14:35 Hereford

Wednesday 28 November 2018

All12:3513:0513:3514:0514:3515:0515:40

Sri Lanka The Paradise Island Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:38 | Winning time: 4m 2.80s

Sula Island²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 124

11/4

Made a pleasing impression on hurdles debut at Market Rasen (2m+ mares' novices') when disposing of the Dan Skelton-trained King's Reste in a ready fashion; another solid run latest (Class 2); key player on handicap debut.

Form: 14

Shambra¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Maxime Tissier⁽⁵⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 121| D

9/4

Boasts a 33% strike-rate over hurdles (2-6) and despite those wins coming with plenty of cut in the ground, she's also perfectly adept on a sound surface; 2lb higher than when beaten a neck by Giveaway Glance (2m3f+ Stratford).

Form: 1145-22

She's Gina¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 113| BF| D

8/1

Sent off favourite against today's rival Shambra at Stratford 19-days ago, but patently failed to stay the extended 2m3f trip; 3lb higher than when a narrow winner at Warwick (2m) previously.

Form: 1F27-17

Hijran³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Mr Jason Dixon⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 109

9/2

Deservedly broke her duck over hurdles late last season when beating Rebel Collins by a neck at Bangor (2m+, soft); held by Shambra on recent Stratford form, although could be sharper for that seasonal reappearance.

Form: 66321-4

Everlanes^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 107| D

7/2

Bumper winner on debut for Anthony Honeyball 12-months ago (2m Southwell); re-emerged from a summer at grass for Kieran Burke with a respectable second to Alsa Mix (4/7f) in an Exeter mares' novices' hurdle a fortnight ago; handicap debut.

Form: 154-42

Spirit Of Rome¹⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: S Bowen| T: Nick Mitchell| OR: 103

16/1

15-race rules maiden (0-5 over hurdles); has left Harry Whittington since her last racecourse appearance in May; finished 12½L third to Royale Zanzibar over C&D (juvenile maiden) in January.

Form: 2345-3

Little Dotty⁴⁵³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: G Fierro| OR: 94| D

40/1

94-rated; competes on unfavourable terms from out of the handicap; shown nothing of any significance since winning a Worcester bumper (25/1) back in June 2013.

Form: 184P/65-

Non-Runners

Cubswin⁴

Weight: 11-12| Age: 4

T: N B King J: Bryony Frost

Forecasts

Shambra (9/4), Sula Island (11/4), Everlanes (7/2), Hijran (9/2), She's Gina (8/1), Cubswin (10/1), Spirit Of Rome (16/1), Little Dotty (40/1)

The likeable Shambra should have the measure of both She's Gina and Hijran on the strict evidence of her most recent run at Stratford, although there were plausible excuses for those other two rivals (trip and seasonal reappearance respectively). Everlanes makes her handicap debut after chasing home a short odds favourite of Alan King's at Exeter a fortnight ago, so that trainer should have a fairly solid line for his fellow handicap debutante SULA ISLAND. She has done nothing but please over hurdles so far and a race of this nature ought to be firmly within the grasp of her capabilities.