15:05 Ascot

Friday 22 December 2017

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Mitie Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 5m 33.20s

The Mighty Don³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: N J Gifford| OR: 127

9/4

Faced some stiff tasks since winning a novices hurdle by 10L at Fakenham in February (2m4f good to soft). That said; hasn't been disgraced in either start in handicap company at Cheltenham this season (2m5f), hence he remains on a stiff mark.

Form: 2219-78

Eaton Hill⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 125| D

3/1

Showed a good attitude and stamina reserves when an 8L winner at Stratford in April (2m6f good). Difficult to assess whether or not he's worthy of his current mark, as his handicap debut was his seasonal bow at Cheltenham in October.

Form: 213P1-0

Our Kylie³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Kaine Wood⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 125

12/1

A mare who has been a winning machine for her Malton handler, notching a further two successes at Sedgefield (2m1f) in the early weeks of the season. Higher in the weights now and struggling a fraction, so a new trip is tried.

Form: 1-01154

Sky Pirate⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: Killian Moore⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 123| BF

6/1

£150,000 purchase who looked the part when scoring on UK and hurdles debut at Worcester in October (2m4f good). That form has taken a few knocks since, and he was beaten himself at short odds under a penalty at Southwell.

Form: 1-12

Golan Fortune^p²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 123

6/1

A gritty winner at Sandown on his penultimate start last month (2m4f good to soft), we didn't get the opportunity to see how he'd handle a 5lb rise at Towcester (mid race faller). Work to do with a couple of these on Cheltenham form from October.

Form: 13301F

Invicta Lake^p³²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: Jack Sherwood| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 111| D

11/1

A five time hurdles winner from 35 starts, including at Sandown (2m6f soft) in January 2015. Off for many months until returning in October, but looked sharper latest. Chance off a mark 12lb lower than his last winning one.

Form: 064P/74

Good Man Vinnie²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Bryony Frost| T: P Henderson| OR: 110

7/1

Point winner who is lightly raced and unexposed over hurdles (handicap bow over hurdles). Has competed over fences lately, being beaten 1½L by The Artful Cobbler at Ludlow last month (3m). One to be cautious about readily dismissing.

Form: 1-15962

Minella Tweet^t⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: C Gethings| T: P Henderson| OR: 109

40/1

Stablemate of Good Man Vinnie, and very much like that horse has been campaigned over fences most latterly; a two time winner in May. Did win a Listowel maiden hurdle for John Nailen back in 2014, but has it to prove on soft ground.

Form: 8/6-1147

Forecasts

The Mighty Don (9/4), Eaton Hill (3/1), Golan Fortune (6/1), Sky Pirate (6/1), Good Man Vinnie (7/1), Invicta Lake (11/1), Our Kylie (12/1), Minella Tweet (40/1)

Sky Pirate very much looked the part when winning at Worcester in October, but that form hasn't been well advertised by the runner up Kings Ryde since. Furthermore, the Jonjo O'Neill trained four-year-old was a disappointment himself at Southwell last month, although it might be wise to ignore that effort as that sharp jumps track isn't every horses bowl of oats. The handicapper appears reluctant to drop The Mighty Don, and whilst he could well be proved correct here, the over-riding feeling is that he's 7lb too high in the weights. Good Man Vinnie is an unknown in handicaps over hurdles and should be in the shake up, but a speculative shout goes up for INVICTA LAKE. He was entitled to need a couple of runs to regain his match fitness, and whilst he is knocking on eleven years of age now, he looks undeniably attractively weighted from a mark 12lb below his last winning one at Sandown in early 2015.