15:30 Fontwell

Tuesday 10 December 2019

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:30

John And Maryanne Birch Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 4m 51.72s

Whatsmeanttobe²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: L Heard| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 101

7/1

Still to build upon promise of Hereford debut second and was a non-factor on handicap debut at the same venue last month. Still relatively early days but a bit to prove,

Form: P/424-60

Marley Firth^p,t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-13| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 101

8/1

Novice season in 2017/18 quite promising including a Chepstow success but things not gone to plan since. Handicap mark now 25lb below peak and after glimmers of hope at Chepstow latest he has each way claims.

Form: 9FP0-06

Rahmah^t1¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: M D Grant| T: G Deacon| OR: 99

33/1

Unplaced in six over hurdles and again well beaten at 80/1 last month at Hereford. Not seen enough to hold out much hope.

Form: 00460-0

Avoir De Soins²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Rex Dingle⁽³⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 97

7/1

Attractively bred handicap debutant well held in a bumper and three hurdles (latest two at three-figure prices) but expected to fare better now in modest handicap.

Form: FP-00

En Coeur¹⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 96

20/1

Unplaced in three bumpers and two novice hurdles but fourths here and at Warwick in the spring suggested he will win hurdle races and at this modest level on handicap debut he isn't ruled out.

Form: 06-544

Telegraph Place^p²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 89

6/1

2018 Warwick winner was a shorter price than Lochinver when ninth to that rival in October. Pulled up a long way out here latest so has questions to answer but off a career low mark he isn't totally ignored.

Form: 8055-9P

Moonlit Sea³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Phelan| OR: 97

11/1

Glimmers of hope at Huntingdon latest when fourth of nine from a long way back in a three-year-old hurdle. First handicap try and an interesting contender as the youngest runner in the field.

Form: 864

Polar Light²³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Henderson| OR: 82

33/1

Good effort when runner-up on her handicap debut over hurdles at Plumpton (2m4f, good) last winter but 0-7 over timber and failed to complete in two starts this term both at this racecourse. Risky proposition now.

Form: 0020-UP

Pottlereaghexpress¹³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: L P Aspell| T: T Lawes| OR: 81

10/3

10-race maiden for Jonjo O'Neill failed to make the frame although she did on occasions get close to doing so. Starts out for new handler off career low and probably workable mark so has place claims.

Form: 0974-75

Royal Concorde^t²⁶⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: Mrs L C Jewell| OR: 80

15/2

Took a huge step forward on handicap debut in March when third at Plumpton having held every chance two out. Returns here off same mark and if fully wound up he has a huge chance in this weak handicap.

Form: 5/6803-

Clondaw Robin^p²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 72

11/2

Although beaten 24L his handicap debut fourth at Uttoxeter last month represented a career best. Will need to step up accordingly to make the frame now but certainly has place possibilities.

Form: 0900P-4

Non-Runners

Pepper Street¹¹⁷

Weight: 11-12| Age: 4

T: Miss A Murphy J: Mr Eddie Edge

Lochinver²⁸

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: C E Longsdon J: Paul O'Brien

Crafty Codger⁹⁶

Weight: 11-6| Age: 8

T: P Henderson J: Nick Scholfield

Forecasts

Lochinver (11/4), Pottlereaghexpress (10/3), Clondaw Robin (11/2), Telegraph Place (6/1), Whatsmeanttobe (7/1), Avoir De Soins (7/1), Royal Concorde (15/2), Marley Firth (8/1), Moonlit Sea (11/1), Pepper Street (14/1), En Coeur (20/1), Crafty Codger (20/1), Rahmah (33/1), Polar Light (33/1)

Although this is his first run of the season ROYAL CONCORDE is worth chancing off the same mark as when a very promising third at Plumpton on handicap debut last March. Already a winner here this season, Lochinver rates the biggest threat and he ran similarly well at Huntingdon latest off today's 9lb higher mark. Handicap debutants Avoir De Soins and En Couer look the sorts to leave their ordinary novice form behind now handicapping.