15:45 Newton Abbot

Friday 21 September 2018

All14:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:55

Peter Edwards 80th Birthday Party Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 4m 31.20s

Winter Spice^h²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: J Farrelly| OR: 107

7/1

Chased home a decent looking sort over C&D a month ago, but jumped poorly over shorter two weeks later. Has never been easy to win with and has work to do from the top of the weights.

Form: 326

Mansion⁵⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Hugh Nugent⁽⁶⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 105

25/1

Stable have not had a runner for three months and there must be fitness doubts surrounding a horse that has been absent since March 2017.

Form: 6P4/

Heluvagood^t¹³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Tom Buckley⁽⁷⁾| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 104WS

5/1

Went up considerably in the weights following improved performances on testing ground at Chepstow in the spring. Something to prove off this mark on ground forecast to be less testing.

Form: 44612-8

Norse Light^p,t¹¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: David Dennis| OR: 103| D

25/1

Won three races in class 5 company last year. Has plenty to prove off this mark in this grade and he has shown he requires time before peaking following a break.

Form: 3714-29

Friary Gold²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Katy Price| OR: 100

14/1

Jumped ponderously here on penultimate start when no match for a progressive sort and then raced too freely last time. Has every chance under an experienced conditional if settling better this time.

Form: 69-6527

Dream Free^b²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Kieron Edgar| T: D Pipe| OR: 99

33/1

Winner of a Beverley seller in July but has shown little enthusiasm for hurdling thus far and hard to see how he has earned his current mark.

Form: P-75

Be Daring^h¹³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: James Bowen| T: C Gordon| OR: 94

9/2

16-race maiden who would want it softer but for whom the rider booking is significant. Has shown enough to suggest he can win a race such as this when underfoot conditions are acceptable.

Form: 2U242-4

Vexillum^p,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 94

16/1

Career record of 6-71 under all disciplines but winless since May 2016. Last win over hurdles came three years ago and he is still above that winning mark. Has been to keen on last two starts and a tongue-tie is tried.

Form: 5/00-434

Take The High Road^b,t³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 95

14/1

Has underperformed on both starts for this yard when beaten an aggregate of 105L. Hard to fancy on that evidence.

Form: 456-80

Thomas Crown⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: C Brace⁽⁷⁾| T: D Faulkner| OR: 89

33/1

Modest maiden on the Flat who has looked no better in four starts over hurdles and finished well held last time.

Form: P747

Rocket Ronnie^p¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: R Patrick| T: A Wintle| OR: 86| BF

4/1

Six-time Flat winner would probably have opened his hurdling account last time but for getting the last all wrong. Last win came three years ago but he has shown he retains his enthusiasm and hard to dismiss given his current form.

Form: 3-45522

Ladies Dancing²⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-6| J: Page Fuller| T: C J Down| OR: 85| CD

10/1

Veteran made all to score at Stratford, but a career record of 4-50 over hurdles and an 8lb rise make a quick follow up less likely.

Form: 8-49731

Slaying The Dragon^p,t⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Charlie Hammond| T: M Hill| OR: 82

10/1

His only run of note came here in June but the form amounted to little and that confirmed by his performances since.

Form: 8P8-2P6

Scorpion Star^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Alexander Thorne⁽³⁾| T: M Hill| OR: 79

8/1

0-20 record and followed a fair C&D second by tailing off before pulling up next time. Looks worth opposing for now.

Form: P-9563P

Non-Runners

Baron Von Chill²¹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 6

T: A Wintle J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Rocket Ronnie (4/1), Be Daring (9/2), Heluvagood (5/1), Winter Spice (7/1), Scorpion Star (8/1), Slaying The Dragon (10/1), Ladies Dancing (10/1), Take The High Road (14/1), Friary Gold (14/1), Vexillum (16/1), Baron Von Chill (16/1), Norse Light (25/1), Mansion (25/1), Dream Free (33/1), Thomas Crown (33/1)

This will take little winning and affords ROCKET RONNIE an opportunity to gain a first hurdling success having looked unlucky here last time. Be Daring would be preferred if there was enough rain to soften conditions and Friary Gold has each-way possibilities under a strong conditional if jumping better this time.