17:35 Fontwell

Thursday 30 August 2018

All16:3517:0517:3518:0518:3519:0519:35

Roy Pettifer 70th Birthday Celebration/Avantis Wealth Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 6m 27.3s

Royals And Rebels^b,t⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 100| CD

4/1

Not the most straightforward of sorts and although he won a weak handicap chase here in May his form since has been regressive. Appears to have lost his confidence since falling at Cartmel and pulled up the last twice over fences/hurdles.

Form: 34-1FPP

More Than Luck^p,t⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: David England| T: O Murphy| OR: 100

9/2

Two wins from his first three starts for this yard augured well but his form since then has been very uneven and unreliable. Faces a slight drop in grade here and the headgear combination he wore when winning last returns; chance.

Form: 6P5-9P6

Sky of Stars^p¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Ben Hicks⁽⁷⁾| T: F Brennan| OR: 95

22/1

Winner twice over hurdles for Olly Murphy last summer he's struggled since for this yard (beaten in two selling hurdles). Quickly returns to hurdles having been pulled up over fences last time (never going well); makes little appeal.

Form: 5525-3P

Keep To The Beat⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: P Phelan| OR: 89

7/2

Has fallen down the handicap and not as good as she once was but should still remain competitive having finished 3rd here last time out off a slightly lower mark. This isn't a strong contest; been successful off much higher marks in the past.

Form: U307-23

Norm The Storm³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 87

8/1

May well come into his own now he's sent into handicaps off a lowly mark having plugged on over shorter at Uttoxeter last time (2m4f). Bred to stay well and yard do well with this type; one to note for a market move.

Form: 65-6P55

Amber Flush^b³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: T Scudamore| T: C Ellam| OR: 77

11/1

Would have a chance in this on her Uttoxeter 3rd earlier in the season but that remains her one piece of credible form since her Worcester win last year. Now 2lb below that mark she won off there she still remains a less than sound proposition.

Form: 663P68

Dropzone^b⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: B Forsey| OR: 72

5/1

Not won since 2016 when he was going through a good spell and hasn't been in the same form since often looks rather lazy and a hard ride. One of the more thorough stayer at this trip but hard to claim he has a winning chance.

Form: 444-744

Mr Mulliner^b⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: P J Brennan| T: P Henderson| OR: 69

4/1

Totally lost his way when trained in Ireland and the change of yard hasn't really done a lot to reverse his fortunes as yet. Has to race from 5lb out of the handicap and could do without that sort of obstacle being put in his way.

Form: P-PP7U4

Forecasts

Keep To The Beat (7/2), Mr Mulliner (4/1), Royals And Rebels (4/1), More Than Luck (9/2), Dropzone (5/1), Norm The Storm (8/1), Amber Flush (11/1), Sky of Stars (22/1)

Not that many here that you would want to trust and it’s hard to ignore the claims of Keep To the Beat at least as a place chance having managed to hit the frame in her last two races with the most recent coming over C&D. It might pay to give NORM THE STORM a chance though as he switches to handicaps for the first time and with a pedigree that has plenty of stamina within it. Dropzone isn’t the quickest but is capable of plugging on over trips such as this while More Than Luck will appreciate the slight drop in grade and the return of his winning headgear combination.