13:30 Fontwell

Thursday 17 August 2017

All13:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

totepool Fontwell All Weather Bend Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 18.0s

Sky of Stars^b¹¹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 4| Weight: 11-13| J: Fergus Gregory⁽¹⁰⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 95

10/11

Improved significantly since joining this trainer and is now two from three for the yard having followed up a Stratford victory at Market Rasen (2m2f+) just under a fortnight ago. Up another 9lb, but conditions hold no fears and the champion jockey is once more booked to ride.

Form: 073-211

Hermosa Vaquera^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: William Clarke⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 100| D

6/1

Winner of a 1m3½f soft ground Flat handicap at Lingfield on her return to action in late July, this mare goes back over hurdles for the first time since finishing a 6L runner up to Bohernagore over C&D in December. Interesting contender, especially in light of riders valuable 10lb claim.

Form: 731/422-

Magical Thomas^p,t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 92

10/1

His sole career success in 25 starts came on the AW at Kempton for Marcus Tregoning in June 2015, and this ten race hurdles maiden needs to show more than he's done at Worcester of late to be involved.

Form: P7-9537

Rif Raftou²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 90

4/1

Former Irish maiden who hasn't been with this trainer for too long, but has already registered a couple of reasonable placed efforts over further (2m4f) at Worcester. She appears to be on a reasonable mark and if ridden with more positivity over this shorter trip should go well.

Form: 087/0-32

Osgood⁸⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Jason Nuttall⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 90| CD

14/1

Stablemate of Hermosa Vaquera and already a dual course winner (including over C&D). Off since late May when registering an all out (idled) ¾L success at Huntingdon (2m good), he can probably be expected to run his race from a 4lb higher mark having finished less than 1L third to Red Orator in this contest in 2016.

Form: 360-761

The Kvilleken^p,t1²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Conor Shoemark| T: M Keighley| OR: 78

16/1

An infrequent winner with both career successes coming in the space of just a fortnight in the summer of 2015. Out of sorts for a good while and was well beaten in a seller latest, and therefore makes little appeal despite the application of a first time tongue tie.

Form: 6-586P5

Jamesgiftkeysandal^t⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: R Stephens| OR: 75

40/1

Shown nothing whatsoever in terms of ability in seven career starts, and already dropped 16lb since switched to handicapping. Has tried a variety of trips, and the first time tongue tie seemed to make no difference whatsoever at Uttoxeter in June.

Form: 0008-7P

Petrify^p,t¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: James Bowen⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 72

16/1

Won on the Flat at Bath in May (1m3½f firm) but has lost his way somewhat since. A seven race maiden over hurdles, he wasn't the most promising over timber at Uttoxeter in early July and is tough to consider upped in trip.

Form: 66/738-6

Non-Runners

Raleagh Mountain¹⁰³

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Rob Robin³⁸

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: C Gordon J: M Goldstein

Forecasts

Sky of Stars (10/11), Rif Raftou (4/1), Hermosa Vaquera (6/1), Raleagh Mountain (6/1), Magical Thomas (10/1), Osgood (14/1), Rob Robin (14/1), The Kvilleken (16/1), Petrify (16/1), Jamesgiftkeysandal (40/1)

Sky Of Stars sets a fairly solid benchmark for Olly Murphy, but he's risen sharply in the weights for those pair of successes at Stratford and Market Rasen and he might prove a shade vulnerable to a couple of the others, especially with some riders able to claim 10lb allowances. Hermosa Vaquera has proved herself over C&D in the past and she returned with a bang on the Flat at Lingfield late last month, so clearly comes into the reckoning. However, a chance is taken on the Samuel Drinkwater trained RIF RAFTOU. She has shown some ability in finishing in the places over longer trips at Worcester (held up), and if ridden more positively over this shorter trip could well out perform her likely odds.