12:20 Plumpton

Monday 18 December 2017

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2515:0015:30

J H Builders Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 12:20 | Winning time: 3m 59.95s

Knocknanuss¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 124| CD

5/2

Won maiden hurdle here over C&D by 12L in May (good to firm) and not disgraced when runner-up, beaten 11L in novices' company back here earlier in month. Was entitled to need that and should be competitive. Goes on any ground.

Form: 121/12

Canyouhearmenow⁵⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: M Goldstein| T: Mrs D Grissell

66/1

Placed in Irish point-to-points but last of 11, beaten 62L in a 2m4½f maiden hurdle here (sent off at 250-1) on rules debut earlier in the month and looks very much one to watch again today.

Form: 843P/43-

Dream Baie^t⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: T J O'Brien| T: M Roberts

12/1

Former Joseph O'Brien inmate who showed some promise on his hurdles debut at Galway in October, beaten 11L into fourth there (2m, soft/heavy). That was encouraging in the context of this race and he could make a good British/stable debut here.

Form: 44

East Wing^t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball

16/1

Runner-up in a Uttoxeter bumper (2m, good to soft) in May on his rules debut but has disappointed both starts this autumn, including on hurdles debut at Taunton (2m½f, good) last month (beaten 103L). Good pilot up but needs plenty of improvement.

Form: 287

Havisham^t1¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden

25/1

Rated 87 at his best on the Flat (currently 82) when with Andrew Balding, for whom his sole win was over 2m1f (good to firm) in a Bath handicap. Made mistakes here on hurdles debut (beaten 40L) earlier in month and tongue-tie now added.

Form: 5

Mere Ironmonger⁶¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: B G Powell| BF| D

14/1

Scored on debut in a Kempton bumper (2m, good) in March 2016 and ran well under penalty at Ayr next time. However, not seen since and now reappears for hurdles debut after absence of 20 months. Market check suggested.

Form: 16/

Montycristo¹¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr B Paris-Crofts⁽⁷⁾| T: P Henderson

66/1

Made the frame once from seven attempts for Philip Hide on the Flat/All Weather and rated 43 on turf. Stays 1m4f in that sphere, but makes hurdling debut here and looks very much one to take a watching brief over.

Form:

Must Havea Flutter^h¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

8/1

Placed in two of his four Irish point-to-points, both on soft, and showed a fair degree of promise on hurdles debut here over 2m4½f earlier in the month, when beaten 19L into sixth but going well enough for a long way. Not sure drop in trip ideal.

Form: 823-46

Not A Role Model⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Adrian Heskin| T: S Thomas

20/1

Runner-up in one of his two Irish point-to-points and made a respectable hurdling debut at Fakenham in a maiden contest (2m, good) last month when sent off at 40-1 and beaten just over 7L. Can build on that if he handles testing ground.

Form: 426-4

Now Listen Here¹⁸⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore

16/1

Second representative of connections who do so well here and he belied his 25-1 SP on debut when a 17L third in a Fontwell novices' hurdle (2m3f, good to firm) in June. Drop in trip may not inconvenience and he is interesting if handling cut.

Form: 3

Paddy's Poem²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Aspell| T: N J Gifford

33/1

Improved for his debut bumper run when 2L third in a maiden bumper at Warwick (2m, soft) in March. Raced keenly/weakened quickly on hurdling debut at Lingfield last month (2m, soft) but can improve for that and possibly make an impact.

Form: 93-8

Rebel Collins²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr James King⁽⁵⁾| T: N P Mulholland

25/1

Won a Wolverhampton maiden (1m6f, AW) for David Evans in 2015, but has had just five runs since, the first for this trainer being a 34L seventh on his Lingfield hurdles debut (2m, soft) last month. Could improve a fair bit for that.

Form: 4022/7

Thames Knight¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: J R Boyle

33/1

Four-time winner on the Flat for Marcus Tregoning at 1m2f-1m4f when there has been good in the going descriptiion (rated 82). Beaten 80L on stable/hurdles debut over C&D (good to soft) earlier in month and needs to step up plenty of that today.

Form: 9

Lisp²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

11/8

Made an immediate impact over hurdles on his debut for this yard at Fontwell last month when a 3½L second (2m1½f, good to soft), despite taking a grip. That was smart form in the context of this and any improvement would make him tough to beat.

Form: 2

Forecasts

Lisp (11/8), Knocknanuss (5/2), Must Havea Flutter (8/1), Dream Baie (12/1), Mere Ironmonger (14/1), Now Listen Here (16/1), East Wing (16/1), Not A Role Model (20/1), Havisham (25/1), Rebel Collins (25/1), Paddy's Poem (33/1), Thames Knight (33/1), Montycristo (66/1), Canyouhearmenow (66/1)

Not a lot of depth to this opener and perhaps the juvenile LISP can improve on his decent Fontwell debut and see off these older opponents in receipt of plenty of weight. Knockanuss is a proven winner who will go on the ground, so despite top weight you have to respect his chance, while stablemate Now Listen Here could be very competitive if handling this ground and Must Havea Flutter and Paddy's Poem are others who could make an impact.