14:45 Ascot

Sunday 31 March 2019

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

Colts & Fillies Club Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:48 | Winning time: 3m 37.00s

Idilico^v⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 129| D

16/1

Uttoxeter scorer in the autumn and ran well at Warwick (2m, good) last month, when 3l second. Unseated when back up in trip at Newbury last time, but can't rule him out for a trainer who won this in 2017.

Form: 12452U

Praeceps^b¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 129| D

4/1

Won at Market Rasen (good to soft) last month, before a respectable effort behind the impressive Fusil Raffles in a Kempton Grade 2. Really good effort to be just over 7L sixth in the Fred Winter last time. Enters calculations.

Form: 2136

Liva^p²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: D A Jacob| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 128| D

25/1

Scored on handicap debut at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) last time, and goes well on good ground. Up 5lb here and in a tougher race, so will need significant improvement to follow up.

Form: 2121

Zafar³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 127| BF

8/1

Placed in all three starts over hurdles, including over C&D in January. Step up to 2m3f didn't appear to be of immediate benefit last time. Drops back to 2m with a likely decent pace on here, and looks to have each-way claims again.

Form: 223

Le Milos²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 127| D

25/1

Stepped up significantly on his British debut when scoring at Sandown (2m, soft) last time, in a race that is working out well. Up 9lb for that, and is an interesting unexposed runner here.

Form: 7P5541

Scaramanga²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 127| D

11/4

Didn't need to better his close second at Taunton when scoring by 9L back there in maiden company last time. Goes on a sound surface, and trainer has won two of the last three runnings of this race. Claims.

Form: 321

Quantatmental⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 126| D

12/1

Has been in some competitive company in Ireland and came good when winning with a little bit in hand at Fairyhouse (2m, good) last month. Handicapper hasn't missed that, but represents Champion Hurdle winning trainer, and has to be respected.

Form: 4071

Deadline Diva^t³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Lorcan Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 124| D

33/1

Scored over both hurdles and on the Flat in France. Ran well before tiring and falling on British debut at Kempton's Christmas meeting, before being well held back there in the Grade 2 Adonis last time. Much more needed.

Form: 1F9

Al Kherb³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: C R King| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 123| D

33/1

Dual Flat winner for Roger Charlton and came good over hurdles on his third start for this trainer at Catterick (2m, good) last month. Needs improvement to defy this handicap mark on his debut in this sphere.

Form: 351

Groveman⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 118| D

10/1

Won on his hurdles debut at Catterick (2m, good) in January, and placed on his next two starts, but needs significantly more here than on his recent handicap debut at Newbury.

Form: 1225

Playa Blanca¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: James Best| T: J W Mullins| OR: 115| D

33/1

Took a bit of time to get going over hurdles, but scored on his fifth attempt in a Huntingdon maiden (2m, good to soft) last time. 13lb rise for that looks steep enough, and needs to prove that he has that sort of improvement in him.

Form: 77381

Teaser^p,t¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-6| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 113| D

50/1

Won a Warwick maiden hurdle at the second attempt (2m, good to soft) in December. Has improved slightly on that in two recent placed efforts in handicaps, and should be competitive again from the same mark.

Form: 21833

Bold Reason^h¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling| OR: 112

14/1

Showed glimpses of ability before a much better effort at Southwell last time (2m, soft), when 1L second. Up 6lb for that, but may be capable of kicking on now and is a very interesting runner here with a feather weight.

Form: 3542

Legal History^b⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 111

8/1

Has run to a similar level of form in three of his four hurdles, without yet making much improvement. Has been second in different types of headgear on his last two starts, going close at Newbury last time. Up 5lb for that, so more needed.

Form: 3422

Honorable²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 107

16/1

Second to Praeceps at Market Rasen last month, but has not gone on from there yet. Much more needed, but if returning to that Market Rasen form you couldn't write him off.

Form: U5275

Non-Runners

Our Power¹⁸

Weight: 11-12| Age: 4

T: A King J: S Bowen

Forecasts

Scaramanga (11/4), Praeceps (4/1), Legal History (8/1), Zafar (8/1), Groveman (10/1), Quantatmental (12/1), Our Power (12/1), Bold Reason (14/1), Idilico (16/1), Honorable (16/1), Le Milos (25/1), Liva (25/1), Playa Blanca (33/1), Al Kherb (33/1), Deadline Diva (33/1), Teaser (50/1)

A tough race to call, with SCARAMANGA the suggestion for a stable with a good record in this, and after a convincing win last time. Idilico has a squeak, while Bold Reason, Le Milos, Zafar and Quantatmental are others of interest.