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13:40 Chepstow

Sunday 27 December 2020

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:55

Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

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Selected odds by:

Bannister⁷¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen| T: T R George| OR: 132| D

8/1

Off the mark over hurdles with wide-margin Southwell juvenile win in September and better form in defeat in France. Free-going front-runner so these conditions could find him out.

Form: 25125

Elham Valley²²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| D

4/1

Fairly useful on Flat (stays 1¾m) and made that experience count when making a successful hurdles debut at Sandown 3 weeks ago. Good platform to build on.

Form: 1

Gold Desert^p¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 123| D

20/1

Winner at Sedgefield and Catterick this autumn but limitations seemingly exposed when beaten 11 lengths into second in Doncaster Grade 2 latest. Likely vulnerable again.

Form: 1312

Honneur D'Ajonc³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Chester Williams| T: Mrs J Williams

10/1

Related to plenty of winners and showed promise when second of 9 in heavy-ground Exeter juvenile hurdle on debut 35 days ago. Open to progress.

Form: 2

Houx Gris⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: P F Nicholls

11/8

Bumper/hurdle winner in France who was bought for €200,000 in November and has joined a top yard which continues in excellent form. Major player.

Form: 231

Mr Shady^p³²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: J S Moore| OR: 117

25/1

Fair Flat winner. Ran to a similar level when second in 2m Wetherby juvenile last month but likely biting off more than he can chew in this company.

Form: 42

Pyramid Place^h⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris| OR: 106

25/1

Fair maiden on AW for John Gosden. Close second on hurdle debut and didn't have to reproduce that form when going one better at Bangor (heavy) last month. Lot more needed up significantly in class.

Form: 21

Yggdrasil²²

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: Nick Williams

8/1

Half-brother to connections' smart chaser Siruh du Lac. 16/1, promising start when 6 lengths third to Elham Valley at Sandown (2m, heavy) 3 weeks ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 3

Marta Des Mottes¹⁶²

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T Symonds| OR: 132

13/2

Notched a pair of hurdle wins in France during the summer. New trainer has been enjoying a good time of things and there's every chance she can make her presence felt.

Form: 141

Forecasts

Houx Gris (11/8), Elham Valley (4/1), Marta Des Mottes (13/2), Bannister (8/1), Yggdrasil (8/1), Honneur D'Ajonc (10/1), Gold Desert (20/1), Pyramid Place (25/1), Mr Shady (25/1)

It looks significant that Paul Nicholls is prepared to pitch expensive French recruit HOUX GRIS straight in at Grade 1 level and he's taken to provide the yard with a third win in this since 2016. Marta des Mottes is another French import who merits respect now debuting for a new stable. Elham Valley had Yggdrasil behind when making a winning hurdle debut at Sandown and is also shortlisted.