15:10 Leicester

Tuesday 22 January 2019

All13:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:4016:15

Humberstone Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:11 | Winning time: 3m 54.60s

Prairie Town¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 119| D

20/1

Some way short of his best at Sandown last time (2m4f). Drop in trip looks positive for return to this discipline, but has a bit to prove.

Form: 48123-6

Falcon Sun^b,t⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 115| CD

5/2

Has come good after wind surgery this season, improving to win here in a better race last time over C&D. Up 7lb, but should give a very good account.

Form: 346-951

Thounder¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 115| D

7/1

Dual winner of juvenile hurdles on good ground in 2017. Pulled up on reappearance after a year off, but heavy ground probably responsible. Backed before unseating early over C&D latest. Interesting.

Form: 3/114-PU

Imperial Nemesis³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 115

8/1

Improved effort on reappearance at Warwick (2m5f) in November, but heavy ground perhaps an excuse when he flopped over 2m7f last time. Drops right back in trip on faster ground, which may not be ideal.

Form: 7302-47

Sparky Stowaway^h1²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: T J O'Brien| T: P R Webber| OR: 112

5/1

Landed a big field Leopardstown handicap hurdle when trained in Ireland. Improved on his debut for this trainer when third over C&D latest. Up 2lb for that, and hood fitted. Can't rule him out.

Form: 61P3-93

Box Office²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 110| BF| D

7/1

Has shown up well at both Southwell and Huntingdon on his last two starts, the latter at 2m4f. Drops back in trip, but is up another 3lb. More needed, but not written off.

Form: 335533

Working Class¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁷⁾| T: O Sherwood| OR: 110| D

5/1

Has been in better form of late, winning a Fakenham race in the stewards room, before another good effort at Wincanton last time, when showiing improvement. Enters calculations.

Form: U-26713

Global Thrill^p,t²³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: C Brace⁽⁷⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 105| D

33/1

Best at around this trip, over which he won three times last season and again in May. Tongue-tie, worn for his last four wins, is back on, along with cheekpieces. Could go well.

Form: 307-145

Bit Of A Quirke¹⁰⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: D A Jacob| T: M Walford| OR: 101

12/1

Won four off the reel at up to 2m on the Flat (good or fast ground) last season. Has shown promise over hurdles, but needs to improve on what we saw from his first two attempts in handicaps.

Form: 7335-5

Non-Runners

Tikk Tock Boom²³⁴

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: Ian Williams J: T J O'Brien

Forecasts

Falcon Sun (5/2), Working Class (5/1), Sparky Stowaway (5/1), Tikk Tock Boom (5/1), Thounder (7/1), Box Office (7/1), Imperial Nemesis (8/1), Bit Of A Quirke (12/1), Prairie Town (20/1), Global Thrill (33/1)

The way that FALCON SUN won here last time suggests that he can defy a 7lb rise and perhaps go on to better still. Thounder is an interesting opponent, with Global Thrill a potential danger from lower on the card. Tick Tock Boom and Box Office are also respected.