15:50 Ascot

Friday 23 November 2018

All13:0013:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Coutts Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 3m 42.60s

Jolly's Cracked It⁷⁰⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 138| CD

7/1

Three time C&D winner hasn't been seen for 706 days after being well beaten here back in December 2016. Won off higher marks in the past but hard to be confident after such an absence.

Form: 596310/

Distingo¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 135| D

7/1

Ex-French trained gelding won two of first three for current connections last term before pulling up in Aintree Grade One. Good second on return at Huntingdon sees him raised 2lb but remains unexposed and seemingly on the up so highly respected.

Form: 4121P-2

Flying Tiger⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: R Johnson| T: Nick Williams| OR: 133| D

7/2

2017 Cheltenham Festival winner was laid out for same meeting last term but unsuitably soft ground foiled the bid. Didn't take to fences last twice but return to hurdles with favoured ground and is now 1lb lower than Cheltenham win. Big chance.

Form: 4400-23

Brianstorm²²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 132| D

7/1

Emphatic wins at Taunton and Sandown last term prompted a Grade One bid at Aintree but he was pulled up before the last there. Returns for new yard here with plenty of potential although ground faster than soft is unknown territory.

Form: 32311P-

Shoal Bay^t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 128| D

10/1

Yet to add to maiden hurdle win in first start over timber but ended last season with a promising second at Wincanton. Lesser efforts at Stratford and Cheltenham to start this campaign however leave a few doubts.

Form: 46P2-60

Scheu Time²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J Nash| OR: 127| D

5/1

Irish raider won as a 1/9F should at Ayr penultimately in a poor novice hurdle before finishing a well beaten but respectable fourth in a valuable Down Royal contest. Race fit and acts on a fast surface so ought to go well here.

Form: 1F-4314

Chatez²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 119| D

3/1

Classy flat performer won twice over hurdles back in 2014. Missed 947 days from March 2015 to October '17 and not won since. Fair fourth in only hurdle start since the break but hard to know exactly how much ability remains now.

Form: 118P/4-

Jumping Jack²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 118| D

25/1

Finally off the mark over hurdles at the 12th time of asking penultimately in a three-runner contest at Plumpton. Well beaten here next in a handicap however and others appeal more.

Form: 2-U2217

Forecasts

Chatez (3/1), Flying Tiger (7/2), Scheu Time (5/1), Jolly's Cracked It (7/1), Distingo (7/1), Brianstorm (7/1), Shoal Bay (10/1), Jumping Jack (25/1)

Things haven't really gone to plan for FLYING TIGER since his Fred Winter win in 2017 but he returns to hurdling here with conditions likely to suit and off a 1lb lower mark than that Cheltenham win so he is hugely appealing in a contest such as this. Distingo was progressive last term and made an encouraging return so he could continue that upward curve this season. Brianstorm hacked up twice before being found out in a Grade One as a novice and is also a threat on this his seasonal return.