16:20 Plumpton

Monday 12 February 2018

All14:1514:5015:2015:5016:2016:50

Nigel And Barbara Collison Supporting The IJF Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 6m 47.80s

Achille⁵⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 112| BF

20/1

Won twice in France but very lightly raced since joining current connections. Beaten favourite both starts this term (over fences) and runs off lower mark here over timber. Yard out of form at present so hard to enthuse over.

Form: 3245/55

Sandhurst Lad^p,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| OR: 110| C

11/4

Inconsistent, but won narrowly here (2m4f) on seasonal return. Disappointed following start but better here last time and a repeat of that effort would take him close in this company. Yard among the winners, and has top man on board.

Form: 353-102

Sartorial Elegance^b,t⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 107| CWS

13/2

Scored here over fences 14 months ago but it has been downhill all the way since then. Returns after wind surgery so that might help and has been granted some leeway by the handicapper. Needs to get his act together.

Form: 7P-P77P

Shoofly Milly^t,v³³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 102

16/1

Best efforts have come on a right-handed track, inlcuding her win at Exeter 11 months ago. Has run poorly all starts since and tumbled down the weights. This track unlikely to play to her strong suit.

Form: 14-PP68

Cheque En Blanc³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 99

3/1

Turned over a new leaf since joining current yard in October and comes here on a hattrick after wins at Taunton and Doncaster. Raised another 4lb, but in rude health and has plenty going for him.

Form: 663311

Somerset Jem⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-10| J: Conor Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: K Bishop| OR: 94

5/2

Gone close on last two starts, including when narrow runner-up at Taunton last week. Runs off same mark, stays, and should be thereabouts if fully recovered from recent exertions.

Form: 57-P342

Landscape^b,t¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: D Steele| OR: 89

33/1

Usually runs creditably at this track. Went close in similar conditions here 12 months ago, and when dropped back to two miles in December. Inconsistent, but has place prospects if in the mood.

Form: 24-P247

The Golden Hour²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: T Dowling⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 82

16/1

Modest 8-y-o maiden mare, but did a little better first time following wind surgery at Leicester last month. Not guaranteed to stay this extra five furlongs though and, on balance, others make more appeal.

Form: 846-363

Forecasts

Somerset Jem (5/2), Sandhurst Lad (11/4), Cheque En Blanc (3/1), Sartorial Elegance (13/2), The Golden Hour (16/1), Shoofly Milly (16/1), Achille (20/1), Landscape (33/1)

CHEQUE EN BLANC has a good chance of completing a hattrick and is in clearly in the form of his life at present. Despite another rise in the weights he looks the one to beat. The champion jockey might get the best out of Sandhurst Lad who has a shout if in the mood, and Somerset Jem shouldn't be far away on recent form. If the wind surgery does the trick, there may be some improvement from Sartorial Elegance, but it's a big 'if'.