14:00 Brighton

Tuesday 21 May 2019

All14:0014:3515:0515:3516:1016:4517:15

Clodhoppers (Lee) & The Donovan Newlyweds Classified Stakes

Off time: 14:02 | Winning time: 1m 2.73s

(12)

Ask The Guru^p⁸⁰

10/1

Dual C&D winner who encounters another change of headgear returning to turf action. Really does look to have gone off the boil of late though on the AW; has something to prove at the weights (a wind op may have helped though).

Form: 4786-67

(10)

Cool Strutter^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: A Kirby| T: J L Spearing| OR: 50| C| D

2/1

Revived all of a sudden after a two year winning hiatus to take a low-grade 6f handicap here last October (refitted cheekpieces appeared to help). Not anywhere near that level of form since in two starts; disappointed over 6f here last time.

Form: 96616-3

(1)

Glyder^p1²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: R Ffrench| T: J R Holt| OR: 47| D

8/1

Inconsistent sort whose losing run is starting to lengthen and often blows her chance at the start by being slow away. Ran poorly on the AW after six months off last time; has been placed on this switchback course (only visit), hard to be confident.

Form: 24766-8

(7)

Hornby⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Charlie Bennett| T: M J Attwater| OR: 38

50/1

0-12 at this distance and has continued out of sorts in AW handicaps of late off basement marks. Headgear (hood plus tongue-tie) used on his last two starts are abandoned now although it's hard to build a cogent case for him.

Form: 9977-99

(8)

Pocket Warrior^t⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Tom Marquand| T: P W D'Arcy| OR: 45

16/1

Hard to make much of case for this modest maiden (0-9) who switches back to sprint trips having fared poorly in two runs for this yard over further. Back on turf now but hard to believe the changes in trip/surface will bring about improvement.

Form: 68/90-00

(9)

Poppy Jag^b²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen⁽⁵⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 45| D

13/2

Never run at this course before but did at least win a race last year (Nottingham, 5f, good), looking improved for first-time blinkers. Not run with that aid on this year (return now) but hasn't really shown anything like her winning form.

Form: 0770-38

(4)

Storm Lightning⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 9-7| J: Cieren Fallon⁽⁷⁾| T: W M Brisbourne| OR: 45| CD

9/1

Three-time C&D winner and has the addition of a useful apprentice here but does need to show more than he has so far this year. Ran no sort of race at Bath last time out after ten weeks off; soon off the bridle, hard to recommend.

Form: 553630

(5)

Tina Teaspoon^h²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Joey Haynes| T: D Shaw| OR: 35

66/1

Really tough task at the weights and apart from the odd glimmer she's shown very little that would want to make you support her here. Last two runs on the AW have been poor and would need a major revival to take a hand.

Form: 60-9800

(11)

Waneen^b⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: L P Keniry| T: J Butler| OR: 50| D

5/2

The first-time blinkers plus a return to turf (his first run on this surface since 2016) he shaped better than the distance he was beaten at Bath (6f, firm). A repeat of that run would see him go close especially as 5f appears to be his best trip.

Form: 05-9774

(6)

Milldean Panther^b1²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: T P Queally| T: J & S Best| OR: 48

16/1

Below form this year although any form that he has shown is only modest with very little chance over 1m on the AW last time (all best form has come at 5f). Blinkers now tried for the first-time in a bid to eke out some progress.

Form: 53-9770

(3)

Two Faced²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Morgan Cole| T: Mrs L Pearce| OR: 43

40/1

Had just the one run for Jane Chapple-Hyam before arriving at this yard but even a switch to handicap didn't work the oracle. This is a drop in grade but she looks poor at this stage and others hold more persuasive chances.

Form: 000-68

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 20p in the pound

Non-Runners

(2)

Hurricane Alert²⁸

Weight: 9-7| Age: 7

T: M R Hoad J: J Mitchell

Forecasts

Cool Strutter (2/1), Waneen (5/2), Hurricane Alert (9/2), Poppy Jag (13/2), Glyder (8/1), Storm Lightning (9/1), Ask The Guru (10/1), Pocket Warrior (16/1), Milldean Panther (16/1), Two Faced (40/1), Hornby (50/1), Tina Teaspoon (66/1)

Difficult to find too many solid types to recommend in this low-key opener although there are one or two who could play a part based on their old form. One of the few that does have good recent claims is HURRICANE ALERT who did “win” on his penultimate start only to lose the race in the Stewards Room. He almost made amends last time and deserves a break with Waneen switching back to a bare 5f the main danger judged on that Bath run last time. Ask The Guru and Cool Strutter are two old warriors who on their old form would win this and have course form if they are in the mood then they enter the mix along with Glyder if she could actually get away on terms.