12:40 Ascot

Saturday 22 December 2018

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Foundation Developments Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 6m 0.00s

Newtide¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 12-2| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 122

11/2

Placed point-to-pointer improved on rules debut fourth when stepped up to 2m7f last time out at Haydock where he battled to success in taking style. Stiff track and soft ground here will be ideal and has legitimate claims despite welter burden.

Form: 2/41

Potters Hedger^p²²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: L Wadham| OR: 118

20/1

Narrowly held on last time for first hurdles win at Fakenham having been 15L clear at one point. That over 2m4f on good so has to show he handles longer trip and softer ground in first run back.

Form: 44272-1

Annie Mc⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 118

9/2

Looked likely to appreciate step up in trip on rules debut over 2m3½f when third and again plugged on well when second subsequently over 1f further. Softer ground here but handled it in point-to-points. Not ruled out.

Form: 2-232

Ballyart¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 117| D

10/1

Improved effort in third/most recent start when only beaten a head at Chepstow over this trip on heavy ground. First time handicapping here but looks to have been allotted a fair mark and expectant of another bold bid.

Form: 421-452

Lough Ryn²³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 117

40/1

Promising enough start over hurdles when fourth beaten 6L at Huntingdon (2m4½f) but beaten 50L and 32L respectively the next twice back at 2m. This trip may well help but a few questions to answer.

Form: 4/845-6

Ballygown Bay²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 115

8/1

Twice placed last October but not added to those efforts since. Promising enough first handicap try at Hereford but beaten 28L latest at Warwick. Gets an extra 2f now but will have to improve significantly.

Form: 33P-445

It's Got Legs^v²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 114

5/1

Placed in last six starts, last two of them in handicaps. May have not quite lasted 3m½f at Kempton latest (third) having stayed on well over 2m3½f here previously. This trip may therefore prove ideal so expecting another solid effort.

Form: 33-3323

Enrichissant²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 114

20/1

Off the mark latest when battling to success over 2m3½f at Huntingdon. Steps up 4f in trip for handicap debut so and ground likely a good bit softer so different task here but not ruled out.

Form: 249-531

Casko D'Airy^t1²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 113

16/1

Smart form in two starts in France but top yard not found the key to him thus far in two starts in which he's been tailed off in each. Tongue-tie added and could help him get home. Hard to be confident but too early to dismiss given trainer.

Form: 12/95

Minerfortyniner^t²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: G R I Smyly| OR: 112| D

16/1

Six time winning point-to-pointer was sixth at Exeter in first rules start in over four years before latest 12L second at Hereford. Longer trip here may help but hard to think he will be quite up to this against younger, less exposed sorts.

Form: 1P1/4-62

Fields Of Fortune³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 111

25/1

Market Rasen winner in August over 2m½f has finished fourth of eight and 18th of 20 thus far in handicaps over the same trip. May get further but this a huge step up in trip so will need to markedly improve for it.

Form: U54-140

Almost Gold²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R T Dunne| T: Ian Williams| OR: 111

7/2

Gradual improver got off the mark at Doncaster over 2m3½f latest in emphatic fashion where he won by 19L although there were only four runners. 3lb rise looks lenient and crying out for a step up in trip so looks the one to beat here.

Form: 9774-31

Big Man Clarence¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Nick Scholfield| T: P Henderson| OR: 98| D

40/1

Winning point-to-pointer tailed off in two starts for this yard at Ffos Las and Chepstow. Receives plenty of weight from all here but will still need big improvement to be involved.

Form: F2/12-08

Forecasts

Almost Gold (7/2), Annie Mc (9/2), It's Got Legs (5/1), Newtide (11/2), Ballygown Bay (8/1), Ballyart (10/1), Casko D'Airy (16/1), Minerfortyniner (16/1), Potters Hedger (20/1), Enrichissant (20/1), Fields Of Fortune (25/1), Big Man Clarence (40/1), Lough Ryn (40/1)

ALMOST GOLD has taken a little time to get his act together over hurdles but he followed up the promise of his reappearance third when winning latest and he was doing all his best work at the end in each of those races so this step up in trip should see him improve further so he gets the vote to follow up. Newtide impressed with his attitude latest and this highly unexposed sort could have the class to overcome top-weight so he rates the main threat. Ballyart ran a very solid race latest so he is also one for the shortlist on handicap debut.