15:40 Taunton

Thursday 12 December 2019

All12:3013:0013:3014:0514:3515:1015:40

Dave Criddle Travel Abercrombie And Kent Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:43 | Winning time: 6m 37.10s

Massini's Dream⁴²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Tudor⁽⁷⁾| T: Christian Williams| OR: 100| D

25/1

Twice a winner in point-to-point company but a ten race maiden under Rules. Finished 21L third in a 2m7f novice hurdle at Worcester (good) in October last year and is worth a check in the market on return from an absence.

Form: 322283-

Whatsthecraicjack³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 98

14/1

Failed to figure in three starts over hurdles to date including when 39L ninth over 2m1f at Exeter (soft) last month. Worth a check in the market upped markedly in distance on handicap debut.

Form: 909

Layerthorpe³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ben Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 92

13/8

Completed a double when winning by a neck over an extended 3m1f at Hereford (good) at the start of last month. Raised 4lb for that victory and remains open to improvement.

Form: F5/2-711

Viking Ruby^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 91| BF| CD

8/1

Successful in a handicap hurdle over this C&D on her penultimate start and still held chances when unseating at the last at Fakenham (good) subsequently. Interesting off a mark 11lb higher than for that C&D triumph.

Form: 96F21U

The Boola Bee^h³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Tom Buckley⁽⁷⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 91| D

11/1

Finished runner-up in a couple of handicap chases this autumn including at Wincanton (3m1f, good) in October. Returns to hurdles having pulled up on heavy ground at Hexham (3m) last time out.

Form: 4-1122P

We'llcwhathappens¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: R Rowe| OR: 90| D

5/1

Point-to-point winner finished 13½L fourth in a 2m3f handicap hurdle on good-to-soft ground here last time out. Interesting to see how she fares in this contest having finished well beaten over this C&D in March.

Form: 4597-54

Sign Of War^p1,t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 89| BF

5/1

Maiden after nine starts but has run well in defeat the last twice including when 13½L sixth at Chepstow (2m, soft) last time out. Tongue tie returns and cheekpieces replace visor worn of late as he steps up in distance.

Form: 49-6P46

Galactic Power¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: R Dickin| OR: 88

16/1

Failed to figure in two starts this season most recently when beaten 55L over 2m5f at Ludlow (soft) last month. Market support would be notable having won off a much higher mark in the past.

Form: 465B-07

Mr Magill^t²⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 87

20/1

Good 5L second in a soft ground C&D contest in March. Failed to figure on good going at Exeter (2m7f) subsequently however and is likely to improve for this seasonal debut.

Form: 551820-

Scaramucci⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: R T Dunne| T: J Farrelly| OR: 86

20/1

11 race maiden improved on debut for this yard when finishing 25L fifth over 2m1f at Exeter (good) in October. More needed upped markedly in trip if he's to take this contest.

Form: 0560-05

Non-Runners

Tactical Manoeuvre⁶

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: J Scott J: Non Runner

Eric The Third¹⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 10

T: Tim Vaughan J: Alan Johns

Akkapenko⁴⁴

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: Tim Vaughan J: Charlie Price

Forecasts

Layerthorpe (13/8), We'llcwhathappens (5/1), Sign Of War (5/1), Tactical Manoeuvre (7/1), Viking Ruby (8/1), The Boola Bee (11/1), Eric The Third (12/1), Whatsthecraicjack (14/1), Akkapenko (14/1), Galactic Power (16/1), Scaramucci (20/1), Mr Magill (20/1), Massini's Dream (25/1)

MASSINI'S DREAM showed ability in novice hurdles last season and she can make a winning return from an absence to defy top weight in the concluding staying handicap hurdle. Viking Ruby still held claims when unseating at the last on her most recent outing and she can claim second spot ahead of Layerthorpe who has won his last two starts.