12:25 Warwick

Monday 31 December 2018

All12:2512:5513:3014:0014:3515:0515:35

Local Parking Security Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:26 | Winning time: 4m 43.6s

Telson Barley²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 100

40/1

Has struggled on all three starts over hurdles (2m-2m3f+), including when falling at Hereford (penultimate); plenty more required on handicap debut off a tough opening mark.

Form: 05-F0

Royale Jonquille³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: H D Daly| OR: 100

16/1

Yet to make an overly positive impression over hurdles (0-3) with clear doubts about her stamina reserves on handicap debut.

Form: 55-568

Head Lad⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 99

11/4

Shown improved form since sent handicapping, slowly inching up the weights as a result; runner-up on each of his last two outings, including when finishing a staying on second to Get Wishing at Chepstow (2m, good to soft) in November.

Form: 8009-22

On Raglan Road^h,t³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 99WS

10/1

Ran well when finishing runner-up to He's A Goer at this track in September (2m, good), but fair to say that things haven't gone according to plan over fences since; chance on first start since wind surgery.

Form: 32-427P

Better News³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 97

25/1

Turned in a very laboured effort at Hereford (2m3f+) in November after offering something to work with previously at Chepstow (finished three places behind Head Lad); eased 3lb in the weights.

Form: 9U49-5P

Top Decision^t²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Fergus Gregory⁽⁵⁾| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 97

6/1

Brother to the useful winning chaser Top Ville Ben; slow to fulfil his potential (cost £42,000 in May 2017), but did run better than the bare finishing positions imply at Exeter (2m2f+, heavy) 24 days ago.

Form: 0724-P5

Amethea^p1²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| OR: 94

40/1

Campaigned at or around this trip in three previous attempts over hurdles. However, it is difficult to be positive about those efforts and despite the presence of newly-applied cheekpieces on handicap debut, she doesn't rate as a likely type.

Form: 99767

Man Of The North⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Nixon⁽⁷⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 88

40/1

Well beaten on all four starts over hurdles, including when pulled up on handicap debut at Bangor (2m3f+) in October; drops 6lb in the weights off a 62 day absence.

Form: 7-490P

Sergio^t,v⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: James Best| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 88

50/1

Nine-race maiden who has failed to complete in any of his four starts this calendar year (PFBP); drop in trip potentially helpful, but rates as equally difficult to enthuse over.

Form: 9/3P-FBP

Scrutinise^v1²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 86

11/1

Stablemate of Sergio; three-time Flat winner (89-rated), but has shown nothing like that sort of ability over hurdles (0-9) so needs the application of the visor to have a transformational impact.

Form: PP60-87

Classula^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: David Noonan| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 86

20/1

Placed off a 9lb higher mark at Kempton (2m5f, soft) in April, but hasn't kicked on since and arrives with plenty to prove.

Form: 093-P97

Fading Icon²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-9| J: M Goldstein| T: Miss S West| OR: 97

14/1

Took a small step forward when finishing a well held third (beaten 16½L) on handicap debut at Fontwell (2m1f+, soft) earlier this month; this extra yardage could bring about more improvement; not a total back-number.

Form: 4663

Dowhatudodobest^p1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: James Bowen| T: P W Middleton| OR: 82

9/1

Met trouble on the home bend when finishing an on the premises fourth on handicap debut at Plumpton (2m4f+, good to firm) in October and might've found the near 3m trip too far next time; cheekpieces now applied.

Form: 266443

Urtheonethatiwant²⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Rex Dingle⁽⁷⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 81

11/4

0-4 over hurdles; impossible to recommend having been off the track since April when finishing a tailed-off last of seven (125/1) in a Wincanton maiden hurdle won by Snuff Box.

Form: 00P7-

Okmyway^p¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁷⁾| T: H J Evans| OR: 79

40/1

Prominent until weakening quickly from four out on handicap debut at Bangor (2m+, soft) 17 days ago; dropped 3lb since; can't be the solution.

Form: 0/8P485

Non-Runners

Keynote²⁵

Weight: 10-12| Age: 3

T: R J Armson J: C J Todd

Forecasts

Urtheonethatiwant (11/4), Head Lad (11/4), Top Decision (6/1), Dowhatudodobest (9/1), On Raglan Road (10/1), Scrutinise (11/1), Fading Icon (14/1), Royale Jonquille (16/1), Classula (20/1), Keynote (25/1), Better News (25/1), Telson Barley (40/1), Okmyway (40/1), Amethea (40/1), Man Of The North (40/1), Sergio (50/1)

A very low-key opener in which only a couple of the runners make any kind of positive appeal. On Raglan Road has questions to answer following wind surgery, but reverting back to hurdles at a track where he has run well previously (2m) shouldn't be dismissed lightly. Furthermore, Fading Icon could potentially be suited by this extra yardage having taken a small step forward at Fontwell (2m1f+). However, by far the most obvious winner is the Jonjo O'Neill-trained HEAD LAD who although slowly inching up the weights has acquitted himself well on both starts in handicap company.