17:45 Fontwell

Sunday 27 May 2018

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:45

Lawrence Harmer-Strange 25th Birthday Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:45 | Winning time: 5m 18.40s

Kerry's Boy^t¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 100

14/1

Lightly raced son of Oscar has shown nothing so far and his handicap debut earlier in the month did not suggest improvement was forthcoming.

Form: P664-9

Jimmy⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 98

6/1

Little promise so far in al four runs which have come here. May be a different story now handicapping and a market move would be significant.

Form: 4/977-

Vexillum^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Brendan Powell| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 97| C

7/1

Rated just 45 on the Flat and showed his first real signs of ability over hurdles here last time. Again left the impression that the handicapper is giving him little chance from a mark of 97.

Form: 225/00-4

Now Listen Here^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: A Glassonbury| T: G & J Moore| OR: 94

9/4

Failed to stay 3m last time. Would have finished closer over C&D on previous start with a better round of jumping so not to be ruled out.

Form: 042U3-3

Waikiki Waves^b1¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: G & J Moore| OR: 92

5/1

Not getting any better for the generosity being shown by the handicapper and blinkers are now tried in order to halt the slide.

Form: 68408-6

Sixties Idol^b,t⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: M Goldstein| T: Miss S West| OR: 92

12/1

It took 25 races for her to open her account at Plumpton in February on good ground. Yet to make the frame from a mark above 85 so her task is a difficult one.

Form: 253515-

Boethius^p1⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 91

13/2

Form under Rules is far from exciting, but he beat 108-rated hurdler to land a second point-to-point this spring. The booking of Richard Johnson for a ride in the last looks significant.

Form: 7/PP311-

Ice Konig^t¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Bryony Frost⁽³⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 86| D

7/1

1-27 over hurdles, that win coming over 2m5½f (good) in 2015 when 11lb higher. Looked more like his old self last time but his best has come at Newton Abbot.

Form: 74000-3

Chocolate Diamond^v¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: Miss Brodie Hampson⁽⁵⁾| T: D C O'Brien| OR: 79

66/1

Flat winner over 1m2f but has shown little in five starts over hurdles and he was pulled up here on his handicap debut.

Form: P900-P

Non-Runners

Searching¹⁷

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: James Bowen

Howlongisafoot¹⁸

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: C Gordon J: Harry Reed

Ballyantics³⁷

Weight: 11-1| Age: 7

T: N P Mulholland J: Aidan Coleman

Forecasts

Now Listen Here (9/4), Searching (4/1), Waikiki Waves (5/1), Jimmy (6/1), Ballyantics (6/1), Boethius (13/2), Vexillum (7/1), Ice Konig (7/1), Howlongisafoot (7/1), Sixties Idol (12/1), Kerry's Boy (14/1), Chocolate Diamond (66/1)

BOETHIUS looks very interesting as life in the point-to-point field has brought out the best in him and at face value his latest win at Ystradowen puts him on a lucrative mark. Searching is feared as he is at his best on good ground and produced a sound effort in the face of a difficult task last time. Neil Mullholland saddles two with Ballyantics looking the pick. Howlongisafoot has the better form of Chris Gordon's duo, but his other runner, Jimmy, gives the impression he might have more to offer now handicapping.