14:20 Chepstow

Wednesday 20 March 2019

All14:2014:5015:2516:0016:3017:05

Ashcroft Services Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:22 | Winning time: 6m 6.15s

Mauna Kea^v⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: Conor Shoemark| T: P Gundry| OR: 101| D

16/1

Back-to-back December wins at Taunton (3m, good) and Exeter (2m5½f, heavy) were improved showings but handicapper has been in control since and may remain so here.

Form: 11P647

Late Shipment^p⁷⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 100

6/1

Handicap mark is quite appealing based on form in early 2017 (three wins) but efforts lately suggesting temperament issues and hard to be confident in chances of revival.

Form: 573-668

Mogestic^p1¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 99

25/1

Five-time winner scored twice last summer but struggled since. Tailed off at Plumpton in January and no better recently at Exeter (2m7f, soft). Cheekpieces are added today.

Form: 155P79

Steel Express³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: Miss L Blackford| OR: 98

10/1

Finished a close second in this contest a year ago and may well have needed last month's Exeter outing (first run since April). Could be capable of another big run here if so.

Form: 3972P-0

Cinderfella⁷⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: L P Aspell| T: N J Gifford| OR: 96

9/1

Not delivered on early promise shown in bumpers and hard to recommend after poor hurdles efforts. Pulled up at Uttoxeter on New Year's Eve in a maiden hurdle. First start for new trainer.

Form: 45/43-0

Jimmy Bell^p⁶⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: J G M O'Shea| OR: 94

3/1

Couple of respectable efforts in January after a break, including over this sort of trip on good to soft at Lingfield. Runner-up only previous start with Richard Johnson up, eased 2lb and of interest.

Form: 524-544

Mountain Of Mourne^b²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss L Blackford| OR: 89| C

8/1

Hopelessly out of the weights in last month's Devon National, he's on better terms now and while not the most solid, he is a course winner and regular visitor is capable of going well here.

Form: 84-045P

American Life^t,v¹⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 10-11| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 85| D

12/1

5-68 over hurdles and has been around the block a few times. Will handle the forecast conditions, moderate fourth recently at Huntingdon (3m1f, good) and will need a bit more to go close.

Form: 44-0864

Boher Lad¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 10-10| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: A Phillips| OR: 84| D

16/1

Now 12-years-old and gone two years with a success, struggling in three starts since the turn of the year and looks best opposed for now.

Form: 94-7997

Bean Liath²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: P J Brennan| T: D L Williams| OR: 80| D

13/2

Maiden under rules (eight races over timber) but went well for a long way last month at Plumpton (3m1f, good) and needs respecting on that evidence.

Form: P007U5

True Thoughts^t¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Alan Johns| T: Mrs L J Young| OR: 87

66/1

Made handicap debut here last month over 2m4f and was tailed off as a 100-1 shot, plenty of improvement being demanded.

Form: 07908

Cornelius Socks^v²²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: David Noonan| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 75

15/2

Runner-up at Ffos Las (3m, good to soft) on just second start in a handicap, should retain potential for doing better things.

Form: U75092

Remember Me Well⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: James Davies| T: R Rowe| OR: 66

33/1

0-10 under rules to this point and very tough to recommend on evidence to hand, racing from out of the handicap.

Form: 700508

Non-Runners

Bostin²³

Weight: 10-13| Age: 11

T: D C O'Brien J: Thomas Garner

Forecasts

Jimmy Bell (3/1), Late Shipment (6/1), Bostin (6/1), Bean Liath (13/2), Cornelius Socks (15/2), Mountain Of Mourne (8/1), Cinderfella (9/1), Steel Express (10/1), American Life (12/1), Boher Lad (16/1), Mauna Kea (16/1), Mogestic (25/1), Remember Me Well (33/1), True Thoughts (66/1)

A 2lb rise for his Ffos Las second over this sort of trip doesn't make things impossible for CORNELIUS SOCKS in his attempt to get off the mark at the third time of asking in a handicap. Jimmy Bell has run well both starts after a layoff and gets the champion jockey's assistance, which bodes well, while last year's runner-up Steel Express and course regular Mountain Of Mourne are others with claims.