RYAN'S ROCKET 2.50 Taunton at 4/6

Chetwood Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (Class 4) 2m104y

Pedigree

€48,000 3yo, £110,000 Che Nov 22; eleventh foal; half brother to bumper/2m3f hurdle winner Grageelagh Girl, 2m-3m1f jumps winner Powerstown Park and 2m3f/2m7f chase winner Tom Cody; unraced dam out of 3m/3m2f hurdle winner

Trainer Form March: 6-26 for 23%    (10)
National average: 19%               (10)
Course Strike Rate: 10%              (9)
RPR: 120                            (10)
Optimum Ground: Good to soft        (10)      
Optimum Distance: 2m+               (10)
Jockey: Paddy Brennan               (10)
National Average: 20%               (10)
Course Strike Rate: 10%              (9)
Trainer & Jockey Combo: 20%         (10)
Total:                              (98)

Certain to improve from debut run

Ryan's Rocket became a £110,000 purchase following an Irish point win. He then shaped better than the distance beaten on his sole outing in bumpers, but  produced a very promising first effort at 50/1 over hurdles when second in a C&D novice in December. There was plenty of encouragement to be taken from that hurdles bow and the Fergal O'Brien-trained inmate should land the spoils if running to a similar level but he almost certain to improve for that run and experience so looks hard to beat with a kind trip.

Importantly, the winner of the race above was an experienced 4-time winner and had won a Cheltenham Bumper Listed Race, which not only upgrades the form but our wager has the look of a good winner but without a penalty!

Trainer & Jockey Form

The lowly course strike rates for trainer and jockey are hard to explain and a slight negative, this is not expected to impact on the result! Fergal O'Brien has a national average of 19% but his combination with Paddy Brennan shows an excellent 271-1224 for 22%. As we go to post the trainer has 6 runners at Taunton and the Pacafi looks the best chance of a winner.

Contenders

Penalised maiden hurdle scorer Diamond Dice must concede 7lb to the selection and that looks a tough ask, but the 5yo is feared most, ahead of Rules debutant Skin Full, who finished second in his sole point-to-point outing.

 Timeform Comments 

RYAN'S ROCKET pulled clear with one verging on useful on his hurdling debut over C&D back in December and should prove hard to beat with improvement forthcoming. Recent Ludlow-scorer Diamond Dice appeals as the one to give him most to think about ahead of stablemate Intrepide Sud.

Perceived Value

Ideally, we had hoped to nick a bit of 4/5 about Ryan's Rocket but the 7/10 and 4/6 is just about north of perceived value.

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