brien| T: C E Longsdon

200/1

Little show in a pair of bumpers/sole start over hurdles to date.

Form: 6-9P

Vendant⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: R Rowe

150/1

Vendangeur gelding. Placed in points but well held only start in bumpers and never threatened on C&D hurdles bow 6 weeks ago.

Form: 3/30-8

Vintage Icon^h1¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: James Best| T: A Irvine

200/1

Offered little in 3 bumpers and similar story on Lingfield hurdles debut 18 days ago. Hood on now upped in trip.

Form: 07-00

Forecasts

In d'Or (9/4), Fierce Warrior (10/3), Menaggio (10/3), Bentley's Return (10/3), Koenigsstern (9/1), Jack Sparrow Grey (14/1), Captain Howse (80/1), Vendant (150/1), D'ambonnay (200/1), Vintage Icon (200/1), Azolo (200/1), No No Espresso (200/1), Churchtown Gigi (200/1)

IN D'OR ran below the pick of his French form on debut for Venetia Williams in January but he returns with his yard in tremendous nick and is well worth another chance to get back on the up returning from 10 months off. Menaggio, for Alan King, and Bentley's Return head up the dangers, with Fierce Warrior and hurdles-debutant Jack Sparrow Grey others to keep an eye on.