16:50 Ffos Las

Sunday 19 February 2017

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:50

Heineken Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:52 | Winning time: 5m 14.50s

Coroner's Report^h¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Jonathan Moore⁽³⁾| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 101

7/1

Irish point-to-point winner who cost connections £23,000 in May 2016, and makes his handicap debut from a mark of 101, following some largely none descript efforts in novice company (albeit marginally better when fourth last time at Hereford).

Form: 4-10P4

Part And Parcel⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: T E Whelan| T: H James| OR: 100

66/1

Two time point-to-point winner from 16 starts in that domain, but a seven race maiden under rules, and pulled up on handicap and stable debut at Southwell in November 2016.

Form: 3P0P3P

Asockastar²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Alan Johns⁽³⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 100

6/1

Stable in good form this week having saddled a double at Newcastle on Wednesday, and this nine year old ran well on his return from a seven month break at Musselburgh in January chasing home habitual front runner Danceintothelight. Mark unchanged, and holds an obvious chance despite being one from 25 overall during his career.

Form: 5/25253-

Ben Arthur¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 99

7/1

3m Irish point-to-point winner in March 2016 who was sold for £8,500 in May 2016. This step up in trip is likely to suit on handicap debut (rated 99), following three runs in novice hurdles between late November 2016 and early January 2017 over just two miles. Interesting to see how he fares at this level.

Form: 1/7591P-

Mr Caffrey²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: R Flint| T: J L Flint| OR: 97

16/1

Twice a runner up on decent ground in an Exeter novices for Robert Stephens (March 2016), and in a Towcester handicap for this trainer (May 2016), and has possibly found testing conditions against him when pulled up the last twice. Dropped a further 5lb, and maybe one for the months ahead rather than today.

Form: PP7737-

Steel Native^h1¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: D A Rees| OR: 94

8/1

Showed little in three runs in novice and maiden company (all at Ffos Las) and has fared little better in two starts in handicaps, with his mark eased 7lb (combined) and now tried in the first time hood seeking some signs of ability.

Form: 462F24-

Midnight Queen²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Ian Popham| T: J L Flint| OR: 89

28/1

Ex Tim Vaughan trained mare, who showed precious little in both starts in novice company for her new trainer last month, and needs to do much more to be involved on her handicap debut from a mark of 89.

Form: 595708-

Ochos Rios²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 96

6/1

Finished five lengths behind the talented Defi Du Seuil over 2m on good ground at this track in October 2016, but likely flattered by that run and well beaten on return from a break at Bangor last month. Now a 12 race maiden (Flat and hurdles) and steps up in trip for handicap debut.

Form: 52

Get In Pat¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: George Blackwell⁽⁷⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 86

12/1

Ex Irish (P J Rothwell) who finished third on just his second start for this trainer to Annie Alainn over hurdles at Uttoxeter in December (this trip), but has been pulled up on both subsequent starts over fences. Doesn't look the most straightforward, and a 14 race maiden at the age of ten, returns to the smaller obstacles today.

Form: S8/PP4-8

Courtinthemiddle¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: L P Aspell| T: D Faulkner| OR: 84

28/1

Tailed off in all four starts in novice company, so impossible to fancy on his handicap debut.

Form: 2-00

L Frank Baum^b²²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 83

7/1

Went through the ploughed fields of Hereford better than most earlier this month when a 15 length runner up to Late Shipment in a 3m1f handicap hurdle. Unlikely to be anywhere near as testing here on drying soft ground, but a clear chance over this trip (runner up over slightly shorter at Chepstow in October), and a Flat winner at Ffos Las back in 2012.

Form: 246268-

Try It Sometime^p,t²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Jordan Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 79

4/1

Runner up over fences at Towcester earlier this month (3m), and switches back to hurdles having won over this C&D back in February 2015 from a 16lb higher mark (rated 95). Thrown in if able to recapture anything near that form, and could be worth chancing on the back of that good Towcester run over fences.

Form: 1U234-6

Non-Runners

Pinnacle Peter²⁶

Weight: 11-11| Age: 6

T: T Lacey J: Non Runner

Filatore¹²

Weight: 10-11| Age: 8

T: B J Llewellyn J: Stan Sheppard

Forecasts

Try It Sometime (4/1), Ochos Rios (6/1), Asockastar (6/1), Ben Arthur (7/1), L Frank Baum (7/1), Coroner's Report (7/1), Steel Native (8/1), Filatore (8/1), Get In Pat (12/1), Mr Caffrey (16/1), Pinnacle Peter (25/1), Courtinthemiddle (28/1), Midnight Queen (28/1), Part And Parcel (66/1)

The statement 'they've saved the best for last' clearly doesn't apply to this race, but there has to be a winner, and despite the sizeable field, we can narrow this contest down to a small number of likely winners. Filatore goes well here, but is opposed on current form, whilst L Frank Baum although respected is likely to find the drying conditions not wholly to his liking. With Tim Vaughan in form, Asockastar would have been given the vote after a solid effort last time at Musselburgh, but for TRY IT SOMETIME who is potentially thrown in on his very best hurdles form and showed clear signs of a return to his best over fences last time at Towcester. He's worth chancing in an otherwise dire handicap hurdle. 1. Try It Sometime 2. Asockastar 3. L Frank Baum