14:40 Hereford

Monday 29 January 2018

All13:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40

Central Roofing Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 4m 2.8s

Snapdragon Fire³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: T Lacey| OR: 113

7/4

Scopey individual who showed promise in a couple of bumpers before placing in each of her last two starts in novice hurdles, most recently over 2m4f (soft) at Newcastle last month. Opening marks looks fair.

Form: 24023

Catcher On The Go⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 112| D

10/1

All three career win have come at Ffos Las including one on the Flat this summer. Less impressive elsewhere and raced with little fluency when well beaten off a 3lb higher mark at Chepstow last time out in November.

Form: 50/5154

Jaune Et Bleue²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: David Dennis| OR: 110| BF

20/1

Winner on soft ground in France but outclassed when pitched into a Grade 2 on her UK debut almost two years ago. Wasn't sighted again until showing little in a handicap at Wincanton earlier this month. Questions to answer.

Form: 441F0/6

Wenceslaus²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: T Scudamore| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 109

40/1

Bits and pieces of promise in bumpers but largely unconvincing in maiden hurdles so far, though was third on good to soft ground at Stratford in October. Showed nothing in a recent Flat run and opening mark looks high enough.

Form: 584U30

All Is Good¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: C Poste| T: R Dickin| OR: 108

15/8

Promise shown when placed in successive novice hurdles at Market Rasen but has found life tougher since switched to novice handicaps, though a respectable fifth at Warwick (2m, soft) latest. Dropped 2lb, could make presence felt.

Form: F23-75

Unsafe Conduct²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 107

28/1

Patchy profile having struggled to make any real impact in bumpers or novice hurdles, most recently when beaten out of sight on heavy ground at Exeter. Likely there is better to come as he goes handicapping, though others more persuasive.

Form: 00F-F66

Sue Be It^t²⁰²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: J E Moore| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 107

25/1

Still a maiden after 10 starts, though not without ability as she again proved when a 5L runner-up behind Tsundoku at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) back in the summer. Remains on a fair mark, though may fitness to prove after a layoff.

Form: 732-8U2

Inniscastle Lad²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 106

16/1

Decent Flat handicapper (five wins) and finished a close third in a novice hurdle at Newcastle (2m, good) in November. Hasn't really gone on from that, though dropped 3lb after a disappointing handicap debut at Catterick.

Form: 52347

Oologist²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Kielan Woods| T: J Gallagher| OR: 103

14/1

Put up a decent effort when second in a Ffos Las bumper last season but has failed to get near to that level over hurdles, beaten 28L in a novice event at Doncaster (soft) last time. May do better now handicapping.

Form: 27-PPF8

Boxer Beat¹¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss L Brooke⁽⁷⁾| T: Lady S Brooke| OR: 100

100/1

Ex-Irish gelding whose only success from 66 starts came in a chase at Killarney way back in 2013. Not disgraced in point-to-points after a long absence, though showed nothing over hurdles at Ludlow recently.

Form: 7532-UP

Ring Eye⁵⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-1| J: Harry Bannister| T: S-J Davies| OR: 88| D

20/1

Has twice exploited lowly marks to win on the Flat but he's of limited ability and he's struggled to make an impact over hurdles so far. Dropped 6lb after going down by 20L in a weak race at Ludlow last month.

Form: 338/U63

Non-Runners

Captain Jack¹⁹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: R J Price J: D A Jacob

Forecasts

Snapdragon Fire (7/4), All Is Good (15/8), Captain Jack (6/1), Catcher On The Go (10/1), Oologist (14/1), Inniscastle Lad (16/1), Jaune Et Bleue (20/1), Ring Eye (20/1), Sue Be It (25/1), Unsafe Conduct (28/1), Wenceslaus (40/1), Boxer Beat (100/1)

Not the strongest of contests and, on the face of things, a winnable opportunity for SNAPDRAGON FIRE on his handicap debut with Richard Johnson booked. Tom Lacey's gelding confirmed himself on the upgrade when finishing third in a novice event at Newcastle last time and is unlikely to be inconvenienced by dropping back in trip in testing conditions. Fellow handicap debutants Captain Jack, Unsafe Conduct and Oologist may prove most troublesome.