15:10 Fakenham

Tuesday 17 December 2019

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:10

Happy Christmas Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 5m 27.35s

Ah Well⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Adrian Heskin| T: T Gallagher| OR: 109

9/1

Quick reappearance after getting brought down at Doncaster on Friday, but had shown plenty of promise when in the frame on previous two starts, despite pulling quite hard; place chances if settling better and seeing it out.

Form: 33-B

Dandy Times¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Joanne Thomason-Murphy

66/1

Point-to-point winner in March but has shown next to nothing in two starts over hurdles, although it wasn't a complete write-off at Market Rasen last time; will hold a better chance once going into handicaps.

Form: UP31-P7

Moorsholme⁵⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: James Best| T: C Fryer

50/1

Point-to-point winner on only start at Sedgefield back in May, although the form is not strong; nice pedigree and ought to make a chaser in time, but may need the run today.

Form: 1-

Strong Glance²⁹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: O Murphy| OR: 121

4/5

Twice a bumper winner and his defeat of the useful Master Debonair at Cheltenham back in 2018 a standout bit of form; first start for new yard today, takes a big drop in class, and if fit after an absence, has to be a big player here.

Form: 15/1055-

Table Mountain

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T J O'Brien| T: Mrs F Kehoe

40/1

Mountain Town gelding, third foal; dam an unraced half-sister to a couple of winners but yard tend not to get debut winners, and is best watched today.

Form:

Tension Time²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: L Wadham

14/1

Caught the eye when an ultimately well-beaten third at Southwell on latest start, showing some spark but finished tired; will come on for that, yard get plenty of winners here and has each-way chances at worst.

Form: 6-83

Xcitations²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: Mrs P Sly

9/2

Looked booked for a place when coming down at the last at Market Rasen last time out, not a bad effort, and was far from disgraced on other hurdles start; needs more to cope with Strong Glance here, but clear chances of taking a prize home again.

Form: 565F

Young Offender⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds

5/2

Eighth in a better race than this at Chepstow last time that is working out pretty well is not a bad effort at all; will strip fitter for that, is totally unexposed and capable of better; might be the main threat to Strong Glance today.

Form: 2-8

Forecasts

Strong Glance (4/5), Young Offender (5/2), Xcitations (9/2), Ah Well (9/1), Tension Time (14/1), Table Mountain (40/1), Moorsholme (50/1), Dandy Times (66/1)

Strong Glance has yet to recapture his excellent bumper form but he starts out life for a new yard in a weak looking race, and has been given an excellent chance to score. However, he won't be a working man's price and in the hope the eight runners line up, an each-way play on YOUNG OFFENDER might be the way to go. He showed a lot more when finishing midfield behind Severano at Chepstow and that form looks decent. He can throw down a challenge to the likely favourite and expose any chinks in his armour. Xcitations is the other with form in the bank and a clear round should see him in the medals.