It's possible to make a case for quite a few of these and the market should be informative about the newcomers, notably the Olly Murphy-trained pair Drayton Flyer and Harbour Island and Brian Ellison's GEORDIE MACKEM. The last-named has the right sort of pedigree for a bumper and gets a tentative vote, with the experienced Blue Bellamy (second choice) and the penalised Full Force Gale also considered.[Richard O'Brien]
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Made a winning start in seven-runner race at Fontwell (good to soft; 5-1) in October, always prominent; open to improvement and should go well despite having to concede weight all round.
Placed three times in Irish points and has gone close in two bumpers this autumn, leading briefly over 1f out when second of eight at Market Rasen (soft; 11-2) four weeks ago; should be in the thick of things again.
£56,000 3yo; half-brother to point winner Salt Of The Earth; dam pulled up in a point, half-sister to bumper and 2m hurdle/chase winner Herons Heir; one of two interesting newcomers trained by Olly Murphy, who has a fine strike-rate (19% last five seasons) in bumpers.
£40,000 yearling; Jack Hobbs half-brother to 1m4f-1m6f Flat (RPR 80)/2m hurdle winner Lunar Shadow; dam bumper/2m3f hurdle winner, sister to smart 2m-3m2f hurdle/chase winner The Dutchman; has a plausible pedigree for a race like this; well worth a market check.
By Kayf Tara; dam bumper and useful 2m-3m hurdle/chase winner, half-sister to winners Danny Whizzbang (useful 2m7f-3m1f hurdle/chase), Socially Distant (2m/2m4f hurdle) and Mr Grey Sky (bumper/2m hurdle), out of bumper/2m-2m2f jumps winner; bred to be useful; yard does well (16% last five seasons) in this sphere; has had wind surgery.
70,000euros 3yo; half-brother to French 1m4f winners En Souplesse (RPR 85), Jon Snow (83; also 2m2f-2m7f hurdle/chase) and Cookilayone (also 2m4f hurdle); dam French maiden, half-sister to Champion Hurdle winner Binocular; stablemate of fellow newcomer Drayton Flyer.
30,000euros 3yo; Highland Reel half-brother to 8.5f winner Que Sera Sera (RPR 75); dam unraced half-sister to 1m4f Group 3 winner Short Pause; stable has had plenty of success in bumpers (17%) in recent years.
£52,000 2yo; Blue Bresil half-brother to winners Midnight Tour (bumper/smart 2m-2m5f hurdle) and Miss Fleming (bumper); dam unraced half-sister to useful 2m jumper Locksmith; yard has had three wins from just 13 attempts in bumpers in the last five seasons.
£15,000 yearling; brother to useful 2m4f-4m hurdle/chase winner Captain Cattistock, closely related to three winners including King's Threshold (2m5f hurdle/chase) and Bretney (3m-4m chase); yard has its share of bumper winners but this one is bred to excel over obstacles and longer distances.
By Doyen; closely related to winners Into Overdrive (smart 2m3f-3m hurdle/chase), Over To Sam (useful 2m5f hurdle/3m2f chase) and Diamond Brig (2m4f/3m2f chase); dam multiple point winner up to 3m5f; stoutly bred and may be more of a long-term prospect.
Ocovango half-sister to winners Dromore Lad (useful 2m4f-3m4f hurdle/chase) and Sun Rising Hill (bumper); dam unraced half-sister to useful 2m3f-2m5f hurdle/chase winner Twelve Roses; fetched only £5,000 as a 3yo but has quite a useful pedigree; yard 7-64 in bumpers in last five seasons; fitted with cheekpieces for debut.
1/5 Odds Place 1,2,3
( Pool guide displayed could change before the race starts & should be used as a guide only )
