Bachelors Hall

Wincanton is set to host what has, since 2015, been its only juvenile specific contest of the season. While the venue is often visited by talented novice chasers and hurdlers, its winning juveniles are generally a few pounds below average. Indeed, this particular contest is some twelve pounds below average and when Paul Nicholls runners are excluded (taking with them Romain de Senam, Cliffs Of Dover and Sir Psycho) the winning standard drops a further five pounds with Scottish Triumph winner Impulsive American being the most accomplished previous participant. This year's renewal, however, looks to be above average with two previous winners taking on an exciting flat recruit in Sonning as well as a nephew of Sprinter Sacre seeking to atone for a lacklustre effort in the season's curtain raiser at Hexham back in June. A sharp, flat and right-handed circuit, Wincanton's winning DIs are broadly average as are the clear round and completion rates. The record of odds-on favourites stands at a healthy 75% with the winning SPs being lower than at any other venue with twenty or more races. Experience can be a telling factor in this particular race as the impact value for debutants is at 0.66 compared to the 1.29 for those with hurdles form. Previous winners also have a fair record of two wins and a place from five. The going is currently described as good with only light rain forecast later on Sunday morning.
Burristo chg Fergal O'Brien f7-0-2 (66) 68 j4-1-2 (106) 93 103 
Buratino (Invincible Spirit){23}(1.15) 2/1 Twisted 2nd 2m1f Sedgefield Novices' Hurdle, Sedgefield 2011
A fair maiden on the flat for Richard Hannon, Burristo is the most experienced jumper in the field having had four spins over hurdles. Following a second at Newton Abbot with a win at Stratford in mid-July, Burristo ran his best race to date on his penultimate outing at Uttoxeter when third behind two subsequent winners. He was then off the track for a couple of months before returning in a Worcester handicap thirty days ago. Though racing off 107, which was harsh given his accomplishments to date, he was backed from 13/2 to 9/2 second favourtism at the off. However, his largely fluent round of jumping from Uttoxeter was not repeated as he was untidy at several flights, and had a propensity to give too much air to his hurdles. He was close up for much of the contest, but faded once entering the straight and ultimately finished a twenty-five length ninth of eleven finishers. Notwithstanding, white Burristo needs to leave that performance behind, he should appreciate the return to juvenile company and with the yard in fair form, he can give a reasonable account of himself.  
Mister Allegro bg Anthony Honeyball f12-1-1 (50) 62 j1-1-0 (-) 100 98
Bernardini (Shamardal){1-e}(2.16) 3/2 Meganisi 2nd 2m½f Condiitonals' Handicap Hurdle (133), Aintree 2013
Racing nine times as a two-year-old for Mark Johnston and collecting a Kempton nursery off 48 along the way, Mister Allegro was sold 13,000 guineas at last year's Tattersalls Autumn sale. His first appearance for Anthony Honeyball was reasonable for his level, finishing fourth of nine in a ten furlong Chepstow handicap off 55. However, he would beat only one of twelve rivals home in two subsequent outings which saw him start at 40/1 for his hurdles debut at Ludlow eighteen days ago. His profile for hurdling was not without merit as Bernardini (Forth Bridge, Bordoni) had two winners from five in the sphere, and his new trainer had a solid 22.22% winner to runner rate going into the contest. The apparent quality of his opposition still made his task look a difficult one, but his endeavour was made simpler by a the neatest round of jumping in the contest; besmirched only by his clipping the top of the final two flights. Travelling well in a prominent position, he was momentarily caught for toe on the home turn, but was soon pestering the leader and after jumping to the front at the last, was ridden out to score by nearly two lengths. The winning time was not great and a couple of his rivals likely underperformed, but the runner-up did subsequently land short odds at Sedgefield with consummate ease. Mister Allegro would have to give a couple of these the best part of two stone on the flat, and this is without taking his penalty into account. Nevertheless, he does have the best recent jumps form in the book and given his fluency first time, very much looked a natural to make a better hurdler. 
Epic Pass bc Brian Barr f10-1-4 (72) 81 j1-0-0 (-) 0 0
Awtaad (Clodovil){5-g}(1.00) 3/1 Higgy's Boy 1st Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (129), Ascot 2009
Mark Johnston has supplied more juvenile hurdlers than any other, with the count at 202 individuals since 2004/05. The winner to runner rate of his former inmates is a respectable 23.27%, although this drops three points for those sold in public. Furthermore, just a third of the 120 such horses to have raced more than once as juveniles improved for the switch in codes. Nevertheless, ten of the forty-two who cost less than £9,000 at auction were able to win during their initial campaigns over jumps and the latest such candidate is Epic Pass who fetched 8,500 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Gaining his sole flat success at the second time of asking in a Wolverhampton novice stakes last December, Epic Pass failed to add to his tally in eight subsequent starts. Though he failed to reach the frame on each-way terms, he generally ran consistently, including since his switch to Brian Barr, and his mark of 72 possibly underestimates his overall ability. Epic Pass has maintained his form over twelve furlongs, although it may well be worth noting that these contests were slowly run affairs; including his latest second in a Goodwood seller at the end of August. Sire Awtaad is having his first crop of juveniles and while he won the Irish Guineas and sons of Cape Cross do produce winning juveniles, he is not the tallest at 16.0hh and there is not much stamina on his pedigree. Dam Kanes Pass was a useful performer on the flat at up to a mile, and winning juvenile Higgy's Boy appears at 3/1 on the damline. While there are echoes of jumps ability on the distaff side (4/2 Loving You, 4/5 Getaway Trump, 5/4 Bacchanal), the immediate pedigree does not guarantee stamina. Brian Barr is without a winning juvenile from five and his strike rate is stronger with chasers than hurdlers. Epic Pass does not have the worst form or profile, but there are enough doubts to limit enthusiasm in this company, even if his hurdling debut in Mister Allegro's race can be ignored (pulled up before second flight after rider lost irons).
Gavin bg Joe Ponting f7-0-1 (50) 56 j2-0-0 (-) 71 83 
Bated Breath (Montjeu){16-c}(0.71) 2/1 Keys 2nd 2m1f Maiden Hurdle, Aintree 2011
Though only moderate on the flat for Rod Millman prior to selling for 3,500 guineas, Gavin is related to numerous winning jumpers such as Keys (2/1), Stanley Stanley (2/2) and Forto (3/1). He rather blew his chances first time over hurdles at Stratford when getting lit up early on, and though James Davies was able to keep him restrained in midfield next time at Worcester, his jumping was also an issue and he faded to finish sixth. Gavin's return to the flat three weeks ago saw him tailed off at Lingfield off 50 and unless the first time tongue tie has an astonishing effect, he is unlikely to make any impact in this company. 
Inferno Sacree bg Nigel Hawke j1-0-0 (-) 0 0 
Saint Des Saints (Daramsar){u}(0.67) 2/1 Sprinter Sacre 1st Champion Chase (G1), Cheltenham 2013
Costing €37,000 at Arqana as a yearling, Inferno Sacree is a son of Saint des Saints, an outstanding source of juveniles both domestically (Whetstone, Buddy Banks, Goliath du Berlais) and exported (Monmiral, Fusil Raffles, Sametegal) with laudable figures across the board. The damline is also compelling as it includes capable half-brother Emir Sacree, useful sorts Flinteur Sacre (2/1), Gazump (3/1), Tiot Cas (3/2), Echo Sacre (3/2) and most notably, the outstanding champion Sprinter Sacre (2/1). Trainer Nigel Hawke has a solid record in the division and is already on the scoresheet this term with New Reality. However, for all Inferno Sacree is regally bred, and was backed into second favouritism ahead of his racecourse debut at Hexham back in June, he looked far from emulating his exalted relatives. Steady and tight over the first two and tripping over the third, he never left the rear of the field and was pulled up before the last by Brian Hughes who reported that his mount hung right throughout. Going around Wincanton may suit him better and his peidgree is difficult to ignore despite his lacklustre showing first time. Notwithstanding, the yard's juveniles usually need more experience before hitting their stride and Inferno Sacree has something to prove against some accomplished rivals.  
Sonning grg Alan King f7-1-2 (76) 81
The Gurkha (Rainbow Quest){8-d}(0.56) 3/2 Diakali 1st Prix Alain du Breil (G1), Auteuil 2013
Patrick and Scott Bryceland are involved with this season's exciting novice chasing prospect Champagnesuperover, but while their previous foray into the juvenile hurdle scene with Frankly Mr Shankley did not set the world alight, they will be anticipating greater success as they team up with the McNeills, Alan King and the 76 rated Sonning. Costing 80,000 guineas at last year's Craven Breeze-up Sale, Sonning was not disgraced when lacking experience in three outings as a two-year-old, and made a winning return from his winter break at Beverley in mid-April. Running in a ten furlong, good to firm handicap off a mark of 71, Sonning raced off the pace and although it took a while for the penny to drop, he weaved his way through traffic before running on gamely to win by a neck from Mark Johnston's Happy. Sonning did not appear to appreciate the configuration of Chester next time but though he drifted somewhat under pressure at Leicester on his penultimate outing, he still got his head down to run to his best when denied second by a head. Sonning was last seen at Newbury at the start of July where, running over twelve furlongs, he raced keenly but finished flat from the distance. He has since been given a break but is due to embark on a hurdling career which has been in the pipeline since spring, during which time he was schooled by Adrian Heskin. As such, he ought to be fresh and know his job when he returns to the fold. His sire, The Gurkha, is having his first crop of juvenile hurdlers and though he was one of Galileo's speedier sons, the sireline has a good record in the division and hurdlers Prospect Wells and Brooklyn's Gold appear on his damline at 3/1 Furthermore, he has already had a winner in the division with Addosh landing a valuable contest at Market Rasen. Sonning's own distaff side counts little in the way of immediate hurdlers, although the first one that shows is the top class Diakali at 3/2, who was also a very accomplished juvenile hurdler. Winning jumpers Diamond Frontier, Diamond d'Amour and Diamond Kut also appear at 3/2 while Divapour can be found at 3/3. Alan King's record with juvenile hurdlers has already been covered extensively, although in the case of Sonning, it is worth noting that his already impressive winner to runner rate of 48.61% increases to 70% when isolating those who achieved flat ratings of 75 and above while residing at Barbury Castle. Furthermore, his record in this particular contest reads as three wins, a second and a third from five runners. Sonning has a nice profile overall and though he takes on a couple of previous winners, his flat ability and proven form on good ground make him a compelling participant in this field. 
Undercover Agent bg Mark Gillard f3-0-0 (39) 39
Kodiac (Rainbow Quest){1-o}(0.78) 0.5 Hoist The Colours 4th Juvenile Hurdle, Stratford 2015
Since fetching 3,000 guineas at a Tattersalls Breeze Up this year, Undercover Agent, a half-brother to the 2009 Poule d'Essai des Pouliche winner Elusive Wave, finished tailed off on two outings during August and was an eleven length last of six in a weak Lingfield claimer earlier this month. Trainer Mark Gillard has saddled three winning juveniles, but none would do so before their fifth attempt over hurdles and his overall strike rate stands at just 3.85%. Kodiac has a good record in the sphere with a winner to runner rate of 37.93%, but this would not be enough to offset the huge task set on Undercover Agent's hurdling debut. 
tl;dr
Burristo - Fair maiden on flat and has just about the best hurdling form on offer. Disappointing in handicap company after a break but should appreciate return to his age group and yard has been amongst the winners recently.
Mister Allegro - Regressive on the flat and appeared to face stiff task ahead of making a winning hurdling debut at Ludlow. Nevertheless, has the profile to do better in the sphere and looked a natural on sole jumps start. Ground to make on flat form but sets standard on recent hurdles form.
Epic Pass - Fairly useful at up to twelve furlongs on flat, but stamina not entirely assured on breeding and flat form came in slowly run affairs. Hurdling debut can be ignored as he was pulled up after his rider lost his irons at the first.
Gavin - Modest on flat and though he did not jump terribly first time over hurdles, he has shown himself as difficult to settle on each outing in the sphere.
Inferno Sacree - Saint des Saints nephew of Sprinter Sacre but was most disappointing on sole racecourse appearance at Hexham back in June. Not without potential but plenty to prove at this juncture.
Sonning - Alan King has a strong record with those who achieved ratings of 75 and above on the flat while under his care. Sonning's 76 is fully warranted and has shown gameness in that sphere. By The Gurkha and related to Diakali, there is also hurdling promise in the pedigree. Will appreciate the good ground and has been schooled for his new venture since the spring.
Undercover Agent - Half brother to a classic winner but cheap purchase at a breeze up and has ran accordingly on the flat. Kodiac is a competent sire in the sphere but that would be the extent of his case. 
Strong prospects
1. Sonning
Reasonable prospects
2. Mister Allegro
3. Burristo
Feasible prospects
4. Inferno Sacree
Moderate prospects
5. Epic Pass
6. Gavin
Negligible prospects
7. Undercover Agent

Wincanton is set to host what has, since 2015, been its only juvenile specific contest of the season. While the venue is often visited by talented novice chasers and hurdlers, its winning juveniles are generally a few pounds below average. Indeed, this particular contest is some twelve pounds below average and when Paul Nicholls runners are excluded (taking with them Romain de Senam, Cliffs Of Dover and Sir Psycho) the winning standard drops a further five pounds with Scottish Triumph winner Impulsive American being the most accomplished previous participant. This year's renewal, however, looks to be above average with two previous winners taking on an exciting flat recruit in Sonning as well as a nephew of Sprinter Sacre seeking to atone for a lacklustre effort in the season's curtain raiser at Hexham back in June. A sharp, flat and right-handed circuit, Wincanton's winning DIs are broadly average as are the clear round and completion rates. The record of odds-on favourites stands at a healthy 75% with the winning SPs being lower than at any other venue with twenty or more races. Experience can be a telling factor in this particular race as the impact value for debutants is at 0.66 compared to the 1.29 for those with hurdles form. Previous winners also have a fair record of two wins and a place from five. The going is currently described as good with only light rain forecast later on Sunday morning.
Burristo chg Fergal O'Brien f7-0-2 (66) 68 j4-1-2 (106) 93 103 
Buratino (Invincible Spirit){23}(1.15) 2/1 Twisted 2nd 2m1f Sedgefield Novices' Hurdle, Sedgefield 2011
A fair maiden on the flat for Richard Hannon, Burristo is the most experienced jumper in the field having had four spins over hurdles. Following a second at Newton Abbot with a win at Stratford in mid-July, Burristo ran his best race to date on his penultimate outing at Uttoxeter when third behind two subsequent winners. He was then off the track for a couple of months before returning in a Worcester handicap thirty days ago. Though racing off 107, which was harsh given his accomplishments to date, he was backed from 13/2 to 9/2 second favourtism at the off. However, his largely fluent round of jumping from Uttoxeter was not repeated as he was untidy at several flights, and had a propensity to give too much air to his hurdles. He was close up for much of the contest, but faded once entering the straight and ultimately finished a twenty-five length ninth of eleven finishers. Notwithstanding, white Burristo needs to leave that performance behind, he should appreciate the return to juvenile company and with the yard in fair form, he can give a reasonable account of himself.  
Mister Allegro bg Anthony Honeyball f12-1-1 (50) 62 j1-1-0 (-) 100 98
Bernardini (Shamardal){1-e}(2.16) 3/2 Meganisi 2nd 2m½f Condiitonals' Handicap Hurdle (133), Aintree 2013
Racing nine times as a two-year-old for Mark Johnston and collecting a Kempton nursery off 48 along the way, Mister Allegro was sold 13,000 guineas at last year's Tattersalls Autumn sale. His first appearance for Anthony Honeyball was reasonable for his level, finishing fourth of nine in a ten furlong Chepstow handicap off 55. However, he would beat only one of twelve rivals home in two subsequent outings which saw him start at 40/1 for his hurdles debut at Ludlow eighteen days ago. His profile for hurdling was not without merit as Bernardini (Forth Bridge, Bordoni) had two winners from five in the sphere, and his new trainer had a solid 22.22% winner to runner rate going into the contest. The apparent quality of his opposition still made his task look a difficult one, but his endeavour was made simpler by a the neatest round of jumping in the contest; besmirched only by his clipping the top of the final two flights. Travelling well in a prominent position, he was momentarily caught for toe on the home turn, but was soon pestering the leader and after jumping to the front at the last, was ridden out to score by nearly two lengths. The winning time was not great and a couple of his rivals likely underperformed, but the runner-up did subsequently land short odds at Sedgefield with consummate ease. Mister Allegro would have to give a couple of these the best part of two stone on the flat, and this is without taking his penalty into account. Nevertheless, he does have the best recent jumps form in the book and given his fluency first time, very much looked a natural to make a better hurdler. 
Epic Pass bc Brian Barr f10-1-4 (72) 81 j1-0-0 (-) 0 0
Awtaad (Clodovil){5-g}(1.00) 3/1 Higgy's Boy 1st Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (129), Ascot 2009
Mark Johnston has supplied more juvenile hurdlers than any other, with the count at 202 individuals since 2004/05. The winner to runner rate of his former inmates is a respectable 23.27%, although this drops three points for those sold in public. Furthermore, just a third of the 120 such horses to have raced more than once as juveniles improved for the switch in codes. Nevertheless, ten of the forty-two who cost less than £9,000 at auction were able to win during their initial campaigns over jumps and the latest such candidate is Epic Pass who fetched 8,500 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Gaining his sole flat success at the second time of asking in a Wolverhampton novice stakes last December, Epic Pass failed to add to his tally in eight subsequent starts. Though he failed to reach the frame on each-way terms, he generally ran consistently, including since his switch to Brian Barr, and his mark of 72 possibly underestimates his overall ability. Epic Pass has maintained his form over twelve furlongs, although it may well be worth noting that these contests were slowly run affairs; including his latest second in a Goodwood seller at the end of August. Sire Awtaad is having his first crop of juveniles and while he won the Irish Guineas and sons of Cape Cross do produce winning juveniles, he is not the tallest at 16.0hh and there is not much stamina on his pedigree. Dam Kanes Pass was a useful performer on the flat at up to a mile, and winning juvenile Higgy's Boy appears at 3/1 on the damline. While there are echoes of jumps ability on the distaff side (4/2 Loving You, 4/5 Getaway Trump, 5/4 Bacchanal), the immediate pedigree does not guarantee stamina. Brian Barr is without a winning juvenile from five and his strike rate is stronger with chasers than hurdlers. Epic Pass does not have the worst form or profile, but there are enough doubts to limit enthusiasm in this company, even if his hurdling debut in Mister Allegro's race can be ignored (pulled up before second flight after rider lost irons).
Gavin bg Joe Ponting f7-0-1 (50) 56 j2-0-0 (-) 71 83 
Bated Breath (Montjeu){16-c}(0.71) 2/1 Keys 2nd 2m1f Maiden Hurdle, Aintree 2011
Though only moderate on the flat for Rod Millman prior to selling for 3,500 guineas, Gavin is related to numerous winning jumpers such as Keys (2/1), Stanley Stanley (2/2) and Forto (3/1). He rather blew his chances first time over hurdles at Stratford when getting lit up early on, and though James Davies was able to keep him restrained in midfield next time at Worcester, his jumping was also an issue and he faded to finish sixth. Gavin's return to the flat three weeks ago saw him tailed off at Lingfield off 50 and unless the first time tongue tie has an astonishing effect, he is unlikely to make any impact in this company. 
Inferno Sacree bg Nigel Hawke j1-0-0 (-) 0 0 
Saint Des Saints (Daramsar){u}(0.67) 2/1 Sprinter Sacre 1st Champion Chase (G1), Cheltenham 2013
Costing €37,000 at Arqana as a yearling, Inferno Sacree is a son of Saint des Saints, an outstanding source of juveniles both domestically (Whetstone, Buddy Banks, Goliath du Berlais) and exported (Monmiral, Fusil Raffles, Sametegal) with laudable figures across the board. The damline is also compelling as it includes capable half-brother Emir Sacree, useful sorts Flinteur Sacre (2/1), Gazump (3/1), Tiot Cas (3/2), Echo Sacre (3/2) and most notably, the outstanding champion Sprinter Sacre (2/1). Trainer Nigel Hawke has a solid record in the division and is already on the scoresheet this term with New Reality. However, for all Inferno Sacree is regally bred, and was backed into second favouritism ahead of his racecourse debut at Hexham back in June, he looked far from emulating his exalted relatives. Steady and tight over the first two and tripping over the third, he never left the rear of the field and was pulled up before the last by Brian Hughes who reported that his mount hung right throughout. Going around Wincanton may suit him better and his peidgree is difficult to ignore despite his lacklustre showing first time. Notwithstanding, the yard's juveniles usually need more experience before hitting their stride and Inferno Sacree has something to prove against some accomplished rivals.  
Sonning grg Alan King f7-1-2 (76) 81
The Gurkha (Rainbow Quest){8-d}(0.56) 3/2 Diakali 1st Prix Alain du Breil (G1), Auteuil 2013
Patrick and Scott Bryceland are involved with this season's exciting novice chasing prospect Champagnesuperover, but while their previous foray into the juvenile hurdle scene with Frankly Mr Shankley did not set the world alight, they will be anticipating greater success as they team up with the McNeills, Alan King and the 76 rated Sonning. Costing 80,000 guineas at last year's Craven Breeze-up Sale, Sonning was not disgraced when lacking experience in three outings as a two-year-old, and made a winning return from his winter break at Beverley in mid-April. Running in a ten furlong, good to firm handicap off a mark of 71, Sonning raced off the pace and although it took a while for the penny to drop, he weaved his way through traffic before running on gamely to win by a neck from Mark Johnston's Happy. Sonning did not appear to appreciate the configuration of Chester next time but though he drifted somewhat under pressure at Leicester on his penultimate outing, he still got his head down to run to his best when denied second by a head. Sonning was last seen at Newbury at the start of July where, running over twelve furlongs, he raced keenly but finished flat from the distance. He has since been given a break but is due to embark on a hurdling career which has been in the pipeline since spring, during which time he was schooled by Adrian Heskin. As such, he ought to be fresh and know his job when he returns to the fold. His sire, The Gurkha, is having his first crop of juvenile hurdlers and though he was one of Galileo's speedier sons, the sireline has a good record in the division and hurdlers Prospect Wells and Brooklyn's Gold appear on his damline at 3/1 Furthermore, he has already had a winner in the division with Addosh landing a valuable contest at Market Rasen. Sonning's own distaff side counts little in the way of immediate hurdlers, although the first one that shows is the top class Diakali at 3/2, who was also a very accomplished juvenile hurdler. Winning jumpers Diamond Frontier, Diamond d'Amour and Diamond Kut also appear at 3/2 while Divapour can be found at 3/3. Alan King's record with juvenile hurdlers has already been covered extensively, although in the case of Sonning, it is worth noting that his already impressive winner to runner rate of 48.61% increases to 70% when isolating those who achieved flat ratings of 75 and above while residing at Barbury Castle. Furthermore, his record in this particular contest reads as three wins, a second and a third from five runners. Sonning has a nice profile overall and though he takes on a couple of previous winners, his flat ability and proven form on good ground make him a compelling participant in this field. 
Undercover Agent bg Mark Gillard f3-0-0 (39) 39
Kodiac (Rainbow Quest){1-o}(0.78) 0.5 Hoist The Colours 4th Juvenile Hurdle, Stratford 2015
Since fetching 3,000 guineas at a Tattersalls Breeze Up this year, Undercover Agent, a half-brother to the 2009 Poule d'Essai des Pouliche winner Elusive Wave, finished tailed off on two outings during August and was an eleven length last of six in a weak Lingfield claimer earlier this month. Trainer Mark Gillard has saddled three winning juveniles, but none would do so before their fifth attempt over hurdles and his overall strike rate stands at just 3.85%. Kodiac has a good record in the sphere with a winner to runner rate of 37.93%, but this would not be enough to offset the huge task set on Undercover Agent's hurdling debut. 
tl;dr
Burristo - Fair maiden on flat and has just about the best hurdling form on offer. Disappointing in handicap company after a break but should appreciate return to his age group and yard has been amongst the winners recently.
Mister Allegro - Regressive on the flat and appeared to face stiff task ahead of making a winning hurdling debut at Ludlow. Nevertheless, has the profile to do better in the sphere and looked a natural on sole jumps start. Ground to make on flat form but sets standard on recent hurdles form.
Epic Pass - Fairly useful at up to twelve furlongs on flat, but stamina not entirely assured on breeding and flat form came in slowly run affairs. Hurdling debut can be ignored as he was pulled up after his rider lost his irons at the first.
Gavin - Modest on flat and though he did not jump terribly first time over hurdles, he has shown himself as difficult to settle on each outing in the sphere.
Inferno Sacree - Saint des Saints nephew of Sprinter Sacre but was most disappointing on sole racecourse appearance at Hexham back in June. Not without potential but plenty to prove at this juncture.
Sonning - Alan King has a strong record with those who achieved ratings of 75 and above on the flat while under his care. Sonning's 76 is fully warranted and has shown gameness in that sphere. By The Gurkha and related to Diakali, there is also hurdling promise in the pedigree. Will appreciate the good ground and has been schooled for his new venture since the spring.
Undercover Agent - Half brother to a classic winner but cheap purchase at a breeze up and has ran accordingly on the flat. Kodiac is a competent sire in the sphere but that would be the extent of his case. 
Strong prospects
1. Sonning
Reasonable prospects
2. Mister Allegro
3. Burristo
Feasible prospects
4. Inferno Sacree
Moderate prospects
5. Epic Pass
6. Gavin
Negligible prospects
7. Undercover Agent

Wincanton is set to host what has, since 2015, been its only juvenile specific contest of the season. While the venue is often visited by talented novice chasers and hurdlers, its winning juveniles are generally a few pounds below average. Indeed, this particular contest is some twelve pounds below average and when Paul Nicholls runners are excluded (taking with them Romain de Senam, Cliffs Of Dover and Sir Psycho) the winning standard drops a further five pounds with Scottish Triumph winner Impulsive American being the most accomplished previous participant. This year's renewal, however, looks to be above average with two previous winners taking on an exciting flat recruit in Sonning as well as a nephew of Sprinter Sacre seeking to atone for a lacklustre effort in the season's curtain raiser at Hexham back in June. A sharp, flat and right-handed circuit, Wincanton's winning DIs are broadly average as are the clear round and completion rates. The record of odds-on favourites stands at a healthy 75% with the winning SPs being lower than at any other venue with twenty or more races. Experience can be a telling factor in this particular race as the impact value for debutants is at 0.66 compared to the 1.29 for those with hurdles form. Previous winners also have a fair record of two wins and a place from five. The going is currently described as good with only light rain forecast later on Sunday morning.
Burristo chg Fergal O'Brien f7-0-2 (66) 68 j4-1-2 (106) 93 103 
Buratino (Invincible Spirit){23}(1.15) 2/1 Twisted 2nd 2m1f Sedgefield Novices' Hurdle, Sedgefield 2011
A fair maiden on the flat for Richard Hannon, Burristo is the most experienced jumper in the field having had four spins over hurdles. Following a second at Newton Abbot with a win at Stratford in mid-July, Burristo ran his best race to date on his penultimate outing at Uttoxeter when third behind two subsequent winners. He was then off the track for a couple of months before returning in a Worcester handicap thirty days ago. Though racing off 107, which was harsh given his accomplishments to date, he was backed from 13/2 to 9/2 second favourtism at the off. However, his largely fluent round of jumping from Uttoxeter was not repeated as he was untidy at several flights, and had a propensity to give too much air to his hurdles. He was close up for much of the contest, but faded once entering the straight and ultimately finished a twenty-five length ninth of eleven finishers. Notwithstanding, white Burristo needs to leave that performance behind, he should appreciate the return to juvenile company and with the yard in fair form, he can give a reasonable account of himself.  
Mister Allegro bg Anthony Honeyball f12-1-1 (50) 62 j1-1-0 (-) 100 98
Bernardini (Shamardal){1-e}(2.16) 3/2 Meganisi 2nd 2m½f Condiitonals' Handicap Hurdle (133), Aintree 2013
Racing nine times as a two-year-old for Mark Johnston and collecting a Kempton nursery off 48 along the way, Mister Allegro was sold 13,000 guineas at last year's Tattersalls Autumn sale. His first appearance for Anthony Honeyball was reasonable for his level, finishing fourth of nine in a ten furlong Chepstow handicap off 55. However, he would beat only one of twelve rivals home in two subsequent outings which saw him start at 40/1 for his hurdles debut at Ludlow eighteen days ago. His profile for hurdling was not without merit as Bernardini (Forth Bridge, Bordoni) had two winners from five in the sphere, and his new trainer had a solid 22.22% winner to runner rate going into the contest. The apparent quality of his opposition still made his task look a difficult one, but his endeavour was made simpler by a the neatest round of jumping in the contest; besmirched only by his clipping the top of the final two flights. Travelling well in a prominent position, he was momentarily caught for toe on the home turn, but was soon pestering the leader and after jumping to the front at the last, was ridden out to score by nearly two lengths. The winning time was not great and a couple of his rivals likely underperformed, but the runner-up did subsequently land short odds at Sedgefield with consummate ease. Mister Allegro would have to give a couple of these the best part of two stone on the flat, and this is without taking his penalty into account. Nevertheless, he does have the best recent jumps form in the book and given his fluency first time, very much looked a natural to make a better hurdler. 
Epic Pass bc Brian Barr f10-1-4 (72) 81 j1-0-0 (-) 0 0
Awtaad (Clodovil){5-g}(1.00) 3/1 Higgy's Boy 1st Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (129), Ascot 2009
Mark Johnston has supplied more juvenile hurdlers than any other, with the count at 202 individuals since 2004/05. The winner to runner rate of his former inmates is a respectable 23.27%, although this drops three points for those sold in public. Furthermore, just a third of the 120 such horses to have raced more than once as juveniles improved for the switch in codes. Nevertheless, ten of the forty-two who cost less than £9,000 at auction were able to win during their initial campaigns over jumps and the latest such candidate is Epic Pass who fetched 8,500 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Gaining his sole flat success at the second time of asking in a Wolverhampton novice stakes last December, Epic Pass failed to add to his tally in eight subsequent starts. Though he failed to reach the frame on each-way terms, he generally ran consistently, including since his switch to Brian Barr, and his mark of 72 possibly underestimates his overall ability. Epic Pass has maintained his form over twelve furlongs, although it may well be worth noting that these contests were slowly run affairs; including his latest second in a Goodwood seller at the end of August. Sire Awtaad is having his first crop of juveniles and while he won the Irish Guineas and sons of Cape Cross do produce winning juveniles, he is not the tallest at 16.0hh and there is not much stamina on his pedigree. Dam Kanes Pass was a useful performer on the flat at up to a mile, and winning juvenile Higgy's Boy appears at 3/1 on the damline. While there are echoes of jumps ability on the distaff side (4/2 Loving You, 4/5 Getaway Trump, 5/4 Bacchanal), the immediate pedigree does not guarantee stamina. Brian Barr is without a winning juvenile from five and his strike rate is stronger with chasers than hurdlers. Epic Pass does not have the worst form or profile, but there are enough doubts to limit enthusiasm in this company, even if his hurdling debut in Mister Allegro's race can be ignored (pulled up before second flight after rider lost irons).
Gavin bg Joe Ponting f7-0-1 (50) 56 j2-0-0 (-) 71 83 
Bated Breath (Montjeu){16-c}(0.71) 2/1 Keys 2nd 2m1f Maiden Hurdle, Aintree 2011
Though only moderate on the flat for Rod Millman prior to selling for 3,500 guineas, Gavin is related to numerous winning jumpers such as Keys (2/1), Stanley Stanley (2/2) and Forto (3/1). He rather blew his chances first time over hurdles at Stratford when getting lit up early on, and though James Davies was able to keep him restrained in midfield next time at Worcester, his jumping was also an issue and he faded to finish sixth. Gavin's return to the flat three weeks ago saw him tailed off at Lingfield off 50 and unless the first time tongue tie has an astonishing effect, he is unlikely to make any impact in this company. 
Inferno Sacree bg Nigel Hawke j1-0-0 (-) 0 0 
Saint Des Saints (Daramsar){u}(0.67) 2/1 Sprinter Sacre 1st Champion Chase (G1), Cheltenham 2013
Costing €37,000 at Arqana as a yearling, Inferno Sacree is a son of Saint des Saints, an outstanding source of juveniles both domestically (Whetstone, Buddy Banks, Goliath du Berlais) and exported (Monmiral, Fusil Raffles, Sametegal) with laudable figures across the board. The damline is also compelling as it includes capable half-brother Emir Sacree, useful sorts Flinteur Sacre (2/1), Gazump (3/1), Tiot Cas (3/2), Echo Sacre (3/2) and most notably, the outstanding champion Sprinter Sacre (2/1). Trainer Nigel Hawke has a solid record in the division and is already on the scoresheet this term with New Reality. However, for all Inferno Sacree is regally bred, and was backed into second favouritism ahead of his racecourse debut at Hexham back in June, he looked far from emulating his exalted relatives. Steady and tight over the first two and tripping over the third, he never left the rear of the field and was pulled up before the last by Brian Hughes who reported that his mount hung right throughout. Going around Wincanton may suit him better and his peidgree is difficult to ignore despite his lacklustre showing first time. Notwithstanding, the yard's juveniles usually need more experience before hitting their stride and Inferno Sacree has something to prove against some accomplished rivals.  
Sonning grg Alan King f7-1-2 (76) 81
The Gurkha (Rainbow Quest){8-d}(0.56) 3/2 Diakali 1st Prix Alain du Breil (G1), Auteuil 2013
Patrick and Scott Bryceland are involved with this season's exciting novice chasing prospect Champagnesuperover, but while their previous foray into the juvenile hurdle scene with Frankly Mr Shankley did not set the world alight, they will be anticipating greater success as they team up with the McNeills, Alan King and the 76 rated Sonning. Costing 80,000 guineas at last year's Craven Breeze-up Sale, Sonning was not disgraced when lacking experience in three outings as a two-year-old, and made a winning return from his winter break at Beverley in mid-April. Running in a ten furlong, good to firm handicap off a mark of 71, Sonning raced off the pace and although it took a while for the penny to drop, he weaved his way through traffic before running on gamely to win by a neck from Mark Johnston's Happy. Sonning did not appear to appreciate the configuration of Chester next time but though he drifted somewhat under pressure at Leicester on his penultimate outing, he still got his head down to run to his best when denied second by a head. Sonning was last seen at Newbury at the start of July where, running over twelve furlongs, he raced keenly but finished flat from the distance. He has since been given a break but is due to embark on a hurdling career which has been in the pipeline since spring, during which time he was schooled by Adrian Heskin. As such, he ought to be fresh and know his job when he returns to the fold. His sire, The Gurkha, is having his first crop of juvenile hurdlers and though he was one of Galileo's speedier sons, the sireline has a good record in the division and hurdlers Prospect Wells and Brooklyn's Gold appear on his damline at 3/1 Furthermore, he has already had a winner in the division with Addosh landing a valuable contest at Market Rasen. Sonning's own distaff side counts little in the way of immediate hurdlers, although the first one that shows is the top class Diakali at 3/2, who was also a very accomplished juvenile hurdler. Winning jumpers Diamond Frontier, Diamond d'Amour and Diamond Kut also appear at 3/2 while Divapour can be found at 3/3. Alan King's record with juvenile hurdlers has already been covered extensively, although in the case of Sonning, it is worth noting that his already impressive winner to runner rate of 48.61% increases to 70% when isolating those who achieved flat ratings of 75 and above while residing at Barbury Castle. Furthermore, his record in this particular contest reads as three wins, a second and a third from five runners. Sonning has a nice profile overall and though he takes on a couple of previous winners, his flat ability and proven form on good ground make him a compelling participant in this field. 
Undercover Agent bg Mark Gillard f3-0-0 (39) 39
Kodiac (Rainbow Quest){1-o}(0.78) 0.5 Hoist The Colours 4th Juvenile Hurdle, Stratford 2015
Since fetching 3,000 guineas at a Tattersalls Breeze Up this year, Undercover Agent, a half-brother to the 2009 Poule d'Essai des Pouliche winner Elusive Wave, finished tailed off on two outings during August and was an eleven length last of six in a weak Lingfield claimer earlier this month. Trainer Mark Gillard has saddled three winning juveniles, but none would do so before their fifth attempt over hurdles and his overall strike rate stands at just 3.85%. Kodiac has a good record in the sphere with a winner to runner rate of 37.93%, but this would not be enough to offset the huge task set on Undercover Agent's hurdling debut. 
tl;dr
Burristo - Fair maiden on flat and has just about the best hurdling form on offer. Disappointing in handicap company after a break but should appreciate return to his age group and yard has been amongst the winners recently.
Mister Allegro - Regressive on the flat and appeared to face stiff task ahead of making a winning hurdling debut at Ludlow. Nevertheless, has the profile to do better in the sphere and looked a natural on sole jumps start. Ground to make on flat form but sets standard on recent hurdles form.
Epic Pass - Fairly useful at up to twelve furlongs on flat, but stamina not entirely assured on breeding and flat form came in slowly run affairs. Hurdling debut can be ignored as he was pulled up after his rider lost his irons at the first.
Gavin - Modest on flat and though he did not jump terribly first time over hurdles, he has shown himself as difficult to settle on each outing in the sphere.
Inferno Sacree - Saint des Saints nephew of Sprinter Sacre but was most disappointing on sole racecourse appearance at Hexham back in June. Not without potential but plenty to prove at this juncture.
Sonning - Alan King has a strong record with those who achieved ratings of 75 and above on the flat while under his care. Sonning's 76 is fully warranted and has shown gameness in that sphere. By The Gurkha and related to Diakali, there is also hurdling promise in the pedigree. Will appreciate the good ground and has been schooled for his new venture since the spring.
Undercover Agent - Half brother to a classic winner but cheap purchase at a breeze up and has ran accordingly on the flat. Kodiac is a competent sire in the sphere but that would be the extent of his case. 
Strong prospects
1. Sonning
Reasonable prospects
2. Mister Allegro
3. Burristo
Feasible prospects
4. Inferno Sacree
Moderate prospects
5. Epic Pass
6. Gavin
Negligible prospects
7. Undercover Agent

Not a juvenile hurdle but a 3 year old junior national hunt flat race 3.50 at Exeter over 13f where the smartly named Eel Pie Island available at 5/2 looks worthy of the favourites tag .
1st ?

The review of Sedgefield's race
Preview review
The strong prospect won very easily, as per his starting price, and with the exception of Drumfire jumping two places, the field finished in accordance with the prospects list. There was perhaps too much made of the jockey bookings for Susan Corbett's pair - especially as neither had jumped a hurdle in public, only one had seen a racecourse and the market spoke much more favourably for the newcomer. Great Commission perhaps ran below expectations but his case was based on a sole outing in which he may have been flattered. Beyond the aforementioned, there is little else that needs revisiting.
Race review
With the exception of the winner, this looked a weak event beforehand and these sentiments manifested in the contest itself. The pace and winning time were modest and the winner was a league above his rivals. There have been more wayward and novicey collections of juveniles seen this term, but apart from the winner and possibly the runner-up, there is not a great deal to say about the class of this contest. 
Genuflex was the only winner from the flat in the line-up, courtesy of a nursery win under the care of Richard Hannon, and was also the sole participant with hurdling experience. He was well backed on his hurdles bow at Ludlow eleven days earlier where he found only one too good. That was enough to make him a worthy 4/11 favourite here and he made his own running from the outset. Racing keenly while setting a modest tempo and although he hit the top of the third, rather missed the sixth and ran down the penultimate flight, his jumping was neat enough overall. Genuflex entered the straight half a dozen lengths clear of his rivals and after being shaken up away from two out, was in cruise control for the rest of the race; crossing the line seventeen lengths clear of the remainder. Though he has yet to reach the best of his flat form, this was a step up on his debut effort and there is scope for further improvement. Life will get more difficult under a penalty, but he should remain competitive provided sights are not set too high. 103
Drumfire began life as a Darley horse and from the Dahlia line, his granddam was a half-sister to St Leger winner Nedawi. However, he would reach the sales ring before the racecourse, joining Susan Corbett for 7,000 guineas in August. Racecourse debutants have a weak record in this discipline, but there was some confidence for Drumfire in the market - particularly relative to his stablemate - as he went from a morning show of 20/1 to 12/1 at the off. Held up in mid-division, he struggled to keep tabs on his rivals leaving the back, but soon found his gear and was leading the pursuit of the winner approaching the last. Though his quest for first was a lost cause, he had enough to hold on to second place by just over two lengths. Apart from trailing his hind legs at the fifth, and rather reaching at the last, there is little complaint in his round of jumping. Strictly on form, there was not a great deal achieved here. Nevertheless, there is encouragement to be drawn from this debut outing and it is not unreasonable to imagine a small race eventually being within his compass. 82
Great Commission was lacklustre on his racecourse debut in August, but stepped up on that showing second time in a Beverley novice stakes the following month with an apparently useful performance. Though he may have been flattered by the latter outing, he is also bred to make a juvenile hurdler and he was sent off the 5/1 second favourite here. He kept Genuflex company throughout much of the contest, but the distress signals were out on the turn for home and he conceded second place shortly after the penultimate flight before finishing nearly twenty lengths behind the winner. Great Commission was given to making minor errors, but few were massively detrimental to his momentum until the final two hurdles where he was steep and slow to get away. This performance falls below what he may have achieved at Beverley and although he should be able to leave this showing behind, it is difficult to get a good grasp on his ability or potential at this juncture. 80
Sisu had shown a modicum of ability on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott and started the day more prominently in the market than her unraced stablemate. However, she drifted from 8/1 to 25/1 during the course of the exchanges and it became apparent that she had not taken to hurdling as well as the runner-up. Hopping over the first, where she was slow getting away, she clipped the second, was steady and close at the fifth, clipped two out and was slow and untidy at the last. Keen in the early stages, Sisu travelled well enough up to the end of the back, but was laboured from the top of the straight onwards. 66
Shamrock Wine represented a Brian Ellison with a healthy record in the discipline, but her flat form was modest at best. This did not prevent her from halving in price in the ring, starting the race at 10/1, but there was never any justification for this confidence in the race itself. Pulling hard and jumping moderately, Shamrock Wine was already getting detached before halfway and would merely plug on to keep her beaten distance down to thirty lengths. 62
Lucy Rules managed a second in a selling handicap off 50 on her penultimate start for Ollie Pears, but this still left her with plenty to find even in this company and she was sent off the 33/1 outsider of the field. She was slow to start and went right at the first, although apart from getting close to the fourth and clipping the sixth, she did not hurdle too badly. However, despite racing in the rear, she emptied out quickly on the turn for home and was pulled up before two out. 0
 

The review of Sedgefield's race
Preview review
The strong prospect won very easily, as per his starting price, and with the exception of Drumfire jumping two places, the field finished in accordance with the prospects list. There was perhaps too much made of the jockey bookings for Susan Corbett's pair - especially as neither had jumped a hurdle in public, only one had seen a racecourse and the market spoke much more favourably for the newcomer. Great Commission perhaps ran below expectations but his case was based on a sole outing in which he may have been flattered. Beyond the aforementioned, there is little else that needs revisiting.
Race review
With the exception of the winner, this looked a weak event beforehand and these sentiments manifested in the contest itself. The pace and winning time were modest and the winner was a league above his rivals. There have been more wayward and novicey collections of juveniles seen this term, but apart from the winner and possibly the runner-up, there is not a great deal to say about the class of this contest. 
Genuflex was the only winner from the flat in the line-up, courtesy of a nursery win under the care of Richard Hannon, and was also the sole participant with hurdling experience. He was well backed on his hurdles bow at Ludlow eleven days earlier where he found only one too good. That was enough to make him a worthy 4/11 favourite here and he made his own running from the outset. Racing keenly while setting a modest tempo and although he hit the top of the third, rather missed the sixth and ran down the penultimate flight, his jumping was neat enough overall. Genuflex entered the straight half a dozen lengths clear of his rivals and after being shaken up away from two out, was in cruise control for the rest of the race; crossing the line seventeen lengths clear of the remainder. Though he has yet to reach the best of his flat form, this was a step up on his debut effort and there is scope for further improvement. Life will get more difficult under a penalty, but he should remain competitive provided sights are not set too high. 103
Drumfire began life as a Darley horse and from the Dahlia line, his granddam was a half-sister to St Leger winner Nedawi. However, he would reach the sales ring before the racecourse, joining Susan Corbett for 7,000 guineas in August. Racecourse debutants have a weak record in this discipline, but there was some confidence for Drumfire in the market - particularly relative to his stablemate - as he went from a morning show of 20/1 to 12/1 at the off. Held up in mid-division, he struggled to keep tabs on his rivals leaving the back, but soon found his gear and was leading the pursuit of the winner approaching the last. Though his quest for first was a lost cause, he had enough to hold on to second place by just over two lengths. Apart from trailing his hind legs at the fifth, and rather reaching at the last, there is little complaint in his round of jumping. Strictly on form, there was not a great deal achieved here. Nevertheless, there is encouragement to be drawn from this debut outing and it is not unreasonable to imagine a small race eventually being within his compass. 82
Great Commission was lacklustre on his racecourse debut in August, but stepped up on that showing second time in a Beverley novice stakes the following month with an apparently useful performance. Though he may have been flattered by the latter outing, he is also bred to make a juvenile hurdler and he was sent off the 5/1 second favourite here. He kept Genuflex company throughout much of the contest, but the distress signals were out on the turn for home and he conceded second place shortly after the penultimate flight before finishing nearly twenty lengths behind the winner. Great Commission was given to making minor errors, but few were massively detrimental to his momentum until the final two hurdles where he was steep and slow to get away. This performance falls below what he may have achieved at Beverley and although he should be able to leave this showing behind, it is difficult to get a good grasp on his ability or potential at this juncture. 80
Sisu had shown a modicum of ability on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott and started the day more prominently in the market than her unraced stablemate. However, she drifted from 8/1 to 25/1 during the course of the exchanges and it became apparent that she had not taken to hurdling as well as the runner-up. Hopping over the first, where she was slow getting away, she clipped the second, was steady and close at the fifth, clipped two out and was slow and untidy at the last. Keen in the early stages, Sisu travelled well enough up to the end of the back, but was laboured from the top of the straight onwards. 66
Shamrock Wine represented a Brian Ellison with a healthy record in the discipline, but her flat form was modest at best. This did not prevent her from halving in price in the ring, starting the race at 10/1, but there was never any justification for this confidence in the race itself. Pulling hard and jumping moderately, Shamrock Wine was already getting detached before halfway and would merely plug on to keep her beaten distance down to thirty lengths. 62
Lucy Rules managed a second in a selling handicap off 50 on her penultimate start for Ollie Pears, but this still left her with plenty to find even in this company and she was sent off the 33/1 outsider of the field. She was slow to start and went right at the first, although apart from getting close to the fourth and clipping the sixth, she did not hurdle too badly. However, despite racing in the rear, she emptied out quickly on the turn for home and was pulled up before two out. 0
 

Here is the review of yesterday's race at Kempton. The Sedgefield review might be up by this evening.
Preview review
The field finished as per the prospects list with Impulsive One's having to set his own pace possibly being the deciding factor. Very little to revisit insofar as the processes going into the preview are concerned.
Race review
This is traditionally one of the stronger early season contests and this year's renewal was no exception. Two undefeated hurdlers took on a pair of useful flat recruits and it was the former pair that had the race between them. The early pace was fairly sedate, causing a couple to take a keener hold than ideal. Nevertheless, the winning time was respectable compared to the two listed contests at the distance on the card with the run-in completed in a faster time than either contest. The front two, who made their experience tell, were the best on the day and would probably be the ones to take out of the contest in the long term. The winner was probably better suited by the manner in which the race unfolded, although he perhaps has the greater scope. Overall, the form looks strong and solid. 
Knight Salute took his chance in listed company at two, but subsequently finished last on his four remaining starts for Andrew Balding. Consequently, he was a relatively inexpensive lot at the Tattersalls July Sale although having been campaigned on an inadequate trip and boasting a pedigree for the discipline, better could have been anticipated over hurdles. Despite drifting to 18/1 on his jumps bow at Sedgefield, he hurdled well and moved strongly before winning by a comfortable nine lengths. Having his second outing at a more fashionable venue against representatives of more fashionable yards, he was uneasy in the exchanges during the day. Nevertheless, he held a strong chance on paper and was backed in the ring from 13/2 to 9/2 at the off. Tracking the leaders off a fairly modest tempo, Mitch Bastyan had to display good strength to keep a good hold of his mount. Nevertheless, the jockey conserved enough energy to have Knight Salute in a useful position turning into the straight. Though momentarily outpaced between the final two flights, Knight Salute gained enough momentum to jump the last with a share of the lead and was able to see off his rival to the tune of a couple of lengths at the line. While he made mistakes under pressure first time at Sedgefield, there were no errors worth reporting in this contest and with his strong travelling and fluent jumping, Knight Salute posted the strongest winning performance seen on a British course to date this season. Quite how far Knight Salute can progress would be anybody's guess and the 33/1 quoted afterwards for the Triumph might be a little cautious at this juncture. Nevertheless, he is clearly a talented juvenile hurdler and it will be exciting to see how he handles the inevitable step up in class; particularly as he should be at least as capable with give in the ground. 127
Impulsive One had shown useful form on the flat in winning one of his eight starts for William Haggas, and while not ideally bred for a winter campaign, made a good impression in comprehensively winning his first two races over hurdles for Nicky Henderson. He was especially taking on his debut at Plumpton and though vulnerabilities emerged over his headstrong nature next time at Huntingdon, he still had little problem defying the penalty. Though slightly uneasy in the ring, drifting from 4/7 to 5/6, he was still sent off the clear favourite. Without getting a lead in this small field, Impulsive One was forced to make his own running which would not have been ideal as he proved difficult to settle. Notwithstanding, his hurdling much more polished than last time and he was still on the bridle approaching the penultimate flight. There he made his only real error as he went through the top of the flight, but it did not cost him any real momentum and while he did not have enough to fend off the winner's challenge on the run-in, he was still able to put nearly seven lengths between himself and the Alan King recruit in third. Given that he was conceding four pounds to the winner, seven if one accounts for the claim of the former's talented rider, Impulsive One emerges as best at the weights which in turn, makes this the strongest British performance in the sphere to date. Though he is unlikely to appreciate the winter ground and will need a stronger pace to be seen to best effect, little should be taken away from him on the basis of this respectable effort. 129
Painless Potter was representing an Alan King with five winners from ten in this contest, and while he failed to match his Coventry Stakes fifth in subsequent outings, his recent flat form still gave him a credible chance. Fairly steady in the market throughout the day, this grandson of Fred Winter winner, Silk Affair, was sent off at 10/3 second favourite. Painless Potter got a little warm beforehand and was rather fresh held up last of four, but there was little wrong with his jumping until three out where he was steady and got in close. This error cost him a couple of lengths but he was right in the mix entering the straight and he traded as low as 1.73 in-running before he was untidy again at the penultimate hurdle. While he got away from the flight well enough, he was unable to keep up with the front pair and a slow jump at the last sealed his fate. While he would beat only one rival home, this was a respectable debut effort and as he is sure to come on for this outing, he should be well up to getting off the mark in ordinary company. 113
Rhebus Road won twice on the flat for Ralph Beckett, including when last seen in a ten furlong Newmarket Handicap off 70. Bought by current connections for 70,000 guineas in July with a hurdling career in mind, he made the switch to an Oliver Sherwood yard with a healthy record in the sphere. Though sent off the outsider, he was not without supporters and his price contracted from 10/1 to 15/2 at the off. However, while he probably settled as well as anything in the contest, his hurdling left something to be desired as he hopped over the second, was steady before skewing at the fifth, steady again at the next where he got in close and was already weakening when putting in a tired jump at two out. While Rhebus Road is not without potential as a hurdling recruit, he was overfaced in this company first time and it remains to be seen if he would be more enthusiastic in lesser company. 79
 

The review of Sedgefield's race
Preview review
The strong prospect won very easily, as per his starting price, and with the exception of Drumfire jumping two places, the field finished in accordance with the prospects list. There was perhaps too much made of the jockey bookings for Susan Corbett's pair - especially as neither had jumped a hurdle in public, only one had seen a racecourse and the market spoke much more favourably for the newcomer. Great Commission perhaps ran below expectations but his case was based on a sole outing in which he may have been flattered. Beyond the aforementioned, there is little else that needs revisiting.
Race review
With the exception of the winner, this looked a weak event beforehand and these sentiments manifested in the contest itself. The pace and winning time were modest and the winner was a league above his rivals. There have been more wayward and novicey collections of juveniles seen this term, but apart from the winner and possibly the runner-up, there is not a great deal to say about the class of this contest. 
Genuflex was the only winner from the flat in the line-up, courtesy of a nursery win under the care of Richard Hannon, and was also the sole participant with hurdling experience. He was well backed on his hurdles bow at Ludlow eleven days earlier where he found only one too good. That was enough to make him a worthy 4/11 favourite here and he made his own running from the outset. Racing keenly while setting a modest tempo and although he hit the top of the third, rather missed the sixth and ran down the penultimate flight, his jumping was neat enough overall. Genuflex entered the straight half a dozen lengths clear of his rivals and after being shaken up away from two out, was in cruise control for the rest of the race; crossing the line seventeen lengths clear of the remainder. Though he has yet to reach the best of his flat form, this was a step up on his debut effort and there is scope for further improvement. Life will get more difficult under a penalty, but he should remain competitive provided sights are not set too high. 103
Drumfire began life as a Darley horse and from the Dahlia line, his granddam was a half-sister to St Leger winner Nedawi. However, he would reach the sales ring before the racecourse, joining Susan Corbett for 7,000 guineas in August. Racecourse debutants have a weak record in this discipline, but there was some confidence for Drumfire in the market - particularly relative to his stablemate - as he went from a morning show of 20/1 to 12/1 at the off. Held up in mid-division, he struggled to keep tabs on his rivals leaving the back, but soon found his gear and was leading the pursuit of the winner approaching the last. Though his quest for first was a lost cause, he had enough to hold on to second place by just over two lengths. Apart from trailing his hind legs at the fifth, and rather reaching at the last, there is little complaint in his round of jumping. Strictly on form, there was not a great deal achieved here. Nevertheless, there is encouragement to be drawn from this debut outing and it is not unreasonable to imagine a small race eventually being within his compass. 82
Great Commission was lacklustre on his racecourse debut in August, but stepped up on that showing second time in a Beverley novice stakes the following month with an apparently useful performance. Though he may have been flattered by the latter outing, he is also bred to make a juvenile hurdler and he was sent off the 5/1 second favourite here. He kept Genuflex company throughout much of the contest, but the distress signals were out on the turn for home and he conceded second place shortly after the penultimate flight before finishing nearly twenty lengths behind the winner. Great Commission was given to making minor errors, but few were massively detrimental to his momentum until the final two hurdles where he was steep and slow to get away. This performance falls below what he may have achieved at Beverley and although he should be able to leave this showing behind, it is difficult to get a good grasp on his ability or potential at this juncture. 80
Sisu had shown a modicum of ability on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott and started the day more prominently in the market than her unraced stablemate. However, she drifted from 8/1 to 25/1 during the course of the exchanges and it became apparent that she had not taken to hurdling as well as the runner-up. Hopping over the first, where she was slow getting away, she clipped the second, was steady and close at the fifth, clipped two out and was slow and untidy at the last. Keen in the early stages, Sisu travelled well enough up to the end of the back, but was laboured from the top of the straight onwards. 66
Shamrock Wine represented a Brian Ellison with a healthy record in the discipline, but her flat form was modest at best. This did not prevent her from halving in price in the ring, starting the race at 10/1, but there was never any justification for this confidence in the race itself. Pulling hard and jumping moderately, Shamrock Wine was already getting detached before halfway and would merely plug on to keep her beaten distance down to thirty lengths. 62
Lucy Rules managed a second in a selling handicap off 50 on her penultimate start for Ollie Pears, but this still left her with plenty to find even in this company and she was sent off the 33/1 outsider of the field. She was slow to start and went right at the first, although apart from getting close to the fourth and clipping the sixth, she did not hurdle too badly. However, despite racing in the rear, she emptied out quickly on the turn for home and was pulled up before two out. 0
 

Here is the review of yesterday's race at Kempton. The Sedgefield review might be up by this evening.
Preview review
The field finished as per the prospects list with Impulsive One's having to set his own pace possibly being the deciding factor. Very little to revisit insofar as the processes going into the preview are concerned.
Race review
This is traditionally one of the stronger early season contests and this year's renewal was no exception. Two undefeated hurdlers took on a pair of useful flat recruits and it was the former pair that had the race between them. The early pace was fairly sedate, causing a couple to take a keener hold than ideal. Nevertheless, the winning time was respectable compared to the two listed contests at the distance on the card with the run-in completed in a faster time than either contest. The front two, who made their experience tell, were the best on the day and would probably be the ones to take out of the contest in the long term. The winner was probably better suited by the manner in which the race unfolded, although he perhaps has the greater scope. Overall, the form looks strong and solid. 
Knight Salute took his chance in listed company at two, but subsequently finished last on his four remaining starts for Andrew Balding. Consequently, he was a relatively inexpensive lot at the Tattersalls July Sale although having been campaigned on an inadequate trip and boasting a pedigree for the discipline, better could have been anticipated over hurdles. Despite drifting to 18/1 on his jumps bow at Sedgefield, he hurdled well and moved strongly before winning by a comfortable nine lengths. Having his second outing at a more fashionable venue against representatives of more fashionable yards, he was uneasy in the exchanges during the day. Nevertheless, he held a strong chance on paper and was backed in the ring from 13/2 to 9/2 at the off. Tracking the leaders off a fairly modest tempo, Mitch Bastyan had to display good strength to keep a good hold of his mount. Nevertheless, the jockey conserved enough energy to have Knight Salute in a useful position turning into the straight. Though momentarily outpaced between the final two flights, Knight Salute gained enough momentum to jump the last with a share of the lead and was able to see off his rival to the tune of a couple of lengths at the line. While he made mistakes under pressure first time at Sedgefield, there were no errors worth reporting in this contest and with his strong travelling and fluent jumping, Knight Salute posted the strongest winning performance seen on a British course to date this season. Quite how far Knight Salute can progress would be anybody's guess and the 33/1 quoted afterwards for the Triumph might be a little cautious at this juncture. Nevertheless, he is clearly a talented juvenile hurdler and it will be exciting to see how he handles the inevitable step up in class; particularly as he should be at least as capable with give in the ground. 127
Impulsive One had shown useful form on the flat in winning one of his eight starts for William Haggas, and while not ideally bred for a winter campaign, made a good impression in comprehensively winning his first two races over hurdles for Nicky Henderson. He was especially taking on his debut at Plumpton and though vulnerabilities emerged over his headstrong nature next time at Huntingdon, he still had little problem defying the penalty. Though slightly uneasy in the ring, drifting from 4/7 to 5/6, he was still sent off the clear favourite. Without getting a lead in this small field, Impulsive One was forced to make his own running which would not have been ideal as he proved difficult to settle. Notwithstanding, his hurdling much more polished than last time and he was still on the bridle approaching the penultimate flight. There he made his only real error as he went through the top of the flight, but it did not cost him any real momentum and while he did not have enough to fend off the winner's challenge on the run-in, he was still able to put nearly seven lengths between himself and the Alan King recruit in third. Given that he was conceding four pounds to the winner, seven if one accounts for the claim of the former's talented rider, Impulsive One emerges as best at the weights which in turn, makes this the strongest British performance in the sphere to date. Though he is unlikely to appreciate the winter ground and will need a stronger pace to be seen to best effect, little should be taken away from him on the basis of this respectable effort. 129
Painless Potter was representing an Alan King with five winners from ten in this contest, and while he failed to match his Coventry Stakes fifth in subsequent outings, his recent flat form still gave him a credible chance. Fairly steady in the market throughout the day, this grandson of Fred Winter winner, Silk Affair, was sent off at 10/3 second favourite. Painless Potter got a little warm beforehand and was rather fresh held up last of four, but there was little wrong with his jumping until three out where he was steady and got in close. This error cost him a couple of lengths but he was right in the mix entering the straight and he traded as low as 1.73 in-running before he was untidy again at the penultimate hurdle. While he got away from the flight well enough, he was unable to keep up with the front pair and a slow jump at the last sealed his fate. While he would beat only one rival home, this was a respectable debut effort and as he is sure to come on for this outing, he should be well up to getting off the mark in ordinary company. 113
Rhebus Road won twice on the flat for Ralph Beckett, including when last seen in a ten furlong Newmarket Handicap off 70. Bought by current connections for 70,000 guineas in July with a hurdling career in mind, he made the switch to an Oliver Sherwood yard with a healthy record in the sphere. Though sent off the outsider, he was not without supporters and his price contracted from 10/1 to 15/2 at the off. However, while he probably settled as well as anything in the contest, his hurdling left something to be desired as he hopped over the second, was steady before skewing at the fifth, steady again at the next where he got in close and was already weakening when putting in a tired jump at two out. While Rhebus Road is not without potential as a hurdling recruit, he was overfaced in this company first time and it remains to be seen if he would be more enthusiastic in lesser company. 79
 

Alrighty... So no longer homeless and living in a spacious (for me) canal-side property in a very nice area. Still getting used to the whole not being homeless thing though and will probably want carpets, curtains and stuff before I feel properly settled. Also very ring rusty so don't expect magic or anything. Past reviews are long gone so will just go along with previews and reviews from now onwards rather than torment myself by trying to get out of a hole. Here is the preview for tomorrow's contest at Kempton. Will see if Sedgefield gets done. Cheers. 
Kempton is set to host the first of its four juvenile contests of the season. Though generally weaker than the Adonis and the one held after Boxing Day, historically, it is still strong for the time of year. Quel Destin got off the mark in this contest in 2018 ahead of a fruitful campaign while the contest also launched the British hurdling careers of Cerium, Saticon, Aldopicgros and Stars Over The Sea. Just the four runners have been declared for this year's renewal, but it should be up to scratch with two undefeated hurdlers taking on a pair of flat recruits with respectable form and very capable trainers. Kempton is a flat, right handed circuit with a reputation of being a speedy circuit. However, it's winning DIs of 1.04 median, 1.26 mean are low compared to other courses as well as the beaten runners at the venue. Though stamina would theoretically become more of an issue on a testing surface, the figures for this contest (invariably ran on good ground) are consistent with the standard for the course. Clear round and completion rates are a touch on the fairer side of average and newcomers are at no discernible advantage or disadvantage. Those with winning form have a solid record in this contest with penalised runners winning three and placing in ten from fifteen outings. The going at Kempton is currently described as good, good to firm in places, and there is no rain forecast before post time.
Triumph Odds
Impulsive One 40/1
Impulsive One bg Nicky Henderson f8-1-5 (80) 83 j2-2-0 (127) 113 120
Union Rags (Lonhro){4-m}(1.77) 2/2 El Picador 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Musselburgh 2019
Winning one of his eight starts for William Haggas, Impulsive One had shown useful form on the flat at up to twelve furlongs. Making the switch to Nicky Henderson, he has built on that foundation over hurdles with wins of twelve and ten lengths. His hurdling debut came at Plumpton in the middle of September where he held an outstanding chance on paper. Despite opening at 11/8 in the morning, he went out to 7/2 at one point on course before being trimmed back into 11/4 at the off. However, there was no rationale for his drift offered during the race itself. Tracking the leaders from the outset, he was lit up by the stumble of Fred Bear at the first, but either through the first time application of the hood, James Bowen's handling or Impulsive One's own nature, he had settled nicely after a furlong or so. He made a good impression with his jumping overall, as while he was skewed over the second and reached slightly at the next and though he went through the fifth, his round was characterised by speed, neatness and enthusiasm. Travelling strongly throughout, Impulsive One took the lead turning for home full of running and quickly established a wide advantage after the last before being eased close to the line to win by twelve lengths. His second jumps outing came at Huntingdon eleven days ago where there was no such uncertainly in the market as he started at 1/4 favourite. The hood was retained although he pulled considerably harder than at Plumpton with the most obvious explanation being that he had to make his own running. His hurdling was not as fluent either as he crashed through the first, stumbled after skewing at two out and was low at the last where he was also slow in getting away. Nevertheless, while he also clipped several of the flights in between, it was still a neat enough round for a juvenile and he never looked in danger of losing the contest. There may be concerns over his free running nature although despite the small field size, he may be able to get a lead from Rhebus Road. Beyond this, he just about sets the standard at the weights on the form of his Plumpton win and should enjoy the surface before presumably being put away when the winter ground becomes more prevalent. Furthermore, Nicky Henderson has won this contest twice with Overpriced Mixer (2020) and Tinagoodnight (2007) with his only loser being a class below Impulsive One.
Knight Salute bg Milton Harris f7-1-1 (75) 85 j1-1-0 (-) 107 112
Sir Percy (Unfuwain){11-c}(0.50) 2/1 Kalko 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Kelso 1993
Costing 14,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale, Knight Salute would not have caught many an eye with his purchase fee. Starting his career with Andrew Balding, he followed up a debut second at Wolverhampton with a win at Sandown before being allowed to take his chance in the listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Not disgraced in finishing fifth of seven, he shaped as though he would be suited by further; as per his pedigree. He subsequently finished last on his final outing at two and on all three starts at three, although these runs all came over an inadequate trip. Still within the 82nd percentile of rated flat recruits it was surprising to see him drift out to 18/1 on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield nearly three weeks ago. Racing in a first time hood, he was keen while held up in the rear. Nevertheless, he jumped neatly up to the closing stages where he missed the sixth, reached at the penultimate flight and got in close to the last. Notwithstanding, these latter errors were not to the detriment of his performance given his superiority on the day. Making very smooth headway towards the end of the back, he moved strongly into second place over two out and cruised into the lead approaching the last whereafter he was ridden clear to pass the line nine and six lengths clear of the remainder. Though it was standard fare as far as Sedgefield is concerned, and the winning time was modest, the twenty length fourth finished a quarter of that distance behind the winner when third at Wetherby earlier in the week. Trainer Milton Harris continues to be in strong form and while there is an alternative juvenile contest available at Sedgefield, it could be interesting that he has opted to send Knight Salute here, and his stablemate to County Durham. Though there are a couple of pounds to find with Impulsive One on the latter's debut outing, the second showing puts Knight Salute in a strong position at the weights and he would be dangerous to underestimate even in this company; particularly as he will likely come on for fitness and experience.
Painless Potter bg Alan King f9-0-3 (77) 93
Camacho (Dubai Destination){16-c}(1.00) 2/0 Silk Affair 1st Fred Winter Juvenile HcH (G3,125), Cheltenham 2009
Since 2006, Alan King has had ten runners in this conest, half of who would win including newcomers McVicar and Saticon. His representative this year will be the the 77 rated Painless Potter who ran nine times without winning on the flat for his trainer. Despite his maiden tag, Painless Potter is not without respectable pieces of form; most notably his finishing just over four lengths fifth in last season's Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The subsequent rating of 95 has seen him struggle, although leniency from the handicapper saw him twice place third off 79 in ten furlong handicaps during the summer. The strongest of which came on his penultimate outing in a Racing League contest at Lingfield where he briefly led at the furlong pole before being passed by two fast finishers. The form of that race has not quite worked out, but he can be forgiven his latest showing where he found himself outpaced in a slowly ran affair. Sire Camacho has had winners in the sphere, although his winner to runner rate of 13.04% is the lowest of those represented here. The damline is intriguing however as granddam Silk Affair won the Fred Winter and is herself a sibling of five other winning jumpers including the useful Arthur's Gift and Direct Bearing. Though Painless Potter has not been set an easy introduction to his new career, he is in very good hands for his new vocation and his flat form does not leave him with much to find against his penalised opponents.
Rhebus Road chg Oliver Sherwood f10-2-3 (74) 78
Champs Elysees (Verglas){14-f}(2.20) 2/1 Thahab Ifraj 1st 2m Handicap Hurdle (106), Kempton 2020
Starting his career with Ralph Beckett, it took Rhebus Road seven attempts to get off the mark on the flat. Sporting a first time visor in a twelve furlong handicap at Beverley off 63 in early July, he looked a tricky ride, hanging markedly to his left under pressure. Nevertheless, he still made all to run out a comfortable four-and-a-half length winner and was able to command a price tag of 70,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Rhebus Road stayed at Kimpton Down for his next three outings and was able to double his tally when last seen at Newmarket in a ten furlong handicap off 70. Headgear removed and ridden with more restraint, he took up the running at the distance against the rail and though he carried his head awkwardly at times, was always doing enough to fend off his rivals by upwards of half-a-length. Switching to Oliver Sherwood for his hurdling career, he joins a trainer with a healthy 39.39% winner to runner rate in the sphere and while his overall first time strike rate of 9.38% is average, his sole runner in this contest finished second in 2019. Sire Champs Elysees has a winner to runner rate of 25.93%, and his improvement rate of 51.43% is the strongest in the contest. While there are no superstars on the damline, Rhebus Road is a nephew of Thahab Ifraj who won a handicap hurdle at this venue last year. Overall, Rhebus Road looks another interesting recruit to the game and should be up to winning ordinary contests. However, this is not a soft introduction to the sphere and his tendency to hang left will be much to his detriment if repeated here.
Strong prospects
1. Knight Salute
Reasonable prospects
2. Impulsive One
3. Painless Potter
Feasible prospects
4. Rhebus Road
Moderate prospects
.
Negligible prospects
.

Juvenile hurdling returns to Sedgefield in what is a standard looking affair for a course with typically modest contests. Average winners of this event achieve a seasonal best RPR of 111 although l'Aigle Royal and Gold Desert (winners in 2014 and 2020 respectively) would reach the frame in Doncaster's Summit Hurdle while 2018 winner Chica Buena would follow up in the Listed Fillies' race at Aintree. The latest edition looks moderate as apart from the sole participant with hurdling experience, the field is comprised of flat maidens without any carrying an official rating exceeding 60. Although left handed and undulating with an uphill finish, Sedgefield's winning DIs of 1.40 median, 1.52 mean, are higher than average and these figures are not significantly lower than those of the average participant. However, the clear round rate of 95.32% still makes it a tricky circuit and its completion rate of 79.10% is one of the lowest in the country. Though newcomers are not aversely affected by the jumping test, their strike rate at the venue of 8.7% is lower than the 11.54% of experienced runners. The going is currently described as good with light showers expected through the evening and morning.
Ben Asker bg Paul Robson f5-0-2 (59) 65
Rock Of Gibraltar (Grand Lodge){2-f}(2.38) 2/2 Pour Vous Et Nous 1st 3400m 3yo Conditions Hurdle, Dieppe 2019
Former jockey and current funeral director, Paul Robson, has recently joined the training ranks and enjoyed his first winner last month when Flamboyant Joyaux took a Kelso handicap chase last month. While the fighting career of word class wrestler come unabashed meme Ben Askren is very dead, the birth of Paul Robson's career as a trainer of juvenile hurdlers is born with the similarly named Ben Asker, who reached the frame on his two most recent flat outings for Willie McCreery. These outings each came over seven furlongs at Dundalk with a placing off 60 was followed by a seven-and-a-quarter length third in a claimer back in March in which he was advertised for €10,000. His best flat form is within a few pounds of anything else brought to this race by the other newcomers and while his propensity to hang his head under pressure may be a concern, there is every chance that his seven month break will have given him time to mature. By the same token, the seven month absence means he has fitness to prove and those formerly trained by Willie McCreery count just one winner from fourteen in the sphere. Sire Rock Of Gibraltar has a solid 24.66% winner to runner rate and cousin Pour Vous Et Nous was a winning juvenile in France. Yet to be tested beyond a mile on the flat, Ben Asker shapes as though he can get the trip although there is a chance he might be a bit too fresh first time after his break. 
Drumfire chg Susan Corbett Unraced
Night Of Thunder (Pivotal){13-c}(1.24) 3/1 La Mandragola 1st 2m Maiden Hurdle, Clonmel 2004
Tiger Roll and Cubomania are a notable pair of Darley dispersal horses who made their debuts in juvenile hurdles with the latter costing just £4,500 in 2016. Drumfire cost 4,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Guineas Sale and joins a Susan Corbett yard with one winning juvenile from eight, but with three from five improving for a switch in codes. He is set to be the first British runner over jumps for 2000 Guineas and Lockinge winner Night Of Thunder. Though failing on his sole outing beyond a mile, Night Of Thunder has produced winners at a trip. Furthermore, Night Of Thunder stands at an acceptable 1.64m and sons of Dubawi are capable of producing winning juveniles. The damline is fairly threadbare although the granddam is a sibling of a winning hurdler and Rite Of Passage also appears at 4/3. Notwithstanding, racecourse debutants have a first time strike rate of just 2.33% and Drumfire would appear to be the stable's second string on jockey bookings. 
Genuflex bg Milton Harris f11-1-5 (74) 79 J1-0-1 (-) 97 98 
Holy Roman Emperor (Galileo){1-i}(1.13) 0.5 Gendarme 1st 2m Handicap Hurdle (88), Limerick 2021
The only participant with hurdling experience, Genuflex is also the only flat winner set to face the starter. This victory came at the third time of asking in a Windsor nursery while under the care of Richard Hannon. Though he failed to supplement this success in eight further attempts, Genuflex did run to form over ten furlongs during the spring and summer including on his latest outing in that sphere when showing good tenacity but failing to make all in a Nottingham classified stakes. He subsequently joined the capable Milton Harris for 20,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale and by a Holy Roman Emperor who wins his fair share, and being a half-brother to a winning handicap hurdler, there was every chance he could build his profile over hurdles. He was well backed to do so on his stable/hurdling debut at Ludlow eleven days ago and only one horse prevented his landing the 20/1 into 5/1 plunge. Though occasionally tight at his hurdles, Genuflex posted an efficient round of jumping overall and travelled well in midfield for much of the contest. In contention turning for home, he found himself outpaced between the last two and was slow getting away from the final flight. Nevertheless, he plugged on along the run-in to snatch second in the final strides. That contest was taken by a surprise winner and the third and fourth ran below expectations, but the form is still respectable. The best of these on the flat to the tune of a good ten pounds, Genuflex showed more than enough on his hurdling debut to suggest he sets a very tough target for his opposition. 
Great Commission bg Ben Haslam f2-0-1 (-) 61
Nathaniel (Halling){A16}(0.74) 0.5 Duke Of Condicote 2nd Juvenile Hurdle, Warwick 2020
Following a lacklustre debut outing at Hamilton in mid-August, Great Commission left his debut performance well behind a month later when finishing a neck third in a Beverley novice stakes at 100/1. Leading from the outset, he would only forfeit his lead at the half-furlong marker and would run on gamely in defeat. The runner-up, who was beaten at 1/7, won by over eight lengths at Kempton next time and the trio finished over four lengths clear of the remainder. Though possibly flattered by the beaten favourite's underperformance, this was still a most encouraging effort in the context of this race. Furthermore, there is plenty to like about the pedigree as Nathaniel's strong winner to runner rate of 38.46% is bolstered by the likes of Zanahiyr, Burning Victory and Navajo Pass, while Great Commission's half-brother Duke Of Condicote finished second to Adagio on his hurdling debut at Warwick last season. Ben Haslam's winner to runner rate of 23.08% is a respectable one and his record with first time juveniles is solid enough. While his lack of experience will count against him on his hurdles debut, there is more than enough potential in his profile to suggest he could give Genuflex something to ponder. 
Lucy Rules bf Mike Sowersby f9-0-1 (47) 55
Vadamos (Kodiac){1-k}(0.68) 2/1 Zaftil 8th 2m1f Novices' Hurdle, Exeter 2011
Formerly with Ollie Pears, whose former inmates have yet to win from sixteen outings in the sphere, Lucy Rules ran her best race on her penultimate outing when second off 50 in a Thirsk selling handicap over a mile back in July. She has since been withdrawn for refusing to enter the stalls at the same venue before missing the break and finishing down the field at Carlisle last time. New trainer Mike Sowersby has had just one winning juvenile from thirty-five since 2004/05 and although sire Vadamos has already had a winner over hurdles from his first crop, there is no jumping form on the damline. 
Shamrock Wine bf Brian Ellison f9-0-0 (44) 47
Epaulette (Tobougg){4-h}(0.60) 0.5 Star Ascending 6th 2m Handicap Hurdle (99), Uttoxeter 2016
Brian Ellison is the winningmost trainer of juvenile hurdlers represented in this contest and 31.82% winner to runner rate is supplemented by a strike rate at Sedgefield of 19.23%. His first-time rate with flat recruits is also a healthy 16%, although this drops to just 4.35% when accounting for those rated 61 and below. Shamrock Wine, following a nine race flat career, brings an official mark of 44 and the two instances where she finished closer to first than last came in moderate mile handicaps during the summer. Epaulette has had a winning juvenile from five, but there is little promise on the damline or from the damsire.  
Sisu bf Susan Corbett f6-0-0 (56) 60
Lawman (Manduro){16-c}(0.82) 3/1 Salontyre 1st 2m1f 4YO Handicap Hurdle (126), Exeter 2010
Susan Corbett has had one winning juvenile from eight, although three from five qualifiers have improved for the switch in codes and though rated just 56, Sisu is set to be her highest rated recruit from the flat. Initially trained by Sir Mark Prescott, Sisu finished fourth of twelve on her debut at Kempton last November before finishing nearer last than first on five subsequent outings including two during the summer. Sisu has been fairly consistent in her modesty and she moved to Northumberland after a 7,000 guineas sale at Tattersall's August sale. Lawman wins his fair share with juvenile hurdlers, Manduro has a winner to runner rate of 37.5% as a damsire, and along with being a cousin of winning pointer Sleepysaurus, the fairly useful Salontyre (3/1), winning German hurdler Saitensohn (4/2) and the classy Salden Licht (4/3) also appear on the damline. Sisu's apparent troubles with handling Epsom could be a concern on this undulating circuit, and her bare form is modest in the grand scheme of things. Nevertheless, the yard was a short head from leaving the cold list earlier this week and in the context of this line up, a respectable effort would not be out of the question.
Strong prospects
1. Genuflex
Reasonable prospects
2. Great Commission
Feasible prospects
3. Sisu
Moderate prospects
4. Ben Asker
Negligible prospects
5. Shamrock Wine
6. Drumfire
7. Lucy Rules

Juvenile hurdling returns to Sedgefield in what is a standard looking affair for a course with typically modest contests. Average winners of this event achieve a seasonal best RPR of 111 although l'Aigle Royal and Gold Desert (winners in 2014 and 2020 respectively) would reach the frame in Doncaster's Summit Hurdle while 2018 winner Chica Buena would follow up in the Listed Fillies' race at Aintree. The latest edition looks moderate as apart from the sole participant with hurdling experience, the field is comprised of flat maidens without any carrying an official rating exceeding 60. Although left handed and undulating with an uphill finish, Sedgefield's winning DIs of 1.40 median, 1.52 mean, are higher than average and these figures are not significantly lower than those of the average participant. However, the clear round rate of 95.32% still makes it a tricky circuit and its completion rate of 79.10% is one of the lowest in the country. Though newcomers are not aversely affected by the jumping test, their strike rate at the venue of 8.7% is lower than the 11.54% of experienced runners. The going is currently described as good with light showers expected through the evening and morning.
Ben Asker bg Paul Robson f5-0-2 (59) 65
Rock Of Gibraltar (Grand Lodge){2-f}(2.38) 2/2 Pour Vous Et Nous 1st 3400m 3yo Conditions Hurdle, Dieppe 2019
Former jockey and current funeral director, Paul Robson, has recently joined the training ranks and enjoyed his first winner last month when Flamboyant Joyaux took a Kelso handicap chase last month. While the fighting career of word class wrestler come unabashed meme Ben Askren is very dead, the birth of Paul Robson's career as a trainer of juvenile hurdlers is born with the similarly named Ben Asker, who reached the frame on his two most recent flat outings for Willie McCreery. These outings each came over seven furlongs at Dundalk with a placing off 60 was followed by a seven-and-a-quarter length third in a claimer back in March in which he was advertised for €10,000. His best flat form is within a few pounds of anything else brought to this race by the other newcomers and while his propensity to hang his head under pressure may be a concern, there is every chance that his seven month break will have given him time to mature. By the same token, the seven month absence means he has fitness to prove and those formerly trained by Willie McCreery count just one winner from fourteen in the sphere. Sire Rock Of Gibraltar has a solid 24.66% winner to runner rate and cousin Pour Vous Et Nous was a winning juvenile in France. Yet to be tested beyond a mile on the flat, Ben Asker shapes as though he can get the trip although there is a chance he might be a bit too fresh first time after his break. 
Drumfire chg Susan Corbett Unraced
Night Of Thunder (Pivotal){13-c}(1.24) 3/1 La Mandragola 1st 2m Maiden Hurdle, Clonmel 2004
Tiger Roll and Cubomania are a notable pair of Darley dispersal horses who made their debuts in juvenile hurdles with the latter costing just £4,500 in 2016. Drumfire cost 4,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Guineas Sale and joins a Susan Corbett yard with one winning juvenile from eight, but with three from five improving for a switch in codes. He is set to be the first British runner over jumps for 2000 Guineas and Lockinge winner Night Of Thunder. Though failing on his sole outing beyond a mile, Night Of Thunder has produced winners at a trip. Furthermore, Night Of Thunder stands at an acceptable 1.64m and sons of Dubawi are capable of producing winning juveniles. The damline is fairly threadbare although the granddam is a sibling of a winning hurdler and Rite Of Passage also appears at 4/3. Notwithstanding, racecourse debutants have a first time strike rate of just 2.33% and Drumfire would appear to be the stable's second string on jockey bookings. 
Genuflex bg Milton Harris f11-1-5 (74) 79 J1-0-1 (-) 97 98 
Holy Roman Emperor (Galileo){1-i}(1.13) 0.5 Gendarme 1st 2m Handicap Hurdle (88), Limerick 2021
The only participant with hurdling experience, Genuflex is also the only flat winner set to face the starter. This victory came at the third time of asking in a Windsor nursery while under the care of Richard Hannon. Though he failed to supplement this success in eight further attempts, Genuflex did run to form over ten furlongs during the spring and summer including on his latest outing in that sphere when showing good tenacity but failing to make all in a Nottingham classified stakes. He subsequently joined the capable Milton Harris for 20,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale and by a Holy Roman Emperor who wins his fair share, and being a half-brother to a winning handicap hurdler, there was every chance he could build his profile over hurdles. He was well backed to do so on his stable/hurdling debut at Ludlow eleven days ago and only one horse prevented his landing the 20/1 into 5/1 plunge. Though occasionally tight at his hurdles, Genuflex posted an efficient round of jumping overall and travelled well in midfield for much of the contest. In contention turning for home, he found himself outpaced between the last two and was slow getting away from the final flight. Nevertheless, he plugged on along the run-in to snatch second in the final strides. That contest was taken by a surprise winner and the third and fourth ran below expectations, but the form is still respectable. The best of these on the flat to the tune of a good ten pounds, Genuflex showed more than enough on his hurdling debut to suggest he sets a very tough target for his opposition. 
Great Commission bg Ben Haslam f2-0-1 (-) 61
Nathaniel (Halling){A16}(0.74) 0.5 Duke Of Condicote 2nd Juvenile Hurdle, Warwick 2020
Following a lacklustre debut outing at Hamilton in mid-August, Great Commission left his debut performance well behind a month later when finishing a neck third in a Beverley novice stakes at 100/1. Leading from the outset, he would only forfeit his lead at the half-furlong marker and would run on gamely in defeat. The runner-up, who was beaten at 1/7, won by over eight lengths at Kempton next time and the trio finished over four lengths clear of the remainder. Though possibly flattered by the beaten favourite's underperformance, this was still a most encouraging effort in the context of this race. Furthermore, there is plenty to like about the pedigree as Nathaniel's strong winner to runner rate of 38.46% is bolstered by the likes of Zanahiyr, Burning Victory and Navajo Pass, while Great Commission's half-brother Duke Of Condicote finished second to Adagio on his hurdling debut at Warwick last season. Ben Haslam's winner to runner rate of 23.08% is a respectable one and his record with first time juveniles is solid enough. While his lack of experience will count against him on his hurdles debut, there is more than enough potential in his profile to suggest he could give Genuflex something to ponder. 
Lucy Rules bf Mike Sowersby f9-0-1 (47) 55
Vadamos (Kodiac){1-k}(0.68) 2/1 Zaftil 8th 2m1f Novices' Hurdle, Exeter 2011
Formerly with Ollie Pears, whose former inmates have yet to win from sixteen outings in the sphere, Lucy Rules ran her best race on her penultimate outing when second off 50 in a Thirsk selling handicap over a mile back in July. She has since been withdrawn for refusing to enter the stalls at the same venue before missing the break and finishing down the field at Carlisle last time. New trainer Mike Sowersby has had just one winning juvenile from thirty-five since 2004/05 and although sire Vadamos has already had a winner over hurdles from his first crop, there is no jumping form on the damline. 
Shamrock Wine bf Brian Ellison f9-0-0 (44) 47
Epaulette (Tobougg){4-h}(0.60) 0.5 Star Ascending 6th 2m Handicap Hurdle (99), Uttoxeter 2016
Brian Ellison is the winningmost trainer of juvenile hurdlers represented in this contest and 31.82% winner to runner rate is supplemented by a strike rate at Sedgefield of 19.23%. His first-time rate with flat recruits is also a healthy 16%, although this drops to just 4.35% when accounting for those rated 61 and below. Shamrock Wine, following a nine race flat career, brings an official mark of 44 and the two instances where she finished closer to first than last came in moderate mile handicaps during the summer. Epaulette has had a winning juvenile from five, but there is little promise on the damline or from the damsire.  
Sisu bf Susan Corbett f6-0-0 (56) 60
Lawman (Manduro){16-c}(0.82) 3/1 Salontyre 1st 2m1f 4YO Handicap Hurdle (126), Exeter 2010
Susan Corbett has had one winning juvenile from eight, although three from five qualifiers have improved for the switch in codes and though rated just 56, Sisu is set to be her highest rated recruit from the flat. Initially trained by Sir Mark Prescott, Sisu finished fourth of twelve on her debut at Kempton last November before finishing nearer last than first on five subsequent outings including two during the summer. Sisu has been fairly consistent in her modesty and she moved to Northumberland after a 7,000 guineas sale at Tattersall's August sale. Lawman wins his fair share with juvenile hurdlers, Manduro has a winner to runner rate of 37.5% as a damsire, and along with being a cousin of winning pointer Sleepysaurus, the fairly useful Salontyre (3/1), winning German hurdler Saitensohn (4/2) and the classy Salden Licht (4/3) also appear on the damline. Sisu's apparent troubles with handling Epsom could be a concern on this undulating circuit, and her bare form is modest in the grand scheme of things. Nevertheless, the yard was a short head from leaving the cold list earlier this week and in the context of this line up, a respectable effort would not be out of the question.
Strong prospects
1. Genuflex
Reasonable prospects
2. Great Commission
Feasible prospects
3. Sisu
Moderate prospects
4. Ben Asker
Negligible prospects
5. Shamrock Wine
6. Drumfire
7. Lucy Rules

Alrighty... So no longer homeless and living in a spacious (for me) canal-side property in a very nice area. Still getting used to the whole not being homeless thing though and will probably want carpets, curtains and stuff before I feel properly settled. Also very ring rusty so don't expect magic or anything. Past reviews are long gone so will just go along with previews and reviews from now onwards rather than torment myself by trying to get out of a hole. Here is the preview for tomorrow's contest at Kempton. Will see if Sedgefield gets done. Cheers. 
Kempton is set to host the first of its four juvenile contests of the season. Though generally weaker than the Adonis and the one held after Boxing Day, historically, it is still strong for the time of year. Quel Destin got off the mark in this contest in 2018 ahead of a fruitful campaign while the contest also launched the British hurdling careers of Cerium, Saticon, Aldopicgros and Stars Over The Sea. Just the four runners have been declared for this year's renewal, but it should be up to scratch with two undefeated hurdlers taking on a pair of flat recruits with respectable form and very capable trainers. Kempton is a flat, right handed circuit with a reputation of being a speedy circuit. However, it's winning DIs of 1.04 median, 1.26 mean are low compared to other courses as well as the beaten runners at the venue. Though stamina would theoretically become more of an issue on a testing surface, the figures for this contest (invariably ran on good ground) are consistent with the standard for the course. Clear round and completion rates are a touch on the fairer side of average and newcomers are at no discernible advantage or disadvantage. Those with winning form have a solid record in this contest with penalised runners winning three and placing in ten from fifteen outings. The going at Kempton is currently described as good, good to firm in places, and there is no rain forecast before post time.
Triumph Odds
Impulsive One 40/1
Impulsive One bg Nicky Henderson f8-1-5 (80) 83 j2-2-0 (127) 113 120
Union Rags (Lonhro){4-m}(1.77) 2/2 El Picador 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Musselburgh 2019
Winning one of his eight starts for William Haggas, Impulsive One had shown useful form on the flat at up to twelve furlongs. Making the switch to Nicky Henderson, he has built on that foundation over hurdles with wins of twelve and ten lengths. His hurdling debut came at Plumpton in the middle of September where he held an outstanding chance on paper. Despite opening at 11/8 in the morning, he went out to 7/2 at one point on course before being trimmed back into 11/4 at the off. However, there was no rationale for his drift offered during the race itself. Tracking the leaders from the outset, he was lit up by the stumble of Fred Bear at the first, but either through the first time application of the hood, James Bowen's handling or Impulsive One's own nature, he had settled nicely after a furlong or so. He made a good impression with his jumping overall, as while he was skewed over the second and reached slightly at the next and though he went through the fifth, his round was characterised by speed, neatness and enthusiasm. Travelling strongly throughout, Impulsive One took the lead turning for home full of running and quickly established a wide advantage after the last before being eased close to the line to win by twelve lengths. His second jumps outing came at Huntingdon eleven days ago where there was no such uncertainly in the market as he started at 1/4 favourite. The hood was retained although he pulled considerably harder than at Plumpton with the most obvious explanation being that he had to make his own running. His hurdling was not as fluent either as he crashed through the first, stumbled after skewing at two out and was low at the last where he was also slow in getting away. Nevertheless, while he also clipped several of the flights in between, it was still a neat enough round for a juvenile and he never looked in danger of losing the contest. There may be concerns over his free running nature although despite the small field size, he may be able to get a lead from Rhebus Road. Beyond this, he just about sets the standard at the weights on the form of his Plumpton win and should enjoy the surface before presumably being put away when the winter ground becomes more prevalent. Furthermore, Nicky Henderson has won this contest twice with Overpriced Mixer (2020) and Tinagoodnight (2007) with his only loser being a class below Impulsive One.
Knight Salute bg Milton Harris f7-1-1 (75) 85 j1-1-0 (-) 107 112
Sir Percy (Unfuwain){11-c}(0.50) 2/1 Kalko 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Kelso 1993
Costing 14,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale, Knight Salute would not have caught many an eye with his purchase fee. Starting his career with Andrew Balding, he followed up a debut second at Wolverhampton with a win at Sandown before being allowed to take his chance in the listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Not disgraced in finishing fifth of seven, he shaped as though he would be suited by further; as per his pedigree. He subsequently finished last on his final outing at two and on all three starts at three, although these runs all came over an inadequate trip. Still within the 82nd percentile of rated flat recruits it was surprising to see him drift out to 18/1 on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield nearly three weeks ago. Racing in a first time hood, he was keen while held up in the rear. Nevertheless, he jumped neatly up to the closing stages where he missed the sixth, reached at the penultimate flight and got in close to the last. Notwithstanding, these latter errors were not to the detriment of his performance given his superiority on the day. Making very smooth headway towards the end of the back, he moved strongly into second place over two out and cruised into the lead approaching the last whereafter he was ridden clear to pass the line nine and six lengths clear of the remainder. Though it was standard fare as far as Sedgefield is concerned, and the winning time was modest, the twenty length fourth finished a quarter of that distance behind the winner when third at Wetherby earlier in the week. Trainer Milton Harris continues to be in strong form and while there is an alternative juvenile contest available at Sedgefield, it could be interesting that he has opted to send Knight Salute here, and his stablemate to County Durham. Though there are a couple of pounds to find with Impulsive One on the latter's debut outing, the second showing puts Knight Salute in a strong position at the weights and he would be dangerous to underestimate even in this company; particularly as he will likely come on for fitness and experience.
Painless Potter bg Alan King f9-0-3 (77) 93
Camacho (Dubai Destination){16-c}(1.00) 2/0 Silk Affair 1st Fred Winter Juvenile HcH (G3,125), Cheltenham 2009
Since 2006, Alan King has had ten runners in this conest, half of who would win including newcomers McVicar and Saticon. His representative this year will be the the 77 rated Painless Potter who ran nine times without winning on the flat for his trainer. Despite his maiden tag, Painless Potter is not without respectable pieces of form; most notably his finishing just over four lengths fifth in last season's Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The subsequent rating of 95 has seen him struggle, although leniency from the handicapper saw him twice place third off 79 in ten furlong handicaps during the summer. The strongest of which came on his penultimate outing in a Racing League contest at Lingfield where he briefly led at the furlong pole before being passed by two fast finishers. The form of that race has not quite worked out, but he can be forgiven his latest showing where he found himself outpaced in a slowly ran affair. Sire Camacho has had winners in the sphere, although his winner to runner rate of 13.04% is the lowest of those represented here. The damline is intriguing however as granddam Silk Affair won the Fred Winter and is herself a sibling of five other winning jumpers including the useful Arthur's Gift and Direct Bearing. Though Painless Potter has not been set an easy introduction to his new career, he is in very good hands for his new vocation and his flat form does not leave him with much to find against his penalised opponents.
Rhebus Road chg Oliver Sherwood f10-2-3 (74) 78
Champs Elysees (Verglas){14-f}(2.20) 2/1 Thahab Ifraj 1st 2m Handicap Hurdle (106), Kempton 2020
Starting his career with Ralph Beckett, it took Rhebus Road seven attempts to get off the mark on the flat. Sporting a first time visor in a twelve furlong handicap at Beverley off 63 in early July, he looked a tricky ride, hanging markedly to his left under pressure. Nevertheless, he still made all to run out a comfortable four-and-a-half length winner and was able to command a price tag of 70,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Rhebus Road stayed at Kimpton Down for his next three outings and was able to double his tally when last seen at Newmarket in a ten furlong handicap off 70. Headgear removed and ridden with more restraint, he took up the running at the distance against the rail and though he carried his head awkwardly at times, was always doing enough to fend off his rivals by upwards of half-a-length. Switching to Oliver Sherwood for his hurdling career, he joins a trainer with a healthy 39.39% winner to runner rate in the sphere and while his overall first time strike rate of 9.38% is average, his sole runner in this contest finished second in 2019. Sire Champs Elysees has a winner to runner rate of 25.93%, and his improvement rate of 51.43% is the strongest in the contest. While there are no superstars on the damline, Rhebus Road is a nephew of Thahab Ifraj who won a handicap hurdle at this venue last year. Overall, Rhebus Road looks another interesting recruit to the game and should be up to winning ordinary contests. However, this is not a soft introduction to the sphere and his tendency to hang left will be much to his detriment if repeated here.
Strong prospects
1. Knight Salute
Reasonable prospects
2. Impulsive One
3. Painless Potter
Feasible prospects
4. Rhebus Road
Moderate prospects
.
Negligible prospects
.

Alrighty... So no longer homeless and living in a spacious (for me) canal-side property in a very nice area. Still getting used to the whole not being homeless thing though and will probably want carpets, curtains and stuff before I feel properly settled. Also very ring rusty so don't expect magic or anything. Past reviews are long gone so will just go along with previews and reviews from now onwards rather than torment myself by trying to get out of a hole. Here is the preview for tomorrow's contest at Kempton. Will see if Sedgefield gets done. Cheers. 
Kempton is set to host the first of its four juvenile contests of the season. Though generally weaker than the Adonis and the one held after Boxing Day, historically, it is still strong for the time of year. Quel Destin got off the mark in this contest in 2018 ahead of a fruitful campaign while the contest also launched the British hurdling careers of Cerium, Saticon, Aldopicgros and Stars Over The Sea. Just the four runners have been declared for this year's renewal, but it should be up to scratch with two undefeated hurdlers taking on a pair of flat recruits with respectable form and very capable trainers. Kempton is a flat, right handed circuit with a reputation of being a speedy circuit. However, it's winning DIs of 1.04 median, 1.26 mean are low compared to other courses as well as the beaten runners at the venue. Though stamina would theoretically become more of an issue on a testing surface, the figures for this contest (invariably ran on good ground) are consistent with the standard for the course. Clear round and completion rates are a touch on the fairer side of average and newcomers are at no discernible advantage or disadvantage. Those with winning form have a solid record in this contest with penalised runners winning three and placing in ten from fifteen outings. The going at Kempton is currently described as good, good to firm in places, and there is no rain forecast before post time.
Triumph Odds
Impulsive One 40/1
Impulsive One bg Nicky Henderson f8-1-5 (80) 83 j2-2-0 (127) 113 120
Union Rags (Lonhro){4-m}(1.77) 2/2 El Picador 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Musselburgh 2019
Winning one of his eight starts for William Haggas, Impulsive One had shown useful form on the flat at up to twelve furlongs. Making the switch to Nicky Henderson, he has built on that foundation over hurdles with wins of twelve and ten lengths. His hurdling debut came at Plumpton in the middle of September where he held an outstanding chance on paper. Despite opening at 11/8 in the morning, he went out to 7/2 at one point on course before being trimmed back into 11/4 at the off. However, there was no rationale for his drift offered during the race itself. Tracking the leaders from the outset, he was lit up by the stumble of Fred Bear at the first, but either through the first time application of the hood, James Bowen's handling or Impulsive One's own nature, he had settled nicely after a furlong or so. He made a good impression with his jumping overall, as while he was skewed over the second and reached slightly at the next and though he went through the fifth, his round was characterised by speed, neatness and enthusiasm. Travelling strongly throughout, Impulsive One took the lead turning for home full of running and quickly established a wide advantage after the last before being eased close to the line to win by twelve lengths. His second jumps outing came at Huntingdon eleven days ago where there was no such uncertainly in the market as he started at 1/4 favourite. The hood was retained although he pulled considerably harder than at Plumpton with the most obvious explanation being that he had to make his own running. His hurdling was not as fluent either as he crashed through the first, stumbled after skewing at two out and was low at the last where he was also slow in getting away. Nevertheless, while he also clipped several of the flights in between, it was still a neat enough round for a juvenile and he never looked in danger of losing the contest. There may be concerns over his free running nature although despite the small field size, he may be able to get a lead from Rhebus Road. Beyond this, he just about sets the standard at the weights on the form of his Plumpton win and should enjoy the surface before presumably being put away when the winter ground becomes more prevalent. Furthermore, Nicky Henderson has won this contest twice with Overpriced Mixer (2020) and Tinagoodnight (2007) with his only loser being a class below Impulsive One.
Knight Salute bg Milton Harris f7-1-1 (75) 85 j1-1-0 (-) 107 112
Sir Percy (Unfuwain){11-c}(0.50) 2/1 Kalko 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Kelso 1993
Costing 14,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale, Knight Salute would not have caught many an eye with his purchase fee. Starting his career with Andrew Balding, he followed up a debut second at Wolverhampton with a win at Sandown before being allowed to take his chance in the listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Not disgraced in finishing fifth of seven, he shaped as though he would be suited by further; as per his pedigree. He subsequently finished last on his final outing at two and on all three starts at three, although these runs all came over an inadequate trip. Still within the 82nd percentile of rated flat recruits it was surprising to see him drift out to 18/1 on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield nearly three weeks ago. Racing in a first time hood, he was keen while held up in the rear. Nevertheless, he jumped neatly up to the closing stages where he missed the sixth, reached at the penultimate flight and got in close to the last. Notwithstanding, these latter errors were not to the detriment of his performance given his superiority on the day. Making very smooth headway towards the end of the back, he moved strongly into second place over two out and cruised into the lead approaching the last whereafter he was ridden clear to pass the line nine and six lengths clear of the remainder. Though it was standard fare as far as Sedgefield is concerned, and the winning time was modest, the twenty length fourth finished a quarter of that distance behind the winner when third at Wetherby earlier in the week. Trainer Milton Harris continues to be in strong form and while there is an alternative juvenile contest available at Sedgefield, it could be interesting that he has opted to send Knight Salute here, and his stablemate to County Durham. Though there are a couple of pounds to find with Impulsive One on the latter's debut outing, the second showing puts Knight Salute in a strong position at the weights and he would be dangerous to underestimate even in this company; particularly as he will likely come on for fitness and experience.
Painless Potter bg Alan King f9-0-3 (77) 93
Camacho (Dubai Destination){16-c}(1.00) 2/0 Silk Affair 1st Fred Winter Juvenile HcH (G3,125), Cheltenham 2009
Since 2006, Alan King has had ten runners in this conest, half of who would win including newcomers McVicar and Saticon. His representative this year will be the the 77 rated Painless Potter who ran nine times without winning on the flat for his trainer. Despite his maiden tag, Painless Potter is not without respectable pieces of form; most notably his finishing just over four lengths fifth in last season's Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The subsequent rating of 95 has seen him struggle, although leniency from the handicapper saw him twice place third off 79 in ten furlong handicaps during the summer. The strongest of which came on his penultimate outing in a Racing League contest at Lingfield where he briefly led at the furlong pole before being passed by two fast finishers. The form of that race has not quite worked out, but he can be forgiven his latest showing where he found himself outpaced in a slowly ran affair. Sire Camacho has had winners in the sphere, although his winner to runner rate of 13.04% is the lowest of those represented here. The damline is intriguing however as granddam Silk Affair won the Fred Winter and is herself a sibling of five other winning jumpers including the useful Arthur's Gift and Direct Bearing. Though Painless Potter has not been set an easy introduction to his new career, he is in very good hands for his new vocation and his flat form does not leave him with much to find against his penalised opponents.
Rhebus Road chg Oliver Sherwood f10-2-3 (74) 78
Champs Elysees (Verglas){14-f}(2.20) 2/1 Thahab Ifraj 1st 2m Handicap Hurdle (106), Kempton 2020
Starting his career with Ralph Beckett, it took Rhebus Road seven attempts to get off the mark on the flat. Sporting a first time visor in a twelve furlong handicap at Beverley off 63 in early July, he looked a tricky ride, hanging markedly to his left under pressure. Nevertheless, he still made all to run out a comfortable four-and-a-half length winner and was able to command a price tag of 70,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Rhebus Road stayed at Kimpton Down for his next three outings and was able to double his tally when last seen at Newmarket in a ten furlong handicap off 70. Headgear removed and ridden with more restraint, he took up the running at the distance against the rail and though he carried his head awkwardly at times, was always doing enough to fend off his rivals by upwards of half-a-length. Switching to Oliver Sherwood for his hurdling career, he joins a trainer with a healthy 39.39% winner to runner rate in the sphere and while his overall first time strike rate of 9.38% is average, his sole runner in this contest finished second in 2019. Sire Champs Elysees has a winner to runner rate of 25.93%, and his improvement rate of 51.43% is the strongest in the contest. While there are no superstars on the damline, Rhebus Road is a nephew of Thahab Ifraj who won a handicap hurdle at this venue last year. Overall, Rhebus Road looks another interesting recruit to the game and should be up to winning ordinary contests. However, this is not a soft introduction to the sphere and his tendency to hang left will be much to his detriment if repeated here.
Strong prospects
1. Knight Salute
Reasonable prospects
2. Impulsive One
3. Painless Potter
Feasible prospects
4. Rhebus Road
Moderate prospects
.
Negligible prospects
.

Alrighty... So no longer homeless and living in a spacious (for me) canal-side property in a very nice area. Still getting used to the whole not being homeless thing though and will probably want carpets, curtains and stuff before I feel properly settled. Also very ring rusty so don't expect magic or anything. Past reviews are long gone so will just go along with previews and reviews from now onwards rather than torment myself by trying to get out of a hole. Here is the preview for tomorrow's contest at Kempton. Will see if Sedgefield gets done. Cheers. 
Kempton is set to host the first of its four juvenile contests of the season. Though generally weaker than the Adonis and the one held after Boxing Day, historically, it is still strong for the time of year. Quel Destin got off the mark in this contest in 2018 ahead of a fruitful campaign while the contest also launched the British hurdling careers of Cerium, Saticon, Aldopicgros and Stars Over The Sea. Just the four runners have been declared for this year's renewal, but it should be up to scratch with two undefeated hurdlers taking on a pair of flat recruits with respectable form and very capable trainers. Kempton is a flat, right handed circuit with a reputation of being a speedy circuit. However, it's winning DIs of 1.04 median, 1.26 mean are low compared to other courses as well as the beaten runners at the venue. Though stamina would theoretically become more of an issue on a testing surface, the figures for this contest (invariably ran on good ground) are consistent with the standard for the course. Clear round and completion rates are a touch on the fairer side of average and newcomers are at no discernible advantage or disadvantage. Those with winning form have a solid record in this contest with penalised runners winning three and placing in ten from fifteen outings. The going at Kempton is currently described as good, good to firm in places, and there is no rain forecast before post time.
Triumph Odds
Impulsive One 40/1
Impulsive One bg Nicky Henderson f8-1-5 (80) 83 j2-2-0 (127) 113 120
Union Rags (Lonhro){4-m}(1.77) 2/2 El Picador 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Musselburgh 2019
Winning one of his eight starts for William Haggas, Impulsive One had shown useful form on the flat at up to twelve furlongs. Making the switch to Nicky Henderson, he has built on that foundation over hurdles with wins of twelve and ten lengths. His hurdling debut came at Plumpton in the middle of September where he held an outstanding chance on paper. Despite opening at 11/8 in the morning, he went out to 7/2 at one point on course before being trimmed back into 11/4 at the off. However, there was no rationale for his drift offered during the race itself. Tracking the leaders from the outset, he was lit up by the stumble of Fred Bear at the first, but either through the first time application of the hood, James Bowen's handling or Impulsive One's own nature, he had settled nicely after a furlong or so. He made a good impression with his jumping overall, as while he was skewed over the second and reached slightly at the next and though he went through the fifth, his round was characterised by speed, neatness and enthusiasm. Travelling strongly throughout, Impulsive One took the lead turning for home full of running and quickly established a wide advantage after the last before being eased close to the line to win by twelve lengths. His second jumps outing came at Huntingdon eleven days ago where there was no such uncertainly in the market as he started at 1/4 favourite. The hood was retained although he pulled considerably harder than at Plumpton with the most obvious explanation being that he had to make his own running. His hurdling was not as fluent either as he crashed through the first, stumbled after skewing at two out and was low at the last where he was also slow in getting away. Nevertheless, while he also clipped several of the flights in between, it was still a neat enough round for a juvenile and he never looked in danger of losing the contest. There may be concerns over his free running nature although despite the small field size, he may be able to get a lead from Rhebus Road. Beyond this, he just about sets the standard at the weights on the form of his Plumpton win and should enjoy the surface before presumably being put away when the winter ground becomes more prevalent. Furthermore, Nicky Henderson has won this contest twice with Overpriced Mixer (2020) and Tinagoodnight (2007) with his only loser being a class below Impulsive One.
Knight Salute bg Milton Harris f7-1-1 (75) 85 j1-1-0 (-) 107 112
Sir Percy (Unfuwain){11-c}(0.50) 2/1 Kalko 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Kelso 1993
Costing 14,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale, Knight Salute would not have caught many an eye with his purchase fee. Starting his career with Andrew Balding, he followed up a debut second at Wolverhampton with a win at Sandown before being allowed to take his chance in the listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Not disgraced in finishing fifth of seven, he shaped as though he would be suited by further; as per his pedigree. He subsequently finished last on his final outing at two and on all three starts at three, although these runs all came over an inadequate trip. Still within the 82nd percentile of rated flat recruits it was surprising to see him drift out to 18/1 on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield nearly three weeks ago. Racing in a first time hood, he was keen while held up in the rear. Nevertheless, he jumped neatly up to the closing stages where he missed the sixth, reached at the penultimate flight and got in close to the last. Notwithstanding, these latter errors were not to the detriment of his performance given his superiority on the day. Making very smooth headway towards the end of the back, he moved strongly into second place over two out and cruised into the lead approaching the last whereafter he was ridden clear to pass the line nine and six lengths clear of the remainder. Though it was standard fare as far as Sedgefield is concerned, and the winning time was modest, the twenty length fourth finished a quarter of that distance behind the winner when third at Wetherby earlier in the week. Trainer Milton Harris continues to be in strong form and while there is an alternative juvenile contest available at Sedgefield, it could be interesting that he has opted to send Knight Salute here, and his stablemate to County Durham. Though there are a couple of pounds to find with Impulsive One on the latter's debut outing, the second showing puts Knight Salute in a strong position at the weights and he would be dangerous to underestimate even in this company; particularly as he will likely come on for fitness and experience.
Painless Potter bg Alan King f9-0-3 (77) 93
Camacho (Dubai Destination){16-c}(1.00) 2/0 Silk Affair 1st Fred Winter Juvenile HcH (G3,125), Cheltenham 2009
Since 2006, Alan King has had ten runners in this conest, half of who would win including newcomers McVicar and Saticon. His representative this year will be the the 77 rated Painless Potter who ran nine times without winning on the flat for his trainer. Despite his maiden tag, Painless Potter is not without respectable pieces of form; most notably his finishing just over four lengths fifth in last season's Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The subsequent rating of 95 has seen him struggle, although leniency from the handicapper saw him twice place third off 79 in ten furlong handicaps during the summer. The strongest of which came on his penultimate outing in a Racing League contest at Lingfield where he briefly led at the furlong pole before being passed by two fast finishers. The form of that race has not quite worked out, but he can be forgiven his latest showing where he found himself outpaced in a slowly ran affair. Sire Camacho has had winners in the sphere, although his winner to runner rate of 13.04% is the lowest of those represented here. The damline is intriguing however as granddam Silk Affair won the Fred Winter and is herself a sibling of five other winning jumpers including the useful Arthur's Gift and Direct Bearing. Though Painless Potter has not been set an easy introduction to his new career, he is in very good hands for his new vocation and his flat form does not leave him with much to find against his penalised opponents.
Rhebus Road chg Oliver Sherwood f10-2-3 (74) 78
Champs Elysees (Verglas){14-f}(2.20) 2/1 Thahab Ifraj 1st 2m Handicap Hurdle (106), Kempton 2020
Starting his career with Ralph Beckett, it took Rhebus Road seven attempts to get off the mark on the flat. Sporting a first time visor in a twelve furlong handicap at Beverley off 63 in early July, he looked a tricky ride, hanging markedly to his left under pressure. Nevertheless, he still made all to run out a comfortable four-and-a-half length winner and was able to command a price tag of 70,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Rhebus Road stayed at Kimpton Down for his next three outings and was able to double his tally when last seen at Newmarket in a ten furlong handicap off 70. Headgear removed and ridden with more restraint, he took up the running at the distance against the rail and though he carried his head awkwardly at times, was always doing enough to fend off his rivals by upwards of half-a-length. Switching to Oliver Sherwood for his hurdling career, he joins a trainer with a healthy 39.39% winner to runner rate in the sphere and while his overall first time strike rate of 9.38% is average, his sole runner in this contest finished second in 2019. Sire Champs Elysees has a winner to runner rate of 25.93%, and his improvement rate of 51.43% is the strongest in the contest. While there are no superstars on the damline, Rhebus Road is a nephew of Thahab Ifraj who won a handicap hurdle at this venue last year. Overall, Rhebus Road looks another interesting recruit to the game and should be up to winning ordinary contests. However, this is not a soft introduction to the sphere and his tendency to hang left will be much to his detriment if repeated here.
Strong prospects
1. Knight Salute
Reasonable prospects
2. Impulsive One
3. Painless Potter
Feasible prospects
4. Rhebus Road
Moderate prospects
.
Negligible prospects
.

Apologies for not getting the Sedgefield review out yet. Has been a very busy couple of days with the volunteering as well as some very promising movements that might lead to my being less homeless. Review will have to be done when it done, but since tomorrow's tidy looking contest at Fontwell has a deadline, here is the preview. Enjoy
Fontwell is set to host its second juvenile hurdle of the season and while only five have have taken up their entry, it is not without its quality. Historically, this contest was a maiden hurdle until it was opened up to winners in 2017. Though not without its useful sorts dropping their maiden tags, including Personal Column, Tyrrells Wood and Oceane, the overall quality of the race has increased in recent years with Sussex Ranger, Botox Has and Balko Saint among the contest's capable graduates. This season's renewal looks up to standard as winning hurdling form is brought by two participants, while a pair of newcomers bring intriguing profiles. Three of the four latest runnings of this race were taken by newcomers and their strike rate in corresponding contests of 13.79% since 2004/05 surpasses the 8.33% of experienced runners. Fillies also have a stronger record than usual at this time of year with their strike rate during late September and early October being 13.64% compared to the overall rate at the course being 7.69%. A flat, left handed circuit with sharp turns, Fontwell's winning DIs of 1.14 median, 1.40 mean, are just on the lower side of average. However, the course's completion rate of 83.75%, and clear round rate of 94.92%, are in the lower quarter. As the ground is currently described as good to soft, plenty of rain is forecast overnight, the race is the third hurdle race on the card and a few of these are known to make the running, the trip could take more getting than usual. 
Keepyourdreamsbig bg Olly Murphy j2-1-1 (106) 90 103
Vision d'Etat (Enrique){4-r}(0.78) 1/0 Take This Waltz 1st Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, Enghien 2011
Though the French three-year-old hurdling scene is replete with newcomer contests akin to two-year-old maidens on the flat, such as the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches/Poulains for example, Britain and Ireland have no such contests and young jumps breds are a rare sight before their fourth birthdays. However, Keepyourdreamsbig, whose dam won the 2011 running of the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, was one such oddity when he made his debut at Uttoxeter in late July. A representative of Vision d'Etat's final crop, a sire with a very good record in the sphere, Keepyourdreamsbig is also a nephew of Prix Aguado fifth Great Shudder along with three other winners. Passing the Tattersalls Ireland ring for €25,000 as a yearling, Keepyourdreamsbig was the first unraced newcomer to represent Olly Murphy - a trainer with a solid 20.83% winner to runner rate in the sphere. Despite taking on two previous winners, he was not without support at Uttoxeter, starting at 6/1 having opened at 10/1. Held up in touch, he made his move on the turn for home and appeared to be travelling the strongest at the distance - trading at 1.2 in-running. However, while he loomed alongside Burristo, it took him most of the run-in to finally get his measure by which time subsequent Cartmel winner Sacre Pierre had already flown. Though his jumping was safe, it did lack the winner's neatness as he was prone to giving his flights more air than necessary. Nevertheless, this was an issue that ought to resolve itself with experience and having shown enough tenacity to win the battle for second, a race of such nature looked well within his scope. Such a race occurred thirty days ago at Worcester where he was backed into favouritism prior to the off. Taking the lead early, albeit at a sedate tempo, he jumped more neatly than on his debut with the only criticisms being that he was somewhat big and skewed over the third and slightly tight at the fourth, two out and the last where he was bumped on the approach. Injecting more pace turning for home, he was challenged up the straight by Corporal Jones (who would return slightly lame) and after leaving him behind on the run-in, had built up enough of a lead to fend off the fast finishing Boulette by half a length. With more assured hurdling than first time, this marked an improvement of roughly half a dozen pounds and there should be further to come with experience. Keepyourdreamsbig's attitude, ability and aptitude are enough to suggest that he is is capable of defying a penalty. However, this contest does not look a straightforward assignment and while he is bred to go on the ground, he has yet to prove it himself. Furthermore, trainer form is once again a concern with the yard without a winner for over three weeks and most of its recent participants running below form. 
George Bancroft chg Charlie Longsdon f6-2-0 (68) 70
Australia (Cacique){8-h}(0.87) 2/2 Paseo 3rd Summit Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Doncaster 2019
Rated 61 when joining Charlie Longsdon for 28,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, George Bancroft would have been a reasonably interesting recruit to the game without drawing a huge amount of attention. By Australia, whose juveniles have a 21.43% winner to runner rate with two thirds of his progeny improving for the switch in codes, George Bancroft is also a cousin of Paseo who finished third in the 2019 Summit Juvenile Hurdle. Former inmates of Roger Varian’s have a healthy 31.03% winner to runner rate and George Bancroft’s last effort as a resident at Carlburg Stables was a gallant all-the-way success in a twelve furlong Chepstow handicap. Charlie Longsdon, himself boasting a sound 27.03% winner to runner rate that includes the likes of Songe, Forth Bridge and Harristown, took the unusual step of giving his new recruit another spin on the flat. In another twelve furlong handicap, this time at Ripon, George Bancroft made light of his four pound rise in the weights, making all once again to win by three lengths in first-time cheekpieces. Though still off a mark of 61, this effort was sufficient in compelling JP McManus to add him to his team of juvenile hurdlers. George Bancroft has a nice profile in all regards and as his flat rating is already the highest in this contest, it will be interesting to see how far he can carry his improvement over hurdles. However, while the yard is currently in decent form which includes a double at Warwick on Thursday, his juveniles tend to improve with experience as the first time out strike rate stands at 5.88% with no such wins coming from flat recruits. Moreover, George Bancroft is unlikely to enjoy the easy lead which has served him in recent starts and while the ground should not be a concern on breeding, his two flat wins came on firm and good to firm. 
The Yellow Mini bf Michael Wigham f14-0-1 (45) 53 j2-1-1 (113) 100 104
Cannock Chase (Primo Valentino){22-d}(1.00) 2/2 Arakhan 1st 2m4f Novices' Hurdle, Aintree 2019
Without a win to her name in fourteen starts on the flat, The Yellow Mini raced under the care of Polly Gundry until late July. Her best outing in that sphere came at the end of June when finishing three quarters of a length second in a Bath handicap off 45, though no effort either side matched that performance. Making her hurdling debut at Fontwell early in September, she was the first runner over hurdles for sire Cannock Chase, a stallion with feasible credentials given his sireline, DI and height. She is also a cousin of a winning novice hurdler and while trainer Michael Wigham had not had a runner in the sphere since November 2016, he had previously sent out two to win first time. Not completely unfancied at 16/1, she was ridden with confidence, disputing the lead from the outset. With the front two racing alongside each other for most of the contest, it was only when her rival, Sir Taweel, began to fade leaving the back that she moved into a clear advantage. French import Ramure managed to get within a length after jumping quicker at two out, but The Yellow Mini kept on doggedly to keep her rival at bay. She also ran with more purpose on the run-in to cross the line with just over three lengths in hand. While she clearly relished this new discipline, her hurdling was not without its blemishes. Distracted by her rival when making minor errors over the first two, she was slightly big over the third and sixth, steady when clipping the next, outjumped at two out and went right at the last. Notwithstanding, these errors were not especially to her detriment and it is an area where she can improve with experience. She came out again a fortnight later at Plumpton where she was steady in the market at 9/2. The front running tactics from Fontwell were employed again here and setting a sensible gallop, The Yellow Mini put in a good round of jumping with only minor errors and her wandering occasionally counting against her. She had all but one of her rivals in trouble on leaving the back and while Impulsive One was in a different league, the remainder of the field were held by the best part of four lengths and upwards in the end. She Yellow Mini posted a new career best effort and is clearly enjoying her new vocation. Being an honest sort, she may lack the scope for much more improvement. Nevertheless, her winning form over this course and distance sets the standard here and the retained services of Gavin Sheehan give her a respectable chance despite a likely challenge for the lead.
Vunipola bg Emma Lavelle f2-0-0 (-) 68 j1-0-0 (-) 33 40
Vadamos (Marju){1-n}(0.50) 2/1 Vorashann 1st 2m1½f Handicap Hurdle (116), Fontwell 2020
Though more noted for her exploits outside of the division, Emma Lavelle has gotten her fair share of winners and she enjoyed particular success in the 2000s with Bouggler and Crack Away Jack. However, juvenile hurdling has taken a backseat at Bonita Racing Stables and the last time one of hers found the winner's enclosure was in April 2017. Her first runner this term was Vunipola who ran twice for Brian Meehan at the backend of last year. Having already had a wind operation prior to his debut, Vunipola ran with credit in finishing just over three lengths fifth at Kempton over a mile, but would not build on that effort at Lingfield on New Year's Eve and was absent until his hurdling debut at Worcester a month ago. His pedigree is not unfeasible, being a Vadamos gelding from the family of Vazirabad (2/1), Vorashann (2/1) and Visibility (3/1), and while he went out to 12/1 from an opening morning show of 6/1, he was steady in the ring and sent off at 17/2. However, he was very fresh on his first outing in eight months and along with making errors at the third, fifth and sixth, would never leave the rear of the field. Vunipola has the potential to do much better on paper, but there is little encouragement to be drawn his finishing tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig and while the Emma Lavelle yard is in decent form, Vunipola would have plenty to prove at this juncture. 
Cirrus chf Milton Harris f14-0-3 (65) 77
Starspangledbanner (Halling){5-e}(3.00) 2/1 Spiritual Art 1st 2m1f Mares' Maiden Hurdle, Newton Abbot 2011
A fourteen race maiden on the flat, Cirrus has failed to reach the frame in six outings since finishing third at Nottingham in early May, and has beaten just one of her twelve rivals home in her two starts for Milton Harris. Leaving Richard Hannon for 15,000guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, Cirrus had shown her best form when under a length third on the aforementioned Nottingham off 73, and on her final outing for her former handler when just over two lengths fifth of seven at Bath off the same mark; with both of these performances coming on good to soft ground. While this alone would be a tenuous cause for optimism, there are further positives in the profile. Her sire, Starspangledbanner, was a four time Group One winner in Britain and Australia, and while his most notable successes came over sprint distances, he also won the Caulfield Guineas at three. While a sprint bred sprinter should not make into a sire of juvenile hurdlers, his own sire Choisir has a 30% winner to runner rate, a 72.73% improvement rate, and another son of his in Olympic Glory has also made a promising start with comparable figures of 37.5% and 50% respectively. Starspangledbanner himself has two winners from six in the sphere with Can't Stop Now winning on soft, Tinnahalla beating Homme Public on heavy, and Kentucky Hardboot finishing second on soft at Newbury. Cirrus is out of a half-sister to a winning hurdler with other winners Strawman (3/1) and Royal Master (3/2) on the damline. Milton Harris, who boasts a 43% strike rate in the past fortnight, has already had two winning juveniles this term including Knight Salute who won at the first time of asking at Sedgefield on Tuesday. That performance also maintained the yard's 100% clear round rate for juvenile debutants with the figure of 45 putting atop all British trainers. Furthermore, the only other juvenile acquired by Milton Harris from the Hannon team was when Gulf Punch was bought out of a claimer in 2009 (as a two-year-old, it should be noted) from Hannon Sr before winning three times during her first campaign. While a first-time tongue tie might be a concern, it has a 17.6% success rate when employed by the stable. Cirrus has hung left on occasion, although that might be mitigated by her going in that direction at Fontwell. With the relatively good fortunes of both fillies and newcomers in this kind of contest, as mentioned in the introduction, the fact that her she is well treated at the weights on her flat rating, and the likelihood that the race can be run to suit, Cirrus has enough in her profile to suggest a good performance is plausible in this field.. 
tl;dr
Keepyourdreamsbig - Bred to be a French juvenile hurdler and improved on promising debut with a win next time at Worcester. Though bred to handle conditions, is unproven on ground and trainer form is a concern.
George Bancroft - Dual winner on flat, including for current jumps yard last time out. Bred to do well in the sphere and attracted the attentions of JP McManus. Best form on fast ground however, and is unlikely to get an easy lead.
The Yellow Mini - Very modest maiden on flat but clearly relished the switch to hurdling when making a winning bow over course and distance last month. Proved that was no fluke at Plumpton last time and retains the services of jockey who knows the course well. 
Vunipola - Lightly raced and not without promise on flat debut last year. Joined capable yard and pedigree not without positives, but little promise when tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig on hurdling debut.
Cirrus - Fourteen race maiden and not at best on latest flat outings. However, yard is in tremendous form and knows what it's doing with its juveniles and sire's progeny has made bright start in sphere, including on softer ground. Well treated, receives weight all round and has favourable course trends pertinent to sex and experience. 
Strong prospects
1. Cirrus
Reasonable prospects
2. The Yellow Mini
3. George Bancroft
4. Keepyourdreamsbig
Feasible prospects
.
Moderate prospects
5. Vunipola
Negligible prospects
.

Apologies for not getting the Sedgefield review out yet. Has been a very busy couple of days with the volunteering as well as some very promising movements that might lead to my being less homeless. Review will have to be done when it done, but since tomorrow's tidy looking contest at Fontwell has a deadline, here is the preview. Enjoy
Fontwell is set to host its second juvenile hurdle of the season and while only five have have taken up their entry, it is not without its quality. Historically, this contest was a maiden hurdle until it was opened up to winners in 2017. Though not without its useful sorts dropping their maiden tags, including Personal Column, Tyrrells Wood and Oceane, the overall quality of the race has increased in recent years with Sussex Ranger, Botox Has and Balko Saint among the contest's capable graduates. This season's renewal looks up to standard as winning hurdling form is brought by two participants, while a pair of newcomers bring intriguing profiles. Three of the four latest runnings of this race were taken by newcomers and their strike rate in corresponding contests of 13.79% since 2004/05 surpasses the 8.33% of experienced runners. Fillies also have a stronger record than usual at this time of year with their strike rate during late September and early October being 13.64% compared to the overall rate at the course being 7.69%. A flat, left handed circuit with sharp turns, Fontwell's winning DIs of 1.14 median, 1.40 mean, are just on the lower side of average. However, the course's completion rate of 83.75%, and clear round rate of 94.92%, are in the lower quarter. As the ground is currently described as good to soft, plenty of rain is forecast overnight, the race is the third hurdle race on the card and a few of these are known to make the running, the trip could take more getting than usual. 
Keepyourdreamsbig bg Olly Murphy j2-1-1 (106) 90 103
Vision d'Etat (Enrique){4-r}(0.78) 1/0 Take This Waltz 1st Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, Enghien 2011
Though the French three-year-old hurdling scene is replete with newcomer contests akin to two-year-old maidens on the flat, such as the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches/Poulains for example, Britain and Ireland have no such contests and young jumps breds are a rare sight before their fourth birthdays. However, Keepyourdreamsbig, whose dam won the 2011 running of the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, was one such oddity when he made his debut at Uttoxeter in late July. A representative of Vision d'Etat's final crop, a sire with a very good record in the sphere, Keepyourdreamsbig is also a nephew of Prix Aguado fifth Great Shudder along with three other winners. Passing the Tattersalls Ireland ring for €25,000 as a yearling, Keepyourdreamsbig was the first unraced newcomer to represent Olly Murphy - a trainer with a solid 20.83% winner to runner rate in the sphere. Despite taking on two previous winners, he was not without support at Uttoxeter, starting at 6/1 having opened at 10/1. Held up in touch, he made his move on the turn for home and appeared to be travelling the strongest at the distance - trading at 1.2 in-running. However, while he loomed alongside Burristo, it took him most of the run-in to finally get his measure by which time subsequent Cartmel winner Sacre Pierre had already flown. Though his jumping was safe, it did lack the winner's neatness as he was prone to giving his flights more air than necessary. Nevertheless, this was an issue that ought to resolve itself with experience and having shown enough tenacity to win the battle for second, a race of such nature looked well within his scope. Such a race occurred thirty days ago at Worcester where he was backed into favouritism prior to the off. Taking the lead early, albeit at a sedate tempo, he jumped more neatly than on his debut with the only criticisms being that he was somewhat big and skewed over the third and slightly tight at the fourth, two out and the last where he was bumped on the approach. Injecting more pace turning for home, he was challenged up the straight by Corporal Jones (who would return slightly lame) and after leaving him behind on the run-in, had built up enough of a lead to fend off the fast finishing Boulette by half a length. With more assured hurdling than first time, this marked an improvement of roughly half a dozen pounds and there should be further to come with experience. Keepyourdreamsbig's attitude, ability and aptitude are enough to suggest that he is is capable of defying a penalty. However, this contest does not look a straightforward assignment and while he is bred to go on the ground, he has yet to prove it himself. Furthermore, trainer form is once again a concern with the yard without a winner for over three weeks and most of its recent participants running below form. 
George Bancroft chg Charlie Longsdon f6-2-0 (68) 70
Australia (Cacique){8-h}(0.87) 2/2 Paseo 3rd Summit Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Doncaster 2019
Rated 61 when joining Charlie Longsdon for 28,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, George Bancroft would have been a reasonably interesting recruit to the game without drawing a huge amount of attention. By Australia, whose juveniles have a 21.43% winner to runner rate with two thirds of his progeny improving for the switch in codes, George Bancroft is also a cousin of Paseo who finished third in the 2019 Summit Juvenile Hurdle. Former inmates of Roger Varian’s have a healthy 31.03% winner to runner rate and George Bancroft’s last effort as a resident at Carlburg Stables was a gallant all-the-way success in a twelve furlong Chepstow handicap. Charlie Longsdon, himself boasting a sound 27.03% winner to runner rate that includes the likes of Songe, Forth Bridge and Harristown, took the unusual step of giving his new recruit another spin on the flat. In another twelve furlong handicap, this time at Ripon, George Bancroft made light of his four pound rise in the weights, making all once again to win by three lengths in first-time cheekpieces. Though still off a mark of 61, this effort was sufficient in compelling JP McManus to add him to his team of juvenile hurdlers. George Bancroft has a nice profile in all regards and as his flat rating is already the highest in this contest, it will be interesting to see how far he can carry his improvement over hurdles. However, while the yard is currently in decent form which includes a double at Warwick on Thursday, his juveniles tend to improve with experience as the first time out strike rate stands at 5.88% with no such wins coming from flat recruits. Moreover, George Bancroft is unlikely to enjoy the easy lead which has served him in recent starts and while the ground should not be a concern on breeding, his two flat wins came on firm and good to firm. 
The Yellow Mini bf Michael Wigham f14-0-1 (45) 53 j2-1-1 (113) 100 104
Cannock Chase (Primo Valentino){22-d}(1.00) 2/2 Arakhan 1st 2m4f Novices' Hurdle, Aintree 2019
Without a win to her name in fourteen starts on the flat, The Yellow Mini raced under the care of Polly Gundry until late July. Her best outing in that sphere came at the end of June when finishing three quarters of a length second in a Bath handicap off 45, though no effort either side matched that performance. Making her hurdling debut at Fontwell early in September, she was the first runner over hurdles for sire Cannock Chase, a stallion with feasible credentials given his sireline, DI and height. She is also a cousin of a winning novice hurdler and while trainer Michael Wigham had not had a runner in the sphere since November 2016, he had previously sent out two to win first time. Not completely unfancied at 16/1, she was ridden with confidence, disputing the lead from the outset. With the front two racing alongside each other for most of the contest, it was only when her rival, Sir Taweel, began to fade leaving the back that she moved into a clear advantage. French import Ramure managed to get within a length after jumping quicker at two out, but The Yellow Mini kept on doggedly to keep her rival at bay. She also ran with more purpose on the run-in to cross the line with just over three lengths in hand. While she clearly relished this new discipline, her hurdling was not without its blemishes. Distracted by her rival when making minor errors over the first two, she was slightly big over the third and sixth, steady when clipping the next, outjumped at two out and went right at the last. Notwithstanding, these errors were not especially to her detriment and it is an area where she can improve with experience. She came out again a fortnight later at Plumpton where she was steady in the market at 9/2. The front running tactics from Fontwell were employed again here and setting a sensible gallop, The Yellow Mini put in a good round of jumping with only minor errors and her wandering occasionally counting against her. She had all but one of her rivals in trouble on leaving the back and while Impulsive One was in a different league, the remainder of the field were held by the best part of four lengths and upwards in the end. She Yellow Mini posted a new career best effort and is clearly enjoying her new vocation. Being an honest sort, she may lack the scope for much more improvement. Nevertheless, her winning form over this course and distance sets the standard here and the retained services of Gavin Sheehan give her a respectable chance despite a likely challenge for the lead.
Vunipola bg Emma Lavelle f2-0-0 (-) 68 j1-0-0 (-) 33 40
Vadamos (Marju){1-n}(0.50) 2/1 Vorashann 1st 2m1½f Handicap Hurdle (116), Fontwell 2020
Though more noted for her exploits outside of the division, Emma Lavelle has gotten her fair share of winners and she enjoyed particular success in the 2000s with Bouggler and Crack Away Jack. However, juvenile hurdling has taken a backseat at Bonita Racing Stables and the last time one of hers found the winner's enclosure was in April 2017. Her first runner this term was Vunipola who ran twice for Brian Meehan at the backend of last year. Having already had a wind operation prior to his debut, Vunipola ran with credit in finishing just over three lengths fifth at Kempton over a mile, but would not build on that effort at Lingfield on New Year's Eve and was absent until his hurdling debut at Worcester a month ago. His pedigree is not unfeasible, being a Vadamos gelding from the family of Vazirabad (2/1), Vorashann (2/1) and Visibility (3/1), and while he went out to 12/1 from an opening morning show of 6/1, he was steady in the ring and sent off at 17/2. However, he was very fresh on his first outing in eight months and along with making errors at the third, fifth and sixth, would never leave the rear of the field. Vunipola has the potential to do much better on paper, but there is little encouragement to be drawn his finishing tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig and while the Emma Lavelle yard is in decent form, Vunipola would have plenty to prove at this juncture. 
Cirrus chf Milton Harris f14-0-3 (65) 77
Starspangledbanner (Halling){5-e}(3.00) 2/1 Spiritual Art 1st 2m1f Mares' Maiden Hurdle, Newton Abbot 2011
A fourteen race maiden on the flat, Cirrus has failed to reach the frame in six outings since finishing third at Nottingham in early May, and has beaten just one of her twelve rivals home in her two starts for Milton Harris. Leaving Richard Hannon for 15,000guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, Cirrus had shown her best form when under a length third on the aforementioned Nottingham off 73, and on her final outing for her former handler when just over two lengths fifth of seven at Bath off the same mark; with both of these performances coming on good to soft ground. While this alone would be a tenuous cause for optimism, there are further positives in the profile. Her sire, Starspangledbanner, was a four time Group One winner in Britain and Australia, and while his most notable successes came over sprint distances, he also won the Caulfield Guineas at three. While a sprint bred sprinter should not make into a sire of juvenile hurdlers, his own sire Choisir has a 30% winner to runner rate, a 72.73% improvement rate, and another son of his in Olympic Glory has also made a promising start with comparable figures of 37.5% and 50% respectively. Starspangledbanner himself has two winners from six in the sphere with Can't Stop Now winning on soft, Tinnahalla beating Homme Public on heavy, and Kentucky Hardboot finishing second on soft at Newbury. Cirrus is out of a half-sister to a winning hurdler with other winners Strawman (3/1) and Royal Master (3/2) on the damline. Milton Harris, who boasts a 43% strike rate in the past fortnight, has already had two winning juveniles this term including Knight Salute who won at the first time of asking at Sedgefield on Tuesday. That performance also maintained the yard's 100% clear round rate for juvenile debutants with the figure of 45 putting atop all British trainers. Furthermore, the only other juvenile acquired by Milton Harris from the Hannon team was when Gulf Punch was bought out of a claimer in 2009 (as a two-year-old, it should be noted) from Hannon Sr before winning three times during her first campaign. While a first-time tongue tie might be a concern, it has a 17.6% success rate when employed by the stable. Cirrus has hung left on occasion, although that might be mitigated by her going in that direction at Fontwell. With the relatively good fortunes of both fillies and newcomers in this kind of contest, as mentioned in the introduction, the fact that her she is well treated at the weights on her flat rating, and the likelihood that the race can be run to suit, Cirrus has enough in her profile to suggest a good performance is plausible in this field.. 
tl;dr
Keepyourdreamsbig - Bred to be a French juvenile hurdler and improved on promising debut with a win next time at Worcester. Though bred to handle conditions, is unproven on ground and trainer form is a concern.
George Bancroft - Dual winner on flat, including for current jumps yard last time out. Bred to do well in the sphere and attracted the attentions of JP McManus. Best form on fast ground however, and is unlikely to get an easy lead.
The Yellow Mini - Very modest maiden on flat but clearly relished the switch to hurdling when making a winning bow over course and distance last month. Proved that was no fluke at Plumpton last time and retains the services of jockey who knows the course well. 
Vunipola - Lightly raced and not without promise on flat debut last year. Joined capable yard and pedigree not without positives, but little promise when tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig on hurdling debut.
Cirrus - Fourteen race maiden and not at best on latest flat outings. However, yard is in tremendous form and knows what it's doing with its juveniles and sire's progeny has made bright start in sphere, including on softer ground. Well treated, receives weight all round and has favourable course trends pertinent to sex and experience. 
Strong prospects
1. Cirrus
Reasonable prospects
2. The Yellow Mini
3. George Bancroft
4. Keepyourdreamsbig
Feasible prospects
.
Moderate prospects
5. Vunipola
Negligible prospects
.

Thank you CD

Much as I have shied away from fb soon after it became a thing, I have found twitter to be a fairly useful tool. Granted, a lot of it - actually, most of its mainstream content is just dreadful. Nevertheless, I have found some areas of it to be very informative when it comes to doing horsey research. Was put off the platform for years, but as long as one stays away from the politics and general willy waving, it is a positive instrument on balance. 

Still, I am a forum person at heart which is why I am more than happy to post content and discuss same through this medium. Indeed, it will be a terrible thing if the forums ever completely make way for more conventional "social media".

Apologies for not getting the Sedgefield review out yet. Has been a very busy couple of days with the volunteering as well as some very promising movements that might lead to my being less homeless. Review will have to be done when it done, but since tomorrow's tidy looking contest at Fontwell has a deadline, here is the preview. Enjoy
Fontwell is set to host its second juvenile hurdle of the season and while only five have have taken up their entry, it is not without its quality. Historically, this contest was a maiden hurdle until it was opened up to winners in 2017. Though not without its useful sorts dropping their maiden tags, including Personal Column, Tyrrells Wood and Oceane, the overall quality of the race has increased in recent years with Sussex Ranger, Botox Has and Balko Saint among the contest's capable graduates. This season's renewal looks up to standard as winning hurdling form is brought by two participants, while a pair of newcomers bring intriguing profiles. Three of the four latest runnings of this race were taken by newcomers and their strike rate in corresponding contests of 13.79% since 2004/05 surpasses the 8.33% of experienced runners. Fillies also have a stronger record than usual at this time of year with their strike rate during late September and early October being 13.64% compared to the overall rate at the course being 7.69%. A flat, left handed circuit with sharp turns, Fontwell's winning DIs of 1.14 median, 1.40 mean, are just on the lower side of average. However, the course's completion rate of 83.75%, and clear round rate of 94.92%, are in the lower quarter. As the ground is currently described as good to soft, plenty of rain is forecast overnight, the race is the third hurdle race on the card and a few of these are known to make the running, the trip could take more getting than usual. 
Keepyourdreamsbig bg Olly Murphy j2-1-1 (106) 90 103
Vision d'Etat (Enrique){4-r}(0.78) 1/0 Take This Waltz 1st Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, Enghien 2011
Though the French three-year-old hurdling scene is replete with newcomer contests akin to two-year-old maidens on the flat, such as the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches/Poulains for example, Britain and Ireland have no such contests and young jumps breds are a rare sight before their fourth birthdays. However, Keepyourdreamsbig, whose dam won the 2011 running of the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, was one such oddity when he made his debut at Uttoxeter in late July. A representative of Vision d'Etat's final crop, a sire with a very good record in the sphere, Keepyourdreamsbig is also a nephew of Prix Aguado fifth Great Shudder along with three other winners. Passing the Tattersalls Ireland ring for €25,000 as a yearling, Keepyourdreamsbig was the first unraced newcomer to represent Olly Murphy - a trainer with a solid 20.83% winner to runner rate in the sphere. Despite taking on two previous winners, he was not without support at Uttoxeter, starting at 6/1 having opened at 10/1. Held up in touch, he made his move on the turn for home and appeared to be travelling the strongest at the distance - trading at 1.2 in-running. However, while he loomed alongside Burristo, it took him most of the run-in to finally get his measure by which time subsequent Cartmel winner Sacre Pierre had already flown. Though his jumping was safe, it did lack the winner's neatness as he was prone to giving his flights more air than necessary. Nevertheless, this was an issue that ought to resolve itself with experience and having shown enough tenacity to win the battle for second, a race of such nature looked well within his scope. Such a race occurred thirty days ago at Worcester where he was backed into favouritism prior to the off. Taking the lead early, albeit at a sedate tempo, he jumped more neatly than on his debut with the only criticisms being that he was somewhat big and skewed over the third and slightly tight at the fourth, two out and the last where he was bumped on the approach. Injecting more pace turning for home, he was challenged up the straight by Corporal Jones (who would return slightly lame) and after leaving him behind on the run-in, had built up enough of a lead to fend off the fast finishing Boulette by half a length. With more assured hurdling than first time, this marked an improvement of roughly half a dozen pounds and there should be further to come with experience. Keepyourdreamsbig's attitude, ability and aptitude are enough to suggest that he is is capable of defying a penalty. However, this contest does not look a straightforward assignment and while he is bred to go on the ground, he has yet to prove it himself. Furthermore, trainer form is once again a concern with the yard without a winner for over three weeks and most of its recent participants running below form. 
George Bancroft chg Charlie Longsdon f6-2-0 (68) 70
Australia (Cacique){8-h}(0.87) 2/2 Paseo 3rd Summit Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Doncaster 2019
Rated 61 when joining Charlie Longsdon for 28,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, George Bancroft would have been a reasonably interesting recruit to the game without drawing a huge amount of attention. By Australia, whose juveniles have a 21.43% winner to runner rate with two thirds of his progeny improving for the switch in codes, George Bancroft is also a cousin of Paseo who finished third in the 2019 Summit Juvenile Hurdle. Former inmates of Roger Varian’s have a healthy 31.03% winner to runner rate and George Bancroft’s last effort as a resident at Carlburg Stables was a gallant all-the-way success in a twelve furlong Chepstow handicap. Charlie Longsdon, himself boasting a sound 27.03% winner to runner rate that includes the likes of Songe, Forth Bridge and Harristown, took the unusual step of giving his new recruit another spin on the flat. In another twelve furlong handicap, this time at Ripon, George Bancroft made light of his four pound rise in the weights, making all once again to win by three lengths in first-time cheekpieces. Though still off a mark of 61, this effort was sufficient in compelling JP McManus to add him to his team of juvenile hurdlers. George Bancroft has a nice profile in all regards and as his flat rating is already the highest in this contest, it will be interesting to see how far he can carry his improvement over hurdles. However, while the yard is currently in decent form which includes a double at Warwick on Thursday, his juveniles tend to improve with experience as the first time out strike rate stands at 5.88% with no such wins coming from flat recruits. Moreover, George Bancroft is unlikely to enjoy the easy lead which has served him in recent starts and while the ground should not be a concern on breeding, his two flat wins came on firm and good to firm. 
The Yellow Mini bf Michael Wigham f14-0-1 (45) 53 j2-1-1 (113) 100 104
Cannock Chase (Primo Valentino){22-d}(1.00) 2/2 Arakhan 1st 2m4f Novices' Hurdle, Aintree 2019
Without a win to her name in fourteen starts on the flat, The Yellow Mini raced under the care of Polly Gundry until late July. Her best outing in that sphere came at the end of June when finishing three quarters of a length second in a Bath handicap off 45, though no effort either side matched that performance. Making her hurdling debut at Fontwell early in September, she was the first runner over hurdles for sire Cannock Chase, a stallion with feasible credentials given his sireline, DI and height. She is also a cousin of a winning novice hurdler and while trainer Michael Wigham had not had a runner in the sphere since November 2016, he had previously sent out two to win first time. Not completely unfancied at 16/1, she was ridden with confidence, disputing the lead from the outset. With the front two racing alongside each other for most of the contest, it was only when her rival, Sir Taweel, began to fade leaving the back that she moved into a clear advantage. French import Ramure managed to get within a length after jumping quicker at two out, but The Yellow Mini kept on doggedly to keep her rival at bay. She also ran with more purpose on the run-in to cross the line with just over three lengths in hand. While she clearly relished this new discipline, her hurdling was not without its blemishes. Distracted by her rival when making minor errors over the first two, she was slightly big over the third and sixth, steady when clipping the next, outjumped at two out and went right at the last. Notwithstanding, these errors were not especially to her detriment and it is an area where she can improve with experience. She came out again a fortnight later at Plumpton where she was steady in the market at 9/2. The front running tactics from Fontwell were employed again here and setting a sensible gallop, The Yellow Mini put in a good round of jumping with only minor errors and her wandering occasionally counting against her. She had all but one of her rivals in trouble on leaving the back and while Impulsive One was in a different league, the remainder of the field were held by the best part of four lengths and upwards in the end. She Yellow Mini posted a new career best effort and is clearly enjoying her new vocation. Being an honest sort, she may lack the scope for much more improvement. Nevertheless, her winning form over this course and distance sets the standard here and the retained services of Gavin Sheehan give her a respectable chance despite a likely challenge for the lead.
Vunipola bg Emma Lavelle f2-0-0 (-) 68 j1-0-0 (-) 33 40
Vadamos (Marju){1-n}(0.50) 2/1 Vorashann 1st 2m1½f Handicap Hurdle (116), Fontwell 2020
Though more noted for her exploits outside of the division, Emma Lavelle has gotten her fair share of winners and she enjoyed particular success in the 2000s with Bouggler and Crack Away Jack. However, juvenile hurdling has taken a backseat at Bonita Racing Stables and the last time one of hers found the winner's enclosure was in April 2017. Her first runner this term was Vunipola who ran twice for Brian Meehan at the backend of last year. Having already had a wind operation prior to his debut, Vunipola ran with credit in finishing just over three lengths fifth at Kempton over a mile, but would not build on that effort at Lingfield on New Year's Eve and was absent until his hurdling debut at Worcester a month ago. His pedigree is not unfeasible, being a Vadamos gelding from the family of Vazirabad (2/1), Vorashann (2/1) and Visibility (3/1), and while he went out to 12/1 from an opening morning show of 6/1, he was steady in the ring and sent off at 17/2. However, he was very fresh on his first outing in eight months and along with making errors at the third, fifth and sixth, would never leave the rear of the field. Vunipola has the potential to do much better on paper, but there is little encouragement to be drawn his finishing tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig and while the Emma Lavelle yard is in decent form, Vunipola would have plenty to prove at this juncture. 
Cirrus chf Milton Harris f14-0-3 (65) 77
Starspangledbanner (Halling){5-e}(3.00) 2/1 Spiritual Art 1st 2m1f Mares' Maiden Hurdle, Newton Abbot 2011
A fourteen race maiden on the flat, Cirrus has failed to reach the frame in six outings since finishing third at Nottingham in early May, and has beaten just one of her twelve rivals home in her two starts for Milton Harris. Leaving Richard Hannon for 15,000guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, Cirrus had shown her best form when under a length third on the aforementioned Nottingham off 73, and on her final outing for her former handler when just over two lengths fifth of seven at Bath off the same mark; with both of these performances coming on good to soft ground. While this alone would be a tenuous cause for optimism, there are further positives in the profile. Her sire, Starspangledbanner, was a four time Group One winner in Britain and Australia, and while his most notable successes came over sprint distances, he also won the Caulfield Guineas at three. While a sprint bred sprinter should not make into a sire of juvenile hurdlers, his own sire Choisir has a 30% winner to runner rate, a 72.73% improvement rate, and another son of his in Olympic Glory has also made a promising start with comparable figures of 37.5% and 50% respectively. Starspangledbanner himself has two winners from six in the sphere with Can't Stop Now winning on soft, Tinnahalla beating Homme Public on heavy, and Kentucky Hardboot finishing second on soft at Newbury. Cirrus is out of a half-sister to a winning hurdler with other winners Strawman (3/1) and Royal Master (3/2) on the damline. Milton Harris, who boasts a 43% strike rate in the past fortnight, has already had two winning juveniles this term including Knight Salute who won at the first time of asking at Sedgefield on Tuesday. That performance also maintained the yard's 100% clear round rate for juvenile debutants with the figure of 45 putting atop all British trainers. Furthermore, the only other juvenile acquired by Milton Harris from the Hannon team was when Gulf Punch was bought out of a claimer in 2009 (as a two-year-old, it should be noted) from Hannon Sr before winning three times during her first campaign. While a first-time tongue tie might be a concern, it has a 17.6% success rate when employed by the stable. Cirrus has hung left on occasion, although that might be mitigated by her going in that direction at Fontwell. With the relatively good fortunes of both fillies and newcomers in this kind of contest, as mentioned in the introduction, the fact that her she is well treated at the weights on her flat rating, and the likelihood that the race can be run to suit, Cirrus has enough in her profile to suggest a good performance is plausible in this field.. 
tl;dr
Keepyourdreamsbig - Bred to be a French juvenile hurdler and improved on promising debut with a win next time at Worcester. Though bred to handle conditions, is unproven on ground and trainer form is a concern.
George Bancroft - Dual winner on flat, including for current jumps yard last time out. Bred to do well in the sphere and attracted the attentions of JP McManus. Best form on fast ground however, and is unlikely to get an easy lead.
The Yellow Mini - Very modest maiden on flat but clearly relished the switch to hurdling when making a winning bow over course and distance last month. Proved that was no fluke at Plumpton last time and retains the services of jockey who knows the course well. 
Vunipola - Lightly raced and not without promise on flat debut last year. Joined capable yard and pedigree not without positives, but little promise when tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig on hurdling debut.
Cirrus - Fourteen race maiden and not at best on latest flat outings. However, yard is in tremendous form and knows what it's doing with its juveniles and sire's progeny has made bright start in sphere, including on softer ground. Well treated, receives weight all round and has favourable course trends pertinent to sex and experience. 
Strong prospects
1. Cirrus
Reasonable prospects
2. The Yellow Mini
3. George Bancroft
4. Keepyourdreamsbig
Feasible prospects
.
Moderate prospects
5. Vunipola
Negligible prospects
.

Apologies for not getting the Sedgefield review out yet. Has been a very busy couple of days with the volunteering as well as some very promising movements that might lead to my being less homeless. Review will have to be done when it done, but since tomorrow's tidy looking contest at Fontwell has a deadline, here is the preview. Enjoy
Fontwell is set to host its second juvenile hurdle of the season and while only five have have taken up their entry, it is not without its quality. Historically, this contest was a maiden hurdle until it was opened up to winners in 2017. Though not without its useful sorts dropping their maiden tags, including Personal Column, Tyrrells Wood and Oceane, the overall quality of the race has increased in recent years with Sussex Ranger, Botox Has and Balko Saint among the contest's capable graduates. This season's renewal looks up to standard as winning hurdling form is brought by two participants, while a pair of newcomers bring intriguing profiles. Three of the four latest runnings of this race were taken by newcomers and their strike rate in corresponding contests of 13.79% since 2004/05 surpasses the 8.33% of experienced runners. Fillies also have a stronger record than usual at this time of year with their strike rate during late September and early October being 13.64% compared to the overall rate at the course being 7.69%. A flat, left handed circuit with sharp turns, Fontwell's winning DIs of 1.14 median, 1.40 mean, are just on the lower side of average. However, the course's completion rate of 83.75%, and clear round rate of 94.92%, are in the lower quarter. As the ground is currently described as good to soft, plenty of rain is forecast overnight, the race is the third hurdle race on the card and a few of these are known to make the running, the trip could take more getting than usual. 
Keepyourdreamsbig bg Olly Murphy j2-1-1 (106) 90 103
Vision d'Etat (Enrique){4-r}(0.78) 1/0 Take This Waltz 1st Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, Enghien 2011
Though the French three-year-old hurdling scene is replete with newcomer contests akin to two-year-old maidens on the flat, such as the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches/Poulains for example, Britain and Ireland have no such contests and young jumps breds are a rare sight before their fourth birthdays. However, Keepyourdreamsbig, whose dam won the 2011 running of the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, was one such oddity when he made his debut at Uttoxeter in late July. A representative of Vision d'Etat's final crop, a sire with a very good record in the sphere, Keepyourdreamsbig is also a nephew of Prix Aguado fifth Great Shudder along with three other winners. Passing the Tattersalls Ireland ring for €25,000 as a yearling, Keepyourdreamsbig was the first unraced newcomer to represent Olly Murphy - a trainer with a solid 20.83% winner to runner rate in the sphere. Despite taking on two previous winners, he was not without support at Uttoxeter, starting at 6/1 having opened at 10/1. Held up in touch, he made his move on the turn for home and appeared to be travelling the strongest at the distance - trading at 1.2 in-running. However, while he loomed alongside Burristo, it took him most of the run-in to finally get his measure by which time subsequent Cartmel winner Sacre Pierre had already flown. Though his jumping was safe, it did lack the winner's neatness as he was prone to giving his flights more air than necessary. Nevertheless, this was an issue that ought to resolve itself with experience and having shown enough tenacity to win the battle for second, a race of such nature looked well within his scope. Such a race occurred thirty days ago at Worcester where he was backed into favouritism prior to the off. Taking the lead early, albeit at a sedate tempo, he jumped more neatly than on his debut with the only criticisms being that he was somewhat big and skewed over the third and slightly tight at the fourth, two out and the last where he was bumped on the approach. Injecting more pace turning for home, he was challenged up the straight by Corporal Jones (who would return slightly lame) and after leaving him behind on the run-in, had built up enough of a lead to fend off the fast finishing Boulette by half a length. With more assured hurdling than first time, this marked an improvement of roughly half a dozen pounds and there should be further to come with experience. Keepyourdreamsbig's attitude, ability and aptitude are enough to suggest that he is is capable of defying a penalty. However, this contest does not look a straightforward assignment and while he is bred to go on the ground, he has yet to prove it himself. Furthermore, trainer form is once again a concern with the yard without a winner for over three weeks and most of its recent participants running below form. 
George Bancroft chg Charlie Longsdon f6-2-0 (68) 70
Australia (Cacique){8-h}(0.87) 2/2 Paseo 3rd Summit Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Doncaster 2019
Rated 61 when joining Charlie Longsdon for 28,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, George Bancroft would have been a reasonably interesting recruit to the game without drawing a huge amount of attention. By Australia, whose juveniles have a 21.43% winner to runner rate with two thirds of his progeny improving for the switch in codes, George Bancroft is also a cousin of Paseo who finished third in the 2019 Summit Juvenile Hurdle. Former inmates of Roger Varian’s have a healthy 31.03% winner to runner rate and George Bancroft’s last effort as a resident at Carlburg Stables was a gallant all-the-way success in a twelve furlong Chepstow handicap. Charlie Longsdon, himself boasting a sound 27.03% winner to runner rate that includes the likes of Songe, Forth Bridge and Harristown, took the unusual step of giving his new recruit another spin on the flat. In another twelve furlong handicap, this time at Ripon, George Bancroft made light of his four pound rise in the weights, making all once again to win by three lengths in first-time cheekpieces. Though still off a mark of 61, this effort was sufficient in compelling JP McManus to add him to his team of juvenile hurdlers. George Bancroft has a nice profile in all regards and as his flat rating is already the highest in this contest, it will be interesting to see how far he can carry his improvement over hurdles. However, while the yard is currently in decent form which includes a double at Warwick on Thursday, his juveniles tend to improve with experience as the first time out strike rate stands at 5.88% with no such wins coming from flat recruits. Moreover, George Bancroft is unlikely to enjoy the easy lead which has served him in recent starts and while the ground should not be a concern on breeding, his two flat wins came on firm and good to firm. 
The Yellow Mini bf Michael Wigham f14-0-1 (45) 53 j2-1-1 (113) 100 104
Cannock Chase (Primo Valentino){22-d}(1.00) 2/2 Arakhan 1st 2m4f Novices' Hurdle, Aintree 2019
Without a win to her name in fourteen starts on the flat, The Yellow Mini raced under the care of Polly Gundry until late July. Her best outing in that sphere came at the end of June when finishing three quarters of a length second in a Bath handicap off 45, though no effort either side matched that performance. Making her hurdling debut at Fontwell early in September, she was the first runner over hurdles for sire Cannock Chase, a stallion with feasible credentials given his sireline, DI and height. She is also a cousin of a winning novice hurdler and while trainer Michael Wigham had not had a runner in the sphere since November 2016, he had previously sent out two to win first time. Not completely unfancied at 16/1, she was ridden with confidence, disputing the lead from the outset. With the front two racing alongside each other for most of the contest, it was only when her rival, Sir Taweel, began to fade leaving the back that she moved into a clear advantage. French import Ramure managed to get within a length after jumping quicker at two out, but The Yellow Mini kept on doggedly to keep her rival at bay. She also ran with more purpose on the run-in to cross the line with just over three lengths in hand. While she clearly relished this new discipline, her hurdling was not without its blemishes. Distracted by her rival when making minor errors over the first two, she was slightly big over the third and sixth, steady when clipping the next, outjumped at two out and went right at the last. Notwithstanding, these errors were not especially to her detriment and it is an area where she can improve with experience. She came out again a fortnight later at Plumpton where she was steady in the market at 9/2. The front running tactics from Fontwell were employed again here and setting a sensible gallop, The Yellow Mini put in a good round of jumping with only minor errors and her wandering occasionally counting against her. She had all but one of her rivals in trouble on leaving the back and while Impulsive One was in a different league, the remainder of the field were held by the best part of four lengths and upwards in the end. She Yellow Mini posted a new career best effort and is clearly enjoying her new vocation. Being an honest sort, she may lack the scope for much more improvement. Nevertheless, her winning form over this course and distance sets the standard here and the retained services of Gavin Sheehan give her a respectable chance despite a likely challenge for the lead.
Vunipola bg Emma Lavelle f2-0-0 (-) 68 j1-0-0 (-) 33 40
Vadamos (Marju){1-n}(0.50) 2/1 Vorashann 1st 2m1½f Handicap Hurdle (116), Fontwell 2020
Though more noted for her exploits outside of the division, Emma Lavelle has gotten her fair share of winners and she enjoyed particular success in the 2000s with Bouggler and Crack Away Jack. However, juvenile hurdling has taken a backseat at Bonita Racing Stables and the last time one of hers found the winner's enclosure was in April 2017. Her first runner this term was Vunipola who ran twice for Brian Meehan at the backend of last year. Having already had a wind operation prior to his debut, Vunipola ran with credit in finishing just over three lengths fifth at Kempton over a mile, but would not build on that effort at Lingfield on New Year's Eve and was absent until his hurdling debut at Worcester a month ago. His pedigree is not unfeasible, being a Vadamos gelding from the family of Vazirabad (2/1), Vorashann (2/1) and Visibility (3/1), and while he went out to 12/1 from an opening morning show of 6/1, he was steady in the ring and sent off at 17/2. However, he was very fresh on his first outing in eight months and along with making errors at the third, fifth and sixth, would never leave the rear of the field. Vunipola has the potential to do much better on paper, but there is little encouragement to be drawn his finishing tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig and while the Emma Lavelle yard is in decent form, Vunipola would have plenty to prove at this juncture. 
Cirrus chf Milton Harris f14-0-3 (65) 77
Starspangledbanner (Halling){5-e}(3.00) 2/1 Spiritual Art 1st 2m1f Mares' Maiden Hurdle, Newton Abbot 2011
A fourteen race maiden on the flat, Cirrus has failed to reach the frame in six outings since finishing third at Nottingham in early May, and has beaten just one of her twelve rivals home in her two starts for Milton Harris. Leaving Richard Hannon for 15,000guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, Cirrus had shown her best form when under a length third on the aforementioned Nottingham off 73, and on her final outing for her former handler when just over two lengths fifth of seven at Bath off the same mark; with both of these performances coming on good to soft ground. While this alone would be a tenuous cause for optimism, there are further positives in the profile. Her sire, Starspangledbanner, was a four time Group One winner in Britain and Australia, and while his most notable successes came over sprint distances, he also won the Caulfield Guineas at three. While a sprint bred sprinter should not make into a sire of juvenile hurdlers, his own sire Choisir has a 30% winner to runner rate, a 72.73% improvement rate, and another son of his in Olympic Glory has also made a promising start with comparable figures of 37.5% and 50% respectively. Starspangledbanner himself has two winners from six in the sphere with Can't Stop Now winning on soft, Tinnahalla beating Homme Public on heavy, and Kentucky Hardboot finishing second on soft at Newbury. Cirrus is out of a half-sister to a winning hurdler with other winners Strawman (3/1) and Royal Master (3/2) on the damline. Milton Harris, who boasts a 43% strike rate in the past fortnight, has already had two winning juveniles this term including Knight Salute who won at the first time of asking at Sedgefield on Tuesday. That performance also maintained the yard's 100% clear round rate for juvenile debutants with the figure of 45 putting atop all British trainers. Furthermore, the only other juvenile acquired by Milton Harris from the Hannon team was when Gulf Punch was bought out of a claimer in 2009 (as a two-year-old, it should be noted) from Hannon Sr before winning three times during her first campaign. While a first-time tongue tie might be a concern, it has a 17.6% success rate when employed by the stable. Cirrus has hung left on occasion, although that might be mitigated by her going in that direction at Fontwell. With the relatively good fortunes of both fillies and newcomers in this kind of contest, as mentioned in the introduction, the fact that her she is well treated at the weights on her flat rating, and the likelihood that the race can be run to suit, Cirrus has enough in her profile to suggest a good performance is plausible in this field.. 
tl;dr
Keepyourdreamsbig - Bred to be a French juvenile hurdler and improved on promising debut with a win next time at Worcester. Though bred to handle conditions, is unproven on ground and trainer form is a concern.
George Bancroft - Dual winner on flat, including for current jumps yard last time out. Bred to do well in the sphere and attracted the attentions of JP McManus. Best form on fast ground however, and is unlikely to get an easy lead.
The Yellow Mini - Very modest maiden on flat but clearly relished the switch to hurdling when making a winning bow over course and distance last month. Proved that was no fluke at Plumpton last time and retains the services of jockey who knows the course well. 
Vunipola - Lightly raced and not without promise on flat debut last year. Joined capable yard and pedigree not without positives, but little promise when tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig on hurdling debut.
Cirrus - Fourteen race maiden and not at best on latest flat outings. However, yard is in tremendous form and knows what it's doing with its juveniles and sire's progeny has made bright start in sphere, including on softer ground. Well treated, receives weight all round and has favourable course trends pertinent to sex and experience. 
Strong prospects
1. Cirrus
Reasonable prospects
2. The Yellow Mini
3. George Bancroft
4. Keepyourdreamsbig
Feasible prospects
.
Moderate prospects
5. Vunipola
Negligible prospects
.

Apologies for not getting the Sedgefield review out yet. Has been a very busy couple of days with the volunteering as well as some very promising movements that might lead to my being less homeless. Review will have to be done when it done, but since tomorrow's tidy looking contest at Fontwell has a deadline, here is the preview. Enjoy
Fontwell is set to host its second juvenile hurdle of the season and while only five have have taken up their entry, it is not without its quality. Historically, this contest was a maiden hurdle until it was opened up to winners in 2017. Though not without its useful sorts dropping their maiden tags, including Personal Column, Tyrrells Wood and Oceane, the overall quality of the race has increased in recent years with Sussex Ranger, Botox Has and Balko Saint among the contest's capable graduates. This season's renewal looks up to standard as winning hurdling form is brought by two participants, while a pair of newcomers bring intriguing profiles. Three of the four latest runnings of this race were taken by newcomers and their strike rate in corresponding contests of 13.79% since 2004/05 surpasses the 8.33% of experienced runners. Fillies also have a stronger record than usual at this time of year with their strike rate during late September and early October being 13.64% compared to the overall rate at the course being 7.69%. A flat, left handed circuit with sharp turns, Fontwell's winning DIs of 1.14 median, 1.40 mean, are just on the lower side of average. However, the course's completion rate of 83.75%, and clear round rate of 94.92%, are in the lower quarter. As the ground is currently described as good to soft, plenty of rain is forecast overnight, the race is the third hurdle race on the card and a few of these are known to make the running, the trip could take more getting than usual. 
Keepyourdreamsbig bg Olly Murphy j2-1-1 (106) 90 103
Vision d'Etat (Enrique){4-r}(0.78) 1/0 Take This Waltz 1st Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, Enghien 2011
Though the French three-year-old hurdling scene is replete with newcomer contests akin to two-year-old maidens on the flat, such as the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches/Poulains for example, Britain and Ireland have no such contests and young jumps breds are a rare sight before their fourth birthdays. However, Keepyourdreamsbig, whose dam won the 2011 running of the Prix d'Essai des Pouliches, was one such oddity when he made his debut at Uttoxeter in late July. A representative of Vision d'Etat's final crop, a sire with a very good record in the sphere, Keepyourdreamsbig is also a nephew of Prix Aguado fifth Great Shudder along with three other winners. Passing the Tattersalls Ireland ring for €25,000 as a yearling, Keepyourdreamsbig was the first unraced newcomer to represent Olly Murphy - a trainer with a solid 20.83% winner to runner rate in the sphere. Despite taking on two previous winners, he was not without support at Uttoxeter, starting at 6/1 having opened at 10/1. Held up in touch, he made his move on the turn for home and appeared to be travelling the strongest at the distance - trading at 1.2 in-running. However, while he loomed alongside Burristo, it took him most of the run-in to finally get his measure by which time subsequent Cartmel winner Sacre Pierre had already flown. Though his jumping was safe, it did lack the winner's neatness as he was prone to giving his flights more air than necessary. Nevertheless, this was an issue that ought to resolve itself with experience and having shown enough tenacity to win the battle for second, a race of such nature looked well within his scope. Such a race occurred thirty days ago at Worcester where he was backed into favouritism prior to the off. Taking the lead early, albeit at a sedate tempo, he jumped more neatly than on his debut with the only criticisms being that he was somewhat big and skewed over the third and slightly tight at the fourth, two out and the last where he was bumped on the approach. Injecting more pace turning for home, he was challenged up the straight by Corporal Jones (who would return slightly lame) and after leaving him behind on the run-in, had built up enough of a lead to fend off the fast finishing Boulette by half a length. With more assured hurdling than first time, this marked an improvement of roughly half a dozen pounds and there should be further to come with experience. Keepyourdreamsbig's attitude, ability and aptitude are enough to suggest that he is is capable of defying a penalty. However, this contest does not look a straightforward assignment and while he is bred to go on the ground, he has yet to prove it himself. Furthermore, trainer form is once again a concern with the yard without a winner for over three weeks and most of its recent participants running below form. 
George Bancroft chg Charlie Longsdon f6-2-0 (68) 70
Australia (Cacique){8-h}(0.87) 2/2 Paseo 3rd Summit Juvenile Hurdle (G2), Doncaster 2019
Rated 61 when joining Charlie Longsdon for 28,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, George Bancroft would have been a reasonably interesting recruit to the game without drawing a huge amount of attention. By Australia, whose juveniles have a 21.43% winner to runner rate with two thirds of his progeny improving for the switch in codes, George Bancroft is also a cousin of Paseo who finished third in the 2019 Summit Juvenile Hurdle. Former inmates of Roger Varian’s have a healthy 31.03% winner to runner rate and George Bancroft’s last effort as a resident at Carlburg Stables was a gallant all-the-way success in a twelve furlong Chepstow handicap. Charlie Longsdon, himself boasting a sound 27.03% winner to runner rate that includes the likes of Songe, Forth Bridge and Harristown, took the unusual step of giving his new recruit another spin on the flat. In another twelve furlong handicap, this time at Ripon, George Bancroft made light of his four pound rise in the weights, making all once again to win by three lengths in first-time cheekpieces. Though still off a mark of 61, this effort was sufficient in compelling JP McManus to add him to his team of juvenile hurdlers. George Bancroft has a nice profile in all regards and as his flat rating is already the highest in this contest, it will be interesting to see how far he can carry his improvement over hurdles. However, while the yard is currently in decent form which includes a double at Warwick on Thursday, his juveniles tend to improve with experience as the first time out strike rate stands at 5.88% with no such wins coming from flat recruits. Moreover, George Bancroft is unlikely to enjoy the easy lead which has served him in recent starts and while the ground should not be a concern on breeding, his two flat wins came on firm and good to firm. 
The Yellow Mini bf Michael Wigham f14-0-1 (45) 53 j2-1-1 (113) 100 104
Cannock Chase (Primo Valentino){22-d}(1.00) 2/2 Arakhan 1st 2m4f Novices' Hurdle, Aintree 2019
Without a win to her name in fourteen starts on the flat, The Yellow Mini raced under the care of Polly Gundry until late July. Her best outing in that sphere came at the end of June when finishing three quarters of a length second in a Bath handicap off 45, though no effort either side matched that performance. Making her hurdling debut at Fontwell early in September, she was the first runner over hurdles for sire Cannock Chase, a stallion with feasible credentials given his sireline, DI and height. She is also a cousin of a winning novice hurdler and while trainer Michael Wigham had not had a runner in the sphere since November 2016, he had previously sent out two to win first time. Not completely unfancied at 16/1, she was ridden with confidence, disputing the lead from the outset. With the front two racing alongside each other for most of the contest, it was only when her rival, Sir Taweel, began to fade leaving the back that she moved into a clear advantage. French import Ramure managed to get within a length after jumping quicker at two out, but The Yellow Mini kept on doggedly to keep her rival at bay. She also ran with more purpose on the run-in to cross the line with just over three lengths in hand. While she clearly relished this new discipline, her hurdling was not without its blemishes. Distracted by her rival when making minor errors over the first two, she was slightly big over the third and sixth, steady when clipping the next, outjumped at two out and went right at the last. Notwithstanding, these errors were not especially to her detriment and it is an area where she can improve with experience. She came out again a fortnight later at Plumpton where she was steady in the market at 9/2. The front running tactics from Fontwell were employed again here and setting a sensible gallop, The Yellow Mini put in a good round of jumping with only minor errors and her wandering occasionally counting against her. She had all but one of her rivals in trouble on leaving the back and while Impulsive One was in a different league, the remainder of the field were held by the best part of four lengths and upwards in the end. She Yellow Mini posted a new career best effort and is clearly enjoying her new vocation. Being an honest sort, she may lack the scope for much more improvement. Nevertheless, her winning form over this course and distance sets the standard here and the retained services of Gavin Sheehan give her a respectable chance despite a likely challenge for the lead.
Vunipola bg Emma Lavelle f2-0-0 (-) 68 j1-0-0 (-) 33 40
Vadamos (Marju){1-n}(0.50) 2/1 Vorashann 1st 2m1½f Handicap Hurdle (116), Fontwell 2020
Though more noted for her exploits outside of the division, Emma Lavelle has gotten her fair share of winners and she enjoyed particular success in the 2000s with Bouggler and Crack Away Jack. However, juvenile hurdling has taken a backseat at Bonita Racing Stables and the last time one of hers found the winner's enclosure was in April 2017. Her first runner this term was Vunipola who ran twice for Brian Meehan at the backend of last year. Having already had a wind operation prior to his debut, Vunipola ran with credit in finishing just over three lengths fifth at Kempton over a mile, but would not build on that effort at Lingfield on New Year's Eve and was absent until his hurdling debut at Worcester a month ago. His pedigree is not unfeasible, being a Vadamos gelding from the family of Vazirabad (2/1), Vorashann (2/1) and Visibility (3/1), and while he went out to 12/1 from an opening morning show of 6/1, he was steady in the ring and sent off at 17/2. However, he was very fresh on his first outing in eight months and along with making errors at the third, fifth and sixth, would never leave the rear of the field. Vunipola has the potential to do much better on paper, but there is little encouragement to be drawn his finishing tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig and while the Emma Lavelle yard is in decent form, Vunipola would have plenty to prove at this juncture. 
Cirrus chf Milton Harris f14-0-3 (65) 77
Starspangledbanner (Halling){5-e}(3.00) 2/1 Spiritual Art 1st 2m1f Mares' Maiden Hurdle, Newton Abbot 2011
A fourteen race maiden on the flat, Cirrus has failed to reach the frame in six outings since finishing third at Nottingham in early May, and has beaten just one of her twelve rivals home in her two starts for Milton Harris. Leaving Richard Hannon for 15,000guineas at the Tattersalls July sale, Cirrus had shown her best form when under a length third on the aforementioned Nottingham off 73, and on her final outing for her former handler when just over two lengths fifth of seven at Bath off the same mark; with both of these performances coming on good to soft ground. While this alone would be a tenuous cause for optimism, there are further positives in the profile. Her sire, Starspangledbanner, was a four time Group One winner in Britain and Australia, and while his most notable successes came over sprint distances, he also won the Caulfield Guineas at three. While a sprint bred sprinter should not make into a sire of juvenile hurdlers, his own sire Choisir has a 30% winner to runner rate, a 72.73% improvement rate, and another son of his in Olympic Glory has also made a promising start with comparable figures of 37.5% and 50% respectively. Starspangledbanner himself has two winners from six in the sphere with Can't Stop Now winning on soft, Tinnahalla beating Homme Public on heavy, and Kentucky Hardboot finishing second on soft at Newbury. Cirrus is out of a half-sister to a winning hurdler with other winners Strawman (3/1) and Royal Master (3/2) on the damline. Milton Harris, who boasts a 43% strike rate in the past fortnight, has already had two winning juveniles this term including Knight Salute who won at the first time of asking at Sedgefield on Tuesday. That performance also maintained the yard's 100% clear round rate for juvenile debutants with the figure of 45 putting atop all British trainers. Furthermore, the only other juvenile acquired by Milton Harris from the Hannon team was when Gulf Punch was bought out of a claimer in 2009 (as a two-year-old, it should be noted) from Hannon Sr before winning three times during her first campaign. While a first-time tongue tie might be a concern, it has a 17.6% success rate when employed by the stable. Cirrus has hung left on occasion, although that might be mitigated by her going in that direction at Fontwell. With the relatively good fortunes of both fillies and newcomers in this kind of contest, as mentioned in the introduction, the fact that her she is well treated at the weights on her flat rating, and the likelihood that the race can be run to suit, Cirrus has enough in her profile to suggest a good performance is plausible in this field.. 
tl;dr
Keepyourdreamsbig - Bred to be a French juvenile hurdler and improved on promising debut with a win next time at Worcester. Though bred to handle conditions, is unproven on ground and trainer form is a concern.
George Bancroft - Dual winner on flat, including for current jumps yard last time out. Bred to do well in the sphere and attracted the attentions of JP McManus. Best form on fast ground however, and is unlikely to get an easy lead.
The Yellow Mini - Very modest maiden on flat but clearly relished the switch to hurdling when making a winning bow over course and distance last month. Proved that was no fluke at Plumpton last time and retains the services of jockey who knows the course well. 
Vunipola - Lightly raced and not without promise on flat debut last year. Joined capable yard and pedigree not without positives, but little promise when tailed off behind Keepyourdreamsbig on hurdling debut.
Cirrus - Fourteen race maiden and not at best on latest flat outings. However, yard is in tremendous form and knows what it's doing with its juveniles and sire's progeny has made bright start in sphere, including on softer ground. Well treated, receives weight all round and has favourable course trends pertinent to sex and experience. 
Strong prospects
1. Cirrus
Reasonable prospects
2. The Yellow Mini
3. George Bancroft
4. Keepyourdreamsbig
Feasible prospects
.
Moderate prospects
5. Vunipola
Negligible prospects
.

Hello all. Some of you may be familiar with my work as it was posted in various locations last season. Nevertheless, operating on the rightful premise that I am a complete stranger here, I am Bachelors Hall/Kotkijet and I write extensively on the matter of juvenile hurdlers. So much so that I have little time remaining to become confident and conversant in other aspects of the sport. I aim to write and present information with clarity, but if anything requires further explanation then please do not hesitate to request elucidation.

Juvenile hurdlers, and myself, are set to return to Hexham in ten days time. If the young horses are a fraction as excited as I am then we should be in for a treat. Though ten days before the first race of the season makes the posting of this thread somewhat early, there have already been enough noteworthy ex-French imports, plus the time affords others the opportunity for suggestions before the previews begin. Last season's thread rather evolved in tandem with the available data and resources along with the input of interested readers and I imagine the same will happen with this one. There have not been any sweeping changes since the last preview with the only discernible differences being that I have been closer following the French action, and extending my records to the 2004/05 season. I could have gone back to the start of the millennium but that would have taken several further months so rather than lamenting the inability to create time, we can fittingly call this period the 'Fred Winter Era'. I will attempt to work on a method of quantifying improvements between races by individual horses for individual trainers and so forth by RPR rather than just strike rate, although quite whether I have the time and capacity to pull this off remains to seen so no promises. Finally, it bears emphatically stating that I am not a tipster and nothing I write in this thread is a tip. If others do wish to help others make money then their tips and thoughts are more than welcome. Nevertheless, my own intention is to inform and entertain, and my motivation is a self-rewarding labour of love (which could possibly lead to a labour of employment in some convoluted fashion or another - ideal career would be 'kept man/househusband' but will also consider the fields of breeding, training, sales or research/writing). 
I look forward to this season's juvenile hurdlers and the thread that it will inspire. I hope that it is a worthy read and heartily encourage others to contribute by any means, particularly with suggestions and criticisms as they will undoubtedly enhance the quality of this project and my own contributions. 
To begin with, I will post a series of tables full of statistics of varying relevance and interest. For the sake of space and patience, these will be restricted to the top and bottom ten of each category, although if there are any bespoke requests then I will happily endeavour to fulfil same. Several of these tables will feature "improvement rates". This is calculated by taking the seasonal best RPRs of all juvenile hurdlers with two or more runs, and comparing them to their official ratings from the flat in order to ascertain whether or not they have improved for the switch to hurdles. The comparative benchmark figure is thirty-five pounds and while the majority in these tables will fall short, due to those with just two runs skewing the figures, thirty-five pounds is a broadly reliable measure once a juvenile has had the same amount of runs sufficient to earn a mark comparable to its flat rating. Where the results show a clean sweep of "0.00" or "100", the subjects are ranked by order of the amount of relevant opportunities. i.e;- where two sires are on "100" the sire with more runners is placed higher - conversely, where two are on "0.00", the one with more runners is placed lower. One might notice some charts including a "completion rate" and a "clear round rate". These are not one and the same. The former looks at how many horses complete a race from start to finish while the latter looks at those who fail to complete due to a jumping error (refusing, falling or unseating).
Many of the tables will likely be unreadable as they appear on this post. Nevertheless, when opened in a new tab, they can be magnified on their hosting site. 
Sires - For comparison, there are two charts with one taking in the past three seasons, and the other (containing many inactive sires) encompassing the entire period since 2004/05. The figures in the yellow boxes denote the mean averages of the pertinent category. 




Trainers




Jockeys



Sources - These are the trainers under whom a juvenile hurdler was kept prior to making the switch to hurdles. Not included are those who kept the same trainer from the flat to their hurdling careers. As such, a horse who was trained under both codes by Brian Ellison, for example, will not be included. However, a horse initially trained by Brian Ellison prior to racing over hurdles for a new trainer will be counted.



Grandsires - This looks at the sires of sires of juvenile hurdlers. While established sires can have their merits assessed on their own accords, the information for those having their first crop is less tangible. Nevertheless, according to statistics, some sires are more capable of producing winner producers than others. Looking at this season's crop, Galileo - for whom seventeen of his twenty-one sons to have tried have succeeded in getting winners - could be represented by The Gurkha who has already had scorers over ten furlongs and beyond. On the other hand, Exceed And Excel is not so prolific a grandsire and although Buratino's being a 3/1 to Danehill Dancer (Jeremy, Mastercraftsman, Choisir) might help his credentials, his offspring have been decidedly pacey.



Thoroughbred families - For the uninitiated, thoroughbred families essentially denote a common maternal ancestor. A comprehensive summary can be found here on tbheritage.com. Given how these families were allocated at the turn of the twentieth century, they have largely become so diluted that the information is mostly white noise although I imagine that its architect Bruce Lowe will be pleased that variants of family 1 are still performing admirably. Of the families with more than hundred juveniles since 2004/05, 1-n, represented last season by six winners including Zoffanien and Hiconic, has a winner to runner rate of 23.30% whereas 14-f, without a winner since 2017, has one of just 8.82%. While the usefulness of this attribute is dubious, they are still a source of trivial amusement if nothing else. 



Crosses - Continuing the theme of questionable usefulness, I have also had a look at sire/damsire crosses along with sire/family crosses. While these factors have more potential to carry weight, the lack of quantity largely restricts the usefulness of these findings as only four sire/damsire crosses appear more than ten times since 2004/05 with the highest number of sire/family crosses being eight. 



Dosage Index - A less heralded breeding factor, but one with discernible statistical trends, is the dosage index. Though often limited and far from devoid of imperfections, these charts show a definite correlation between the dosage index, RPRs and strike rates. The short of it is low = better as it is designed to indicate a young horse's proclivity towards stamina.  Though this might become less critical as a horse is developed since stamina can be trained, it is crucial to the success of a young hurdler. I have also made my first attempts at a chart so apologies for any concerned with graphic design for my affront to same.
Dosages when grouped by DI





Dosages when grouped by RPR
Racecourses



Translation of flat ability - There is a myth that pervades according to which flat form can be defenestrated when it comes to juvenile hurdling. However, this chart demonstrates in no uncertain terms that not only is there a strong relationship between flat ability and hurdling success, but also one between flat ability and the ability to jump safely. 



Source and experience - The combined figures of 1-61 and 62+ do not match the total flat as the numbers are official ratings.



Triumph Hurdle - Since many people will only watch one juvenile hurdle per season, here is a chart for the trends of such race including the date the participants made their British/Irish hurdling debut, their source (numbers denote a horse who ran in Britain or Ireland on the flat with those above "0" showing their official rating) and the trial races they contested during the campaign. 




Shifting attentions from the past and towards the future, here are six horses registered as exported on the France-Galop site who are likely to jump hurdles in Britain and Ireland this season. The ratings are ones which I have created for myself. As I have never previously done them for French hurdlers, they should be approached with caution. Similar to the ones I did for British and Irish races, I almost never amended them for collateral form and treated the performances "as is" on the day. As such, while subsequent collateral form would most likely place Matterhorn ahead of Porticello, regardless of theoretical potential for same, the former has not yet physically proven that his improvement followed that of Paradiso. Furthermore, the top four have had just the one race each so nothing ought to be taken as gospel.

The heading figures read as follows;-
Name, colour, sex, trainer, runs-wins-places on either code, official ratings and RPRs where applicable, my rating underlined, previous trainer, cost if known/sold in training.
Sire, (Damsire), {family number}, (Dosage Index), degree of relation (2/1 = second dam is first dam of = Matterhorn is Turgot's nephew), notable jumps relation, most notable performance.
Matterhorn bg Paul Nicholls j1-0-1 132 (Gabriel Leenders)
Martaline (Turgeon){1-x}(0.67) 2/1 Turgot 1st Prix La Haye Jousselin (G1), Auteuil 2004
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/matterhorn-3
By Martaline (We Have A Dream, Beaumec de Houelle, Kotkikova, Malaya) Matterhorn is a nephew of top staying chaser Turgot but is also related to useful juveniles. His dam won in the division, uncle Pontvallain finished third in the Prix Cambaceres (the championship contest for three-year-olds) while Sept Verites (2/2) and Dans La Foulee (2/3) made winning debuts in the Prix Wild Monarch. Recent graduates of the contest include Busselton, Footpad, Bivouac, Dolas and Botox Has while top-class animals such as Long Run, Golden Silver, Remember Rose, Hinterland and Le Grand Luce count themselves among the longer term introductions. During this season's renewal, Matterhorn was in the process of running a big race and certainly held a winning chance before going through the top of the last and dramatically losing his hind legs on landing. Conspicuously green on his racecourse debut, Matterhorn was keen early and making minor errors, but was able to settle better once getting a lead. He moved stylishly back into the lead turning for home and looked full of running approaching the final hurdle. The incident gave the initiative to Paradiso, who was representing a David Cottin yard which has been dominant in the division this season, while Matterhorn ran into third place after regaining his bearings. The form of the race is taking a solid shape as Paradiso posted the strongest performance of the season to date when running out a most decisive winner in Sunday's Prix Stanley. Sixth placed Gaelic Warrior finished third next time at the venue while eigth placed Issam subsequently won a Lyon contest by twelve lengths. Former trainer Gabriel Leenders was responsible for five juvenile recruits of which three were winners (Teahupoo, Paros, Samarrive) while Haut En Couleurs placed third in both the Triumph and at Punchestown. Matterhorn's new trainer Paul Nicholls, has taken thirteen juveniles out of the Prix Wild Monarch, twelve of them winning during their first term at Manor Farm stables including Dolos, Hinterland and San Benedeto. The unpolished Matterhorn has considerable scope and potential and is in the right hands to make a stong impact on the sphere in the upcoming season.
Porticello bg Gary Moore j1-1-0 132 (David Cottin)
Sholokhov (Chichicastenango){31}(0.87) 2/1 Worldbest 3rd Grand Prix d'Automne (G1), Auteuil 2009
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/porticello
Francois-Marie Cottin has sent the likes of Sanctuaire, Napolitain and Star de Mohaison across the channel over the years. Cousin David has yet to match those levels as an exporter although Busselton was a creditable sort last term and this season has seen Mr Cottin take the French three-year-old division by storm with a team including leading colt Paradiso, and leading filly Matilda du Berlais. He also saddled the first two home in the Prix Grandak prior to the pair crossing the channel for pastures new. The Prix Grandak is another debutant contest with a rich history, being the launchpad of domestic stars Saint des Saints, Bonito Du Berlais, Beaumec De Houelle, On The Go and Storm Of Saintly, as well as talented exports in Frodon, Far West, We Have A Dream and Quel Destin. This year's edition was taken by Porticello who having tracked the leaders throughout, made his challenge in a steady rather than explosive fashion and after taking the lead at the last, managed to pull a couple of lengths clear on the run-in. Apart from blundering at the fifth, he jumped well enough for a debutant and his style of racing was in keeping with his pedigree being a Sholokhov nephew of Grand Prix d'Automne third Worldbest. Notwithstanding, there is some precocity in his pedigree as his dam is a half-sister to graded placed juvenile Orcantara and the aunt of Prix Cambaceres runner-up Invicter. Furthermore, while Sholokhov is a Gold Cup winning sire, he is also responsible for Shishkin as well as classy youngsters Msassa, Esmondo and the aforementioned Invicter. The provisional Grandak form is looking reasonable with third placed Imprenable winning next time and fifth placed Coup de Coeur running respectably in decent company, although collateral form does place Porticello behind Matterhorn at this juncture. Notwithstanding, it should still be enough to make him competitive in good races and Gary Moore could have another useful recruit on his hands. 
Magistrato bg Paul Nicholls j1-0-1 129 (David Cottin)
Kapgarde (Poliglote){3-d}(1.00) 1/0 Franche Alliance 2nd Prix Beugnot (L,63.0), Enghien 2015
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/magistrato
Runner-up to Porticello in the Prix Grandak, Magistrato is another addition to the Paul Nicholls ranks and is following in the hoofprints of Far West, Frodon, Quel Destin, Qualando and Marracudja who all started in the same contest. Fresh on his racecourse debut, Magistrato soon established a clear lead which he would to the final flight where he was headed by Porticello. Jumping better overall than the winner, he done more by a lack of pace than fatigue and still managed to increase his advantage of the subsequent winner in third. A son of Kapgarde, his dam showed useful form over nineteen furlongs on heavy ground and is herself a half-sister to La Bague Au Roi and Kaysersberg. As such, the 3000 meters at Auteul was unlikely to suit and while it is to his credit that he performed satisfactorily, it perhaps indicates that he would be a more longer term prospect. Nevertheless, there ought to be races won during his first season in Great Britain and he could be of particular interest with give in the ground. 
Moulins Clermont bg Gary Moore j1-0-1 121 (Bertrand Lefevre) €70,000
Free Port Lux (Ungaro){3-o}(0.67) 0.5 Paris Clermont 1st 4300 Conditions Chase, Aix-les-Bains 2016
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/moulins-clermont
It is a sign of the times, probably compounded by events of the past year, that this next entry was purchased not privately or at a public auction, but on an online shop. For €70,000, Moulins Clermont left Bertrand Lefevre to become another recruit to the Gary Moore ranks. Continuing the prototype theme, Moulins Clermont represents the first crop of jumpers by Group Two winner Free Port Lux - a giant of a horse at 1.70m who despite being by Oasis Dream, has a stamina laden pedigree and has already produced an eighteen length winner at Auteuil. Moulins Clermont's sole start came in the Prix du Brevent at Compiègne which is a reaonable conditions race that has been contested by the likes of Adrien Du Pont, Ibis Du Rheu, Cristal Bonus. Held up in midfield, Moulins Clermont had a propensity to get tight at his hurdles but rarely caused alarm. However, despite the race being the slowest held at the venue this term, he still looked short of pace and was doing his best work towards the end of the contest. Though clearly not devoid of ability, Moulins Clermont would, for the immediate future, appear to be better suited to a slog around Fontwell as opposed to something like the Adonis.
Brainstorm bc Sophie Leech? j3-1-1 106 (Guillaume Macaire > Francois-Marie Cottin) €16,777
No Risk At All (Hawk Wing){12-g}(1.00) 2/1 Top Notch 1st 1965 Chase (G2), Ascot 2017
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/brainstorm-2
Guillaume Macaire has, this century, won the Prix Rush with Robin des Champs, Balko, Esmondo and Choeur du Nord, while Master Dino, Goliath du Berlais and Twist Magic are just a few of the talents also introduced in the contest. His sole representative this season was Brainstorm - a half-brother to Yes Indeed and Never Adapt, and a nephew of the sadly passed Top Notch. Sent off the third favourite, Brainstorm was fairly keen in the early stages, but soon settled into a nice rhythm in the front and jumped and travelled kindly. That is until he got to the seventh. The camera angle was not the best, but he appeared to hit it at an incorrect stride, reach for the hurdle and blunder terribly. This error cost him the lead and most likely any chance in the contest. Reaching again at the next, he faded through the field on the turn for home, jumped big at two out and steady at the last. Sensibly allowed to coast home in his own time from some way out, Brainstorm appeared to be the horse to take out of the contest. However, his next appearance came in a Compiègne claimer in which he was finished a six length third before being sold for €16,777. He was next seen in another claimer at Fontainebleau where, held up, he jumped safely but without any confidence. Nevertheless, he moved easily into the race approaching the last from where, he ran out a fairly comfortable two-and-a-half length winner. Afterwards, he was sold again for €16,777 of James Finch's money. Reportedly exported to Great Britain, it could be presumed that Brainstorm is now with Sophie Leech although this is speculation based on conjecture. Brainstorm's form is better than that of the standard juvenile hurdler and while he would have to improve considerably to match his initial reputation, he is capable of winning average races.
Koi Dodville bc David Pipe f7-1-3 (33.5/73.7) 74 (Ludovic Gadbin) €14,506
French Fifteen (Aussie Rules){5-h}(3.00) 3/2 Uriah Heep 1st 2m Novices' Handicap Chase (126), Ludlow 2014
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/koi-dodville
David Pipe did something quite remarkable last term by sourcing a leading juvenile from a flat claimer. Such types win a credible amount of races in the sphere, although rarely are they any better than average so Adagio is very much an exception in this regard. French Fifteen has produced three winning juveniles in France and was also responsible for the promising French Aseel. Furthermore, all three juveniles to have made the switch from Gadbin to Pipe (Night Edition, Paricolor, To Fly Free) have been winners. While it would be asking a lot of Koi Dodville to come close to matching Adagio's achievements (the latter being €10,000 more expensive and almost a stone superior), he would still be of interest in ordinary contests.

Bachelors Hall, what a brilliant dissection and analysis of Sedgefield race. Knight Salute was beautifully ridden, and it could be seen at the start of the back straight that he was going to play a major part in the finish and then on the downward run in the home straight he looked all over the winner barring a last flight mishap.
Lovely drift out to 18/1. Very many thanks once again??? .

Thank you CD

Much as I have shied away from fb soon after it became a thing, I have found twitter to be a fairly useful tool. Granted, a lot of it - actually, most of its mainstream content is just dreadful. Nevertheless, I have found some areas of it to be very informative when it comes to doing horsey research. Was put off the platform for years, but as long as one stays away from the politics and general willy waving, it is a positive instrument on balance. 

Still, I am a forum person at heart which is why I am more than happy to post content and discuss same through this medium. Indeed, it will be a terrible thing if the forums ever completely make way for more conventional "social media".

Indeed, that did show going to post and in the race itself...

Sedgefield is set to host its first juvenile hurdle of the campaign on Tuesday. While the County Durham venue has been graced by the likes of Countrywide Flame, Orsippus and Marsh Warbler during the autumn, the two previous runnings of this particular contest were less prestigious with 2008 winner placing fifth in that season's Wensleydale, and last year's third, Kings Creek, also finishing fifth in the Scottish Triumph. By and large, Sedgefield's juvenile hurdles take little winning as their winners' seasonal RPR of 109.91, and average flat rating of 63.8 attest. Nevertheless, this year's edition should at least be up to standard as while it is a maiden, a couple bring respectable placed form over hurdles and two of the newcomers have shown enough on the flat to win a race of this nature. Although left handed and undulating with an uphill finish, Sedgefield's winning DIs of 1.40 median, 1.53 mean, are higher than average and these figures are not significantly lower than those of the average participant. However, the clear round rate of 95.32% still makes it a tricky circuit and its completion rate of 79.10% is one of the lowest in the country. Though newcomers are not aversely affected by the jumping test, their strike rate at the venue of 8.37% is lower than the 11.64% of experienced runners. The going is currently described as good although while it is forecast to be dry overnight, showers are expected just before post time.
Babajan bg Amy Murphy f13-2-3 (68) 76 j1-0-1 (-) 95 100
Acclamation (First Defence){1-l}(3.57) 2/1 Safari Journey 1st 2m1f Handicap Chase (L,130), Ascot 2010
Amy Murphy enjoyed her most successful season in the division last term and while Sabre Jet disappointed at Stratford, Babajan made a much better showing at Plumpton nine days ago. Formerly with Richard Hannon prior to a 12,000 guineas sale at Tattersalls in July, Babajan won two of his thirteen starts on the flat with both wins coming within a fortnight of each other in January. After scoring in a five-runner Kempton handicap off 69, he followed up in a four-runner contest at Newcastle off three pounds higher. Babajan's latest flat efforts had been subpar and his tendency to pull, along with a lack of experience beyond an extended mile, gave cause to stamina concerns ahead of his Plumpton bow. He was easy to back in the market as he drifted from 12/1 to 20/1 during the day's trading, and doubled in price to 40/1 in the ring. Presumably in an effort to conserve energy, he was held up from the outset off a sensible early gallop. The blinkers he had worn on his last six flat outings were removed, yet Babajan settled without any fuss and although he was off the bridle midway down the back, he stayed on to jump the penultimate flight in third position where he would remain to the winning post. This is more to his credit considering that his hurdling was not fantastic as he was close and untidy at four flights during the race. While Babajan did not match his flat form, this performance was a step in the right direction and having settled nicely for his new handler, there is ample potential for him to return to something like his best in this sphere. Babajan will want to hurdle better than first time and may have to reaffirm his ability to settle in a race without an obvious frontrunner. Nevertheless, he comes into this contest as a lively contender on known form. 
Knight Salute bg Milton Harris f7-1-1 (75) 85
Sir Percy (Unfuwain){11-c}(0.50) 2/1 Kalko 1st Juvenile Hurdle, Kelso 1993
Costing 14,000 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale, Knight Salute would not have caught many an eye with his purchase fee. Nevertheless, he is still within the 82nd percentile of rated flat recruits and could be one to outrun his price tag. Starting his career with Andrew Balding, he followed up a debut second at Wolverhampton with a win at Sandown before being allowed to take his chance in the listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Not disgraced in finishing fifth of seven, he shaped as though he would be suited by further; as per his pedigree. He subsequently finished last on his final outing at two and on all three starts at three, but ran closer to form when last seen in a Bath handicap over a mile on good to firm. Sire Sir Percy has a good winner to runner rate of 26.83% in the sphere while damsire Unfuwain has a similarly strong rate of 28.57% with his broodmares along with a solid improvement rate of 52% from fifty qualifiers. Knight Salute is also a nephew of three winning hurdlers while Long Walk third Top Spin appears on the next row with Winning Fair runner-up Loch Long also on the damline at 3/2. Although Knight Salute has, on the face of it, been disappointing this season, his pedigree indicates that he has not been campaigned to best effect. Given his inherent ability, Knight Salute looks the type to relish his new vocation and with trainer Milton Harris having the strongest clear round rate of any British trainer with more than 120 runs at 98.40%, he should be in the right hands to better realise his potential. Furthermore, the yard is currently in strong form with the likeable juvenile filly Aliomaana among the yard's recent winners. There may be qualms insofar as fitness is concerned as Knight Salute will be returning from a three month absence, and the yard's juveniles typically improve from their debut outings; although Pyramid Place (who was also in a first time hood) came within a short head of making a winning debut for the yard last October after an even longer break. 
Wee Dracula brg Iain Jardine f5-0-0 (40) 40
Awtaad (Manduro){4-r}(1.11) 3/1 North Lodge 1st 2m Novices' Handicap Hurdle (88), Hereford 2005
Starting his career with Katie Scott, Wee Dracula beat just one of his fifteen rivals home in a couple of minor events last year before returning in mid-August for Iain Jardine. Wee Dracula's outings for his new trainer, who's record with juveniles is a fair one, have resulted in him finishing down the field on three occasions including in a Hamilton seller last time out. Sire Awtaad is having his first crop but though not short on class, is fairly short in stature and is not laden with stamina. The presence of Manduro is a boost, and the distant damline includes Notre Jury (3/2) Nurmi (3/4) and Network (4/1). However, these positives would not be sufficient in giving Wee Dracula an interesting profile first time out. 
We Still Believe bbg Ben Haslam f10-2-2 (66) 72
Lawman (Footstepsinthesand){13-d}(1.13) 3/1 Luxi River 1st 2m6f Beginners Chase, Thurles 2007
Making his racecourse bow last September and having his first four starts at Newcastle, We Still Believe got off the mark at the fourth time of asking on his handicap debut back in January off 57. Though he failed to show on his first turf outing, he doubled his tally in a nine furlong Hamilton handicap towards the end of May off a perch of 62. Shaping like he would be suited by further, he led from just over a furlong out to win by a couple of lengths in a contest that worked out well for the level. Though he did not add to that victory, he was beaten a length and three quarters and a neck when third at Haydock and Redcar off 67 before running quite flat when last seen at Ripon six weeks ago. Sire Lawman wins his fair share in the division and while Footstepsinthesand has yet to win as a damsire, the granddam is a half-sister to a winning chaser while other winners Blacktofy and L S Lowry also appear on the damline at 3/2. Ben Haslam has a solid 24.00% winner to runner rate in the sphere and his first time strike rate of 12.5% is above average, although the yard could be in stronger form. We Still Believe would certainly be up to this type of standard, but there are a couple here with more substantial profiles. 
Williewinamillion bg Michael Easterby f5-0-0 (48) 57
Charm Spirit (Mr Greeley){4-h}(1.29) 3/1 Mayfield Prince 23rd 2m Maiden Hurdle, Naas 1994
Michael Easterby is the only trainer represented here to have won with a juvenile at Sedgefield, coming when City Ground won a novice in 2011, although this comes from fourteen attempts since 2004/05. The yard's overall winner to runner rate of 10.96% is below average and their runner here, Williewinamillion, has shown next to nothing in three outings since returning in mid-August. Neither of Charm Spirit's juveniles achieved anything, nor have his older runners over hurdles. Mr Greeley has a fair record as a damsire, but while the dam is a half-sister to Jack Hobbs, the distaff side has little in the way of jumping credentials until Katie T and Due Reward are found at 5/4. 
Alice Kitty chf Gordon Elliott f6-1-2 (72) 77 j3-0-0 (-) 89 84
Bobby's Kitten (Galileo){1-n}(0.82) 2/1 Kilburn 1st 2m Maiden Hurdle, Plumpton 2011
Initially with Jessica Harrington, for whom she would win a Ballinrobe claimer before a €5,000 switch to Denise Foster/Gordon Elliotts, Alice Kitty was well fancied ahead of her hurdling debut at Roscommon at the start of August. However, she took a real clattering when falling at the first and paying homage to the "allez opi-omi lady" from the Tour de France. She would make it no further at the second time of asking when (softly) unseating at Killarney and these experiences saw her sent off at 22/1 for her latest outing at Down Royal. Racing in the rear, she was steady at the first and slow jumping would repeat itself on numerous occasions. While she passed a few beaten horses in the straight, she never threatened to make an impression. Alice Kitty was an unused reserve at Punchestown a fortnight ago and unless she has gained confidence over hurdles, she may be better served by a return to the flat. Gordon Elliott's record in the sphere is an outstanding one, but his two forays to Sedgefield have not resulted in success, despite Al Dafa and Glorious Zoff bringing winning hurdles form. While Alice Kitty has the flat form to do better, it is likely that her primary function of travelling to Sedgefield is to keep stablemate Mr Caplan company during the journey from County Meath.
No Escape bf Richard Spencer f1-0-0 (-) 41 j1-0-0 (-) 36 37
Cityscape (Lawman){13-c}(3.00) 4/1 Breidin 1st 2m2½f Handicap Hurdle (82), Downpatrick 2006
Beaten ten lengths at Kempton last September on her only previous racecourse appearance, No Escape fared little better on her hurdles debut at Market Rasen at the beginning of last month. Though her trainer has had a winner in the sphere, there is little enthusiasm to be had about the pedigree with Cityscape without a winning juvenile from six. Racing in a first time hood, No Escape jumped poorly in the rear and was receiving reminders as early as the second. While she was still just about in touch turning for home, she eventually finished nearly fifty lengths behind the winner. 
Ramure bf Stuart Edmunds j4-0-0 (112) 99 97
Maresca Sorrento (Blue Bresil){9-c}(0.33) 2/1 Ocean's Wind 1st 3900m 4yH Saint Malo 2016
https://www.equidia.fr/chevaux/ramure
The first of this season's juvenile hurdlers imported from France to see a hurdle in Britain or Ireland was the hitherto thrice raced maiden Ramure. Formerly with Patrice Lenogue, she made her racecourse bow on the first of June in Compiegne’s Prix du Grand Maitre – a debutant contest won in the past by the likes of Analifet, Triana du Berlais and Cicalina. Sent off the outsider of the field, Ramure jumped reasonably well, but was firmly beaten when getting brought down at the penultimate flight. Nine days later, she reappeared at Dieppe where she jumped well enough in a prominent position, but weakened tamely on leaving the back stretch and ultimately finished tailed off. Taking a step up in class on her return to Compiegne, she put up another mostly sound round of hurdling and was still in a fighting position entering the straight before losing touch on the approach to the last, finishing just over eighteen lengths behind the winner. Patrice Lenogue has been responsible for three juveniles in the UK thus far with a winner coming in the form of David Pipe’s €140,000 Hexham hero Great Tempo. Sire Maresca Sorrento has yet to have a winner from six juveniles outside of France, but he has gotten his fair share of winning juveniles in his native country. The dam failed to win over jumps, but is a sibling of a Saint Malo winner, and top class sorts in Tamarindo (3/1), Sun Storm (3/1) and Djakadam (3/2) descend from the third dam. The most intriguing part of Ramure’s profile was her joining Stuart Edmunds, whose winner to runner rate in the division now stands at 52.94% after Addosh won the valuable Market Rasen contest on Saturday. Ahead of her stable/British introduction at Fontwell just over three weeks ago, Ramure was a drifter during the day, but steady enough in the market and sent off the 2/1 second favourite. She was ridden with more patience than she had been in France, but made smooth headway along the back and travelled well into a challenging position entering the straight where she traded at 1.54 in-running. Managing to get within a length of the lead jumping the penultimate flight, she was keeping tabs on the winner all the way to the last before said horse jumped in front of her on landing. This forced Ramure to reorganise herself and her inexperience showed when coming under pressure as she wandered, giving the impetus to the winner. Sensibly, she was not given a hard time from there by Ciaran Gethings. Mostly fluent over hurdles in France, she was not quite so smooth over Fontwell's hurdles as she made a mistake at the second, wandered approaching the third and seventh and got very close to the sixth due largely to a lapse in concentration. Nevertheless, Ramure will have learned plenty from this outing and the winner that day, The Yellow Mini, ran well when second at Plumpton next time; a literal interpretation of which gives Ramure an edge over Babajan. Ramure sets the standard on hurdles form, particularly on these terms, and looks likely to leave her Fontwell form behind given acclimatisation and experience over British hurdles; particularly with the yard in strong form. 
Babajan - Dual winner on flat for Richard Hannon. Concerns over stamina and ability to settle were unfounded on hurdling debut and though he could have jumped better, a repeat performance would give him a chance.
Knight Salute - Winner at two for Andrew Balding and tried at listed class where not disgraced. Last on all three starts this term but perhaps was not campaigned to best effect. Interesting recruit to hurdles for in-form and capable yard.
Wee Dracula - Poor on flat and while trainer and pedigree not without promise, faces stiff task first time.
We Still Believe - Won twice on flat this season and pedigree not without its positives. Trainer does get first time winners in sphere but a couple have more substantial profiles.
Williewinamillion - Modest five race maiden and sire not adept in the division.
Alice Kitty - Won a flat claimer on final start for Jessica Harrington but hurdles runs have seen calamity followed by caution. Represents interesting raiding stable but much to prove at this juncture.
No Escape - Poor on sole flat outing last term and poor on sole hurdles outing this term. 
Ramure - Well beaten on three starts over hurdles in France but still ran to good level of form in context of this race. Promising British/stable debut at Fontwell and likely to improve further for in-form yard. 
Strong prospects
1. Knight Salute
Reasonable prospects
2. Ramure
Feasible prospects
3. Babajan
4. We Still Believe
Moderate prospects
5. Alice Kitty
Negligible prospects
6. Wee Dracula
7. Williewinamillion
8. No Escape