13:55 Taunton

Monday 8 January 2024

All12:5513:2513:5514:2515:0015:3016:05

Blackdown Motor Company Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 2)

Off time: 13:55 | Winning time: 4m 19.6s

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Selected odds by:

Bahio Boum²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

28/1

Shaped with encouragement when third of 8 in bumper at Worcester on debut in September. However, no show both starts since, including on hurdles bow at Wincanton last month, and he's probably more of a long-term project.

Form: 380

Bruce Gobbler³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White

125/1

Last of 4 sole start in point bumpers and well beaten both starts under Rules to date, too.

Form: 4-90

Cawthorne Banker²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

3/1

Fairly useful form when placed 3 times in bumpers last term and while he didn't show much on return/hurdles debut at Doncaster, another chance can be given to this 6-y-o in view of his bumper promise.

Form: 2327-0

Cornish Storm⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: David Noonan| T: W S Kittow| BF

25/1

Fair handicapper on Flat, off the mark over 1½m at Kempton in September. Could have a part to play on this hurdles debut, provided his jumping passes the test.

Form:

Golden Ambition²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling

10/1

Made a promising start over hurdles when fourth in 10-runner novice at Lingfield (19.5f, soft) on return but drop to 16.7f didn't appear to help at Bangor next time. Will be of greater interest when moving back up in trip in due course.

Form: 0-40

Schematic⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden

12/1

Returned lame when down the field in a Chepstow maiden hurdle on his debut in October. Probably best watched for now.

Form: 0

Shady B¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: R Patrick| T: C Boultbee-Brooks

40/1

Runner-up final 2 starts between the flags last spring but nearer last than first starting out under Rules in an Exeter maiden hurdle 18 days ago.

Form: 3PP22-0

The Gypsy Davey³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

7/1

Half-brother to fair hurdler Cotton Jenny and dam was a 2m chase winner. Off the mark at fourth attempt between the flags in December and it will be interesting to see what the market has to say ahead of this Rules debut.

Form: P/591

Walkingoneggshells²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: A Watson

6/1

Winner of a maiden point last spring and stepped up on his low-key Rules debut when fourth in an 8-runner Musselburgh bumper (15.6f, soft) 3 weeks ago. Needs a second look now switched to hurdles.

Form: 45-P174

Behind The Veil^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

80/1

Little impact in 3 starts to date and she's hard to warm to.

Form: 8P8

Jacksbar

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Fergus Gillard| T: D Skelton

22/1

Jack Hobbs mare. Dam, maiden over hurdles/fences (stayed 23f), closely related to unreliable but useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 33f) Milansbar. Yard can certainly ready a newcomer but passed over by Harry Skelton, who instead partners Bahio Boum.

Form:

Lhebayeb^h,t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Alan Johns| T: V R A Dartnall

4/1

Progressive on the level in 2023, notching third win at Windsor (10f, heavy) in October. Stepped up on her hurdles debut display when fourth of 10 at Wincanton (15.2f, soft) recently and she's a major player.

Form: 64

Johannes^t⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Jack Tudor| T: D PipeWS

10/3

Fair form when successful in 2m minor event on the Flat in France last spring. Subsequently sold for €62,000 and while he failed to land a blow starting out over hurdles at Exeter (16.7f, soft), this 4-y-o has since undergone a wind op and can be expected to improve.

Form: 6

Non-Runners

Get The Value⁴⁰

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: J G M O'Shea J: Brendan Powell

Forecasts

Cawthorne Banker (3/1), Johannes (10/3), Lhebayeb (4/1), Walkingoneggshells (6/1), The Gypsy Davey (7/1), Golden Ambition (10/1), Schematic (12/1), Get The Value (12/1), Jacksbar (22/1), Cornish Storm (25/1), Bahio Boum (28/1), Shady B (40/1), Behind The Veil (80/1), Bruce Gobbler (125/1)

The vote goes to JOHANNES, who was a wide-margin winner of his sole start on the Flat in France and is entitled to step up on his hurdles debut sixth in the Exeter juvenile won by Salver (Grade 2 winner since) last month. He has subsequently undergone a wind op and is taken to get the better of Lhebayeb and point-winners The Gypsy Davey and Walkingoneggshells.