15:50 Exeter

Tuesday 24 October 2017

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:5017:20

Ilfracombe Food Service Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 6m 7.5s

Maguire's Glen²²

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: M Hamill⁽⁵⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 117

9/1

In excellent form of late at Newton Abbot, but hit with a 10lb rise for his 13L success (2m5½f heavy) earlier this month, and weight will stop a train eventually, but much improved overall since joining this trainer.

Form: 316-421

Midnight Request¹⁹²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: James Bowen⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 115| C

16/1

Course winner over fences in 2015, but in decent order over hurdles in the early part of the year with successes at Carlisle (3m1f good to soft) and Towcester (3m soft). 6lb above his last winning mark.

Form: P51315-

Dreamsoftheatre^p,t¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Killian Moore⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 114| D

20/1

Switched back to hurdles at Huntingdon earlier in the month (3m1f good), and looked much happier over the smaller obstacles when accounting for Generous Chief by 3¼L. Returns off a 9lb higher mark, but his earlier career hurdles form reads well.

Form: PP6-421

Billy Two Tongues²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Robert Hawker⁽⁷⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 114| BF

40/1

Back from a lengthy absence in reasonable shape over fences during the summer months until a less pleasing effort at Worcester latest, and now tries hurdling for the first time since February 2015; but rated 16lb higher.

Form: 12P-438

Waterloo Warrior^b²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 114| BF

6/1

An eight race maiden, but with time on his side. Runner up over C&D in March, beaten 1½L by all the way winner Shoofly Milly, and renews rivalry today on 3lb better terms, despite a 4lb higher mark.

Form: 265P2-4

Midnight Glory²¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 113

3/1

Took a mares novices hurdle by 4½L at odds of 25/1 at Newbury in January (2m4½f soft), and was beaten 14L by Beer Goggles in her first try in handicap company at Newbury in March. More to offer.

Form: 2/58153-

Forgetthesmalltalk²⁰⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 112| BF

5/1

Cost £35,000 in November 2016 after winning a 3m Loughrea point-to-point. Raced sparingly in bumpers and maiden hurdles thereafter (showed some promise), and lightly raced overall is hard to quantify on handicap debut. Market possibly informative.

Form: P/1424-

Braw Angus²¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 111| BF

14/1

Much improved since sent handicapping, winning from a 13lb lower mark at Huntingdon in March (2m4½f soft), but has backed that effort up since when narrowly beaten by Billy Hicks at Chepstow (2m3½ soft). Handles cut effectively. Seasonal bow.

Form: 708812-

Sutter's Mill¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 110| BF

4/1

Edging steadily up the weights after a most productive spell, with form figures of 1,2,1,2 since mid March. Beaten 2L by Quarenta at Warwick earlier this month (2m5f good), and could be on the premises once more this afternoon.

Form: 451-212

Shoofly Milly^b¹⁸⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 109| CD

14/1

Strong in terms of stamina, and made all when accounting for Waterloo Warrior over C&D on her penultimate start (March). Beaten since, and 3lb worse off with that rival today for 1½L.

Form: 843214-

Ambion Lane^p,t1²¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 105

18/1

Left his previous handicap form in the past (some of those efforts over fences) when beaten 3½L by Falcons Fall at Chepstow in March (3m soft). Absent since, and makes his seasonal reappearance wearing a first time tongue tie.

Form: 44/0PP2-

Forecasts

Midnight Glory (3/1), Sutter's Mill (4/1), Forgetthesmalltalk (5/1), Waterloo Warrior (6/1), Maguire's Glen (9/1), Braw Angus (14/1), Shoofly Milly (14/1), Midnight Request (16/1), Ambion Lane (18/1), Dreamsoftheatre (20/1), Billy Two Tongues (40/1)

A challenging puzzle to solve, and it's difficult to definitively rule out all that many of the runners in a very open looking handicap hurdle. Shoofly Milly and Waterloo Warrior are closely matched on C&D form from March, but the suspicion is that others hold more pressing claims. Midnight Glory could have more to offer on just her second start in a handicap for the much respected Hobbs and Johnson partnership, whilst recent winner Maguire's Glen faces a much more challenging assignment after a 10lb hike in the weights for his Newton Abbot romp. A similar statement could be made about the selection DREAMSOFTHEATRE, who at first glance is up 9lb for his recent Huntingdon success. However, he has proved he can win from this kind of mark in the past (2013) and clearly much happier back over the smaller obstacles, he remains feasibly handicapped on that evidence.