12:30 Ffos Las

Monday 16 December 2019

All12:3013:0013:3014:0514:3515:1015:45

Pendine Sands Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:31 | Winning time: 5m 32.5s

Sergeant Brody^b1,t²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁵⁾| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 102

14/1

Reverts to hurdles after producing a laboured effort over fences here in testing conditions last time returning from an eight-month absence. Yet to win a race it's hard to see him playing a part in this even with the addition of first-time blinkers.

Form: 6P364-6

Steel Native²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: D A Rees| OR: 100| CD

10/1

Three-time course winner with his hurdles win coming at this trip although he has looked short of any zip of late. Slips back down to his last winning mark but was well beaten off this rating on Saturday at Hereford (3m); hard to build a solid case.

Form: 15-FP50

Finvarra^t1²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 96

33/1

Modest maiden at up to 1m on the Flat in Ireland he's run freely in all his qualifying runs whilst gaining a mark for his handicap debut. Will need to settle better now he steps up in trip especially in these testing conditions; tongue-tie goes on.

Form: 056

Illdoittomorrow¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 96

33/1

Well in his solitary bumper his form over hurdles has hardly been any better although he may do better in handicaps now that he has a mark albeit a stiff one. Yard not in the greatest form and he does come here off a poor run last time.

Form: 609P

Beau Haze³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: P C Dando| OR: 94

8/1

Looked to have been brought along gradually in novice events (showed some promise) with a view to improving once sent into handicaps. Ran no sort of race in that sphere (on debut) after seven-months off at Hereford last time; up in trip, more needed.

Form: 40745-0

Ring The Moon¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 91

9/2

Fair in bumpers his novice hurdle campaign appears to have been geared around obtaining a handicap mark (one run catching the eye of the Chepstow stewards). Headgear (worn last time) dispensed with for handicap debut; one to note in the market.

Form: 32-0908

Out The Glen⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 90

3/1

Took a marked step forward returning from a five-month break stepping into handicaps for the first time when winning at Huntingdon (3m1f) last month. 4lb rise unlikely to prove a hinderance to his follow up bid over a 4f shorter trip; leading player.

Form: 4075-61

Kestrel Valley^h¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 87

7/2

Yet to score over hurdles but does have a much reduced mark to make use of having first run in handicaps off 106. Bettered her recent efforts with a creditable third at Leicester (2m, soft), eased a further 2lb; dangerous to ignore if she stays 2m4f.

Form: F0P-093

Bredon Hill Lad^p,t²⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 82| C| D

16/1

Gets a second outing in a row over hurdles after showing little promise in his more usual discipline over fences of late. Twice a course winner he's now 8lb below his last winning chase mark; hard to trust temperamentally to produce anything here.

Form: 1P4-4P5

Vif Argent^b,h,t⁷³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Lee Edwards| T: Dave Roberts| OR: 81| C| D

11/1

The clock needs winding back to 2015 to find his last wins although of late thanks to a career-low mark he's threatened to come good again. Needs to bounce back from a poor run on heavy ground last time though; easy enough to have doubts.

Form: 3-3U428

Modulus^p⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: A Nicol| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 70| D

9/2

A four-time winner for Peter Winks in 2017 he gradually lost his form for that yard; fell like a stone through the handicap. Well backed (like a few) on his first run for this yard he fell at Newcastle; 4lb out of the weights, turnaround needed.

Form: 6076P-F

Non-Runners

Tara Well³⁰

Weight: 10-6| Age: 9

T: R Dickin J: Tabitha Worsley

Forecasts

Out The Glen (3/1), Kestrel Valley (7/2), Ring The Moon (9/2), Modulus (9/2), Tara Well (11/2), Beau Haze (8/1), Steel Native (10/1), Vif Argent (11/1), Sergeant Brody (14/1), Bredon Hill Lad (16/1), Illdoittomorrow (33/1), Finvarra (33/1)

Not many of these come into this in form although there are one or two that will need watching in the market alongside others who are well handicapped on their old form. Steel Native won on this card last year but doesn’t appear to be in much form while the Evan Williams pair making their handicap debuts Finvarra and Ring The Moon would only be of interest if receiving market support. The same could be said of Modulus who was well supported last time on his first run for David Jeffreys. Tara Well could be expected to make the most of her mark but the Dickin yard haven’t had a winner since June. OUT THE GLEN therefore is taken to score again with Kestral Valley seen as the main danger.