16:35 Towcester

Thursday 1 February 2018

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:35

Visit Our Shop 'Sports Mayfair' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:37 | Winning time: 5m 12.87s

Dulce Panem^p³³

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Tony Kelly| T: R Menzies| OR: 102

10/1

Longstanding maiden who is clearly suited to heavy ground. This track will place less emphasis on speed, so reasons to be optimistic he can break his duck. Nevertheless, there is every chance there are better handicapped rivals.

Form: 3-F5432

Goodnight Charlie^v²⁶²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Andrews⁽⁷⁾| T: C Fryer| OR: 100| CD

13/2

Has won three of her four starts since the application of a visor including two here. Handles any ground, but likely to need this after nine months off.

Form: P318-11

Billy Congo^t⁶²³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr Robert Hawker⁽⁷⁾| T: R G Hawker| OR: 97

100/1

Winner of three races in 2015 but has been off the track almost two years. Needs to prove his fitness and his ability to handle ground this soft.

Form: 13PP0/0-

Robin De Broome¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Garner⁽³⁾| T: B Barr| OR: 97

33/1

Poor in all starts since arriving from Ireland. Looks like a long term project who will come into his own on better ground.

Form: 2P0P75

Cafe Au Lait^p,t⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 96| BF| CD

15/8

Has won here previously on testing ground and has been going well enough lately to gain a deserved success in this. Due to go up 3lb in future and looks the one they all have to beat.

Form: 237-322

Podili Road^p1²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 92

40/1

Has failed to show much but now tries his luck handicapping and in cheekpieces. Stable have had success with similar types, but his pedigree is one that suggests he may need a lot further than this.

Form: 9408

Way Of The World^p1²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 92

7/1

Has dropped below his last winning mark, but has shown little to suggest he is ready to take advantage. Cheekpieces tried now and a watching brief is advised.

Form: 9-PF050

Just Spot³⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Conor Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: K Bishop| OR: 91| CD

8/1

Form of her Boxing Day success has been working out well. Just 4lb higher here and a likelihood she will be even more effective over this longer trip on a more testing circuit.

Form: 21/PP-21

Eaton Miller²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T Symonds| OR: 91

33/1

Well beaten on all four starts and hard to take too many positives from those runs. Needs to improve considerably in order to feature.

Form: 9909

Nosper^t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Alice Mills⁽³⁾| T: R H Buckler| OR: 90

20/1

Winning French miler who is on her fifth trainer after just 11 starts. Ran better than her finishing position suggests last time, but this trip around here may stretch her stamina.

Form: 60/4-P7

Sheelbewhatsheelbe⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Daniel Hiskett⁽⁵⁾| T: R T Phillips| OR: 89

13/2

Not disgraced in trying to concede 15lb to an improving type on reappearance before finding 3m too far last time. This trip around here looks a good match and she would be expected to go close.

Form: 673-426

Coudefoudre^p1⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 84

14/1

Has not shown a great deal in five runs so far and trainer now resorts to cheekpieces in a bid to unlock his potential.

Form: PP76-P5

Silent Doctor^p1²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: S Bowen| T: A Phillips| OR: 75

40/1

Has appeared of little account and his reappearance after an absence reaffirmed that view. Cheekpieces and strong rider employed, but more is likely to be needed.

Form: 66/P00-8

Forecasts

Cafe Au Lait (15/8), Sheelbewhatsheelbe (13/2), Goodnight Charlie (13/2), Way Of The World (7/1), Just Spot (8/1), Dulce Panem (10/1), Coudefoudre (14/1), Nosper (20/1), Eaton Miller (33/1), Robin De Broome (33/1), Silent Doctor (40/1), Podili Road (40/1), Billy Congo (100/1)

CAFE AU LAIT has won here previously on similar ground and will be hard to beat off a mark 3lb lower than will be the case next time. Sheelbewhatsheelbe bumped into a well-handicapped horse on her reappearance and appeared not to stay 3m last time. This trip around here looks a good compromise as it will for Dulce Panem. Just Spot won well on Boxing Day and the third has won twice since. She is just 4lb higher and will appreciate the stiffer test.