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14:25 Sandown

Friday 7 December 2018

All12:5013:2013:5514:2515:0015:30

Ballymore Winter Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 14:28 | Winning time: 5m 24.7s

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Selected odds by:

Amateur²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: J L Flint

66/1

Chepstow bumper winner who finished down the field (50/1) behind Lalor at Aintree in April 2017; missed all of last season, only returning with a fair sixth in a Uttoxeter maiden (2m4f) three-weeks ago; unrealistic assignment.

Form: 2310/6

Another Go¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: R J Smith

200/1

Dual Flat winner (1m-1m2f) for the late Alan Swinbank in 2016; fallen down the weights in that discipline and a poor 0-2 over hurdles; no conceivable chance in this company.

Form: 3-7

Darlac²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 132

8/1

17L winner of a Fontwell maiden (2m3f+, good to firm) in October and emerged with credit despite being beaten just shy of 8L (fourth) in a Grade 2 novices' at Cheltenham latest; prowess under softer conditions the unknown factor.

Form: 5/27-14

Down The Highway²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| D

10/3

£80,000 purchase in March 2018 (winner of a 3m Cragmore maiden PTP); made a winning rules debut when powering through testing conditions to score by 7L from hotpot Mercy Mercy Me at Lingfield (2m3f+) 24-days ago; of interest upped in grade.

Form: 1-1

Mercy Mercy Me²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| BF| C

7/1

Course bumper winner on debut in November 2017 and acquitted himself well at the top-table at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals thereafter; turned over by today's rival Down The Highway (beaten 7L) on hurdles debut at Lingfield 24-days ago.

Form: 187-2

My Way^t1²⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: P F NichollsWS

4/1

Without a win in six starts over hurdles and fences in France (for Francois Nicolle), but demonstrated a solid level of form and is reportedly well-regarded at Ditcheat; in deep post wind surgery (also wears a tongue-tie) on GB/stable bow.

Form: 32/2322-

Quoi De Neuf²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| D

12/1

9L winner of a 3m Ballysteen maiden on his sole start in PTP's prior to being sold for €180,000; off to the perfect start under rules when winning at Aintree (2m4f, good) last month and takes the next step up the hurdling ladder today.

Form: 1-1

Trio For Rio²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex

14/1

Bought for £40,000 in May (Cheltenham); 2-7 in Irish PTP's for James Joseph Mangan; not strong enough behind the promising Imperial Aura on rules debut at Carlisle, but an all the way winner of a lesser contest at Bangor (2m7f) since.

Form: 312-131

Truckin Away²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| D

10/3

Half-brother to the bumper/2m5f hurdle winner Western Cape; made a winning rules/stable debut when bravely fending off the Anthony Honeyball-trained Acey Milan in a Ffos Las maiden (2m4f, heavy); further progress almost guaranteed.

Form: 3-1

Alsa Mix^h²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

12/1

Her trainer has a strong record in this race and this unbeaten mare (cost £65,000) receives a handy weight allowance from her male counterparts; far better than Everlanes in a mares' novice at Exeter (2m2f, good) last month; much tougher task.

Form: 1-11

Forecasts

Truckin Away (10/3), Down The Highway (10/3), My Way (4/1), Mercy Mercy Me (7/1), Darlac (8/1), Alsa Mix (12/1), Quoi De Neuf (12/1), Trio For Rio (14/1), Amateur (66/1), Another Go (200/1)

A quality novices' hurdle and a race which really serves to capture the imagination. The unbeaten Alsa Mix tries her hand against her male counterparts for the first time with her trainer having a strong overall record in this race. My Way is well-regarded at Ditcheat and unlikely to be troubled by the worsening ground conditions looks capable of being positively involved, whilst progress is almost guaranteed for the gritty Ffos Las maiden winner Truckin Away. However, the selection is DOWN THE HIGHWAY who created a striking impression when downing Mercy Mercy Me at Lingfield. Of the remainder Darlac is potentially vulnerable (ground).