15:40 Kempton

Wednesday 26 December 2018

All12:5013:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

32Red Download The App Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 5m 11.3s

Ballyandy³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 142

6/1

Back over hurdles for the first time since finishing fourth to Labaik in the 2017 Supreme Novices' Hurdle; 7lb higher than when winning the Grade 3 Betfair Handicap Hurdle at Newbury (2m, soft) in February 2017.

Form: 4/14P-3P

Montalbano^h⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: N D Fehily| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 138

14/1

Has left Willie Mullins for £52,000 since finishing 2L second to Tombstone over fences at Limerick (2m3f+, good) in October; hooded on debut for Jonjo O'Neill; first hurdles start since scoring at Punchestown (2m) in April 2017; chance.

Form: 79-3F12

Divin Bere²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137

6/1

Very useful hurdler on his day; Grade 1-placed for Nicky Henderson in April 2017 but has lost his way since then and even a confidence boosting Flat win (Bath) hasn't quite reignited that required spark.

Form: 22/00P-5

Stowaway Magic^p,t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: D Skelton| OR: 136| BF| CD

20/1

Has raced solely over fences since joining Dan Skelton (from Nicky Henderson) and was a disappointing beaten favourite at Newcastle (2m) recently; 2-2 at Kempton (bumper and a 2m5f hurdle - off a 6lb lower mark).

Form: 480-215

Lord Of The Island⁶⁹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: David Bass| T: F O'Brien| OR: 134| D

33/1

Beaten just shy of 8L when finishing third to Modus in the 2017 Lanzarote Hurdle on his last visit to Kempton Park, and 9lb higher than when taking a Grade 3 Sandown contest (2m7f+, heavy) in February 2017; off the track since.

Form: P13F31/

Who's My Jockey²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 134| CD

10/1

C&D winner off a 4lb lower mark in April; on a retrieval mission after breaking blood vessels when finishing 12th of 15 to Champ at Newbury (2m4f+, soft) in early December.

Form: 31-4300

Penn Lane³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex| OR: 132| D

8/1

A promising career has been punctuated by various spells of inactivity, namely between May 2016 and January 2018; game short-head winner on his seasonal return at Ffos Las (2m6f, soft) last month; now rated 8lb higher; chance.

Form: 13F1/2-1

Colonial Dreams²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 131| BF| D

9/1

Barring a sole non-completion has made the frame (including winning three-times) in eight starts since early 2017; back handicapping for the first time since that Sandown fall (now rated 11lb higher); work to do on seasonal reappearance.

Form: 32F11-2

Erick Le Rouge³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Chester Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 129

7/1

2-2 since competing for Jane Williams, rising a combined total of 17lb in the handicap for wins at Bangor (2m3f+, good) and Warwick (2m3f, good); further improvement is necessary but couldn't be entirely ruled out.

Form: 4452-11

Big Chief Benny²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 128

25/1

Off the track through injury since competing in this race in 2016 until earlier on this month when predictably finishing down the field (tenth of 15) at Newbury; this probably represents another gradual step on the comeback trail.

Form: 51620/0

Mellow Ben³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: S Bowen| T: C Gordon| OR: 123

7/1

6lb higher than when scoring at Fontwell (2m3f, good) in September; started 33/1 on his most recent outing at Cheltenham (2m5f) but was only beaten less than 4L (fourth) by Speedo Boy; possible place claims.

Form: 251F84

Crystal Lad²⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: J J Burke| T: G & J Moore| OR: 122

12/1

Doesn't win all that often (1-14 career) and is returning to action from his summer break alongside stablemate Et Moi Alors; would be a surprising winner.

Form: 553349-

Et Moi Alors²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 122

33/1

Possible that he's not recovered mentally from a heavy fall (when set to score) on debut at Ascot (2m, soft) in January; up in trip with a mark of 122 probably high enough on handicap debut; stablemate of Crystal Lad.

Form: F26-50

The Sweeney^p1⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 122| D

6/1

Commanding winner at Wincanton (2m5f+, good to soft) in April but hasn't really threatened since undergoing wind surgery; cheekpieces are now newly-applied; still 9lb above his last winning mark.

Form: 431-433

Forecasts

Ballyandy (6/1), The Sweeney (6/1), Divin Bere (6/1), Erick Le Rouge (7/1), Mellow Ben (7/1), Penn Lane (8/1), Colonial Dreams (9/1), Who's My Jockey (10/1), Crystal Lad (12/1), Montalbano (14/1), Stowaway Magic (20/1), Big Chief Benny (25/1), Et Moi Alors (33/1), Lord Of The Island (33/1)

No strong opinion is offered, and if this race represents the Boxing Day 'getting out stakes' then trouble almost certainly lies ahead. Erick Le Rouge is progressive but continues on an upward path in the weights so probably should be taken on for win purposes towards the head of the market. Therefore, a couple of better priced alternatives are the unexposed Penn Lane and the former Willie Mullins-trained MONTALBANO. The selection is making his first start over hurdles since winning at Punchestown (2m) in April 2017, with his new connections no doubt keen to be making immediate positive in-roads towards recouping their £52,000 purchase price.