15:05 Ascot

Friday 20 December 2019

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Thames Materials Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 5m 41.41s

Saint De Reve^t1²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 129

4/1

Beaten (third) by stablemate Cat Tiger on hurdles debut; made no mistake next time when a clearcut 13L winner of a 2m5f novices' hurdle at Wincanton (good to soft); carries topweight on handicap debut sporting a newly applied tongue-tie.

Form: 9/44-31

Versatility³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Joe Anderson⁽¹⁰⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 128| BF

4/1

Made a winning start over hurdles at Warwick (2m3f, good) in May, and acquitted himself respectably on seasonal reappearance at Kempton (2m5f, good) when third to Boss Man Fred & Ofalltheginjoints; by Yeats so should handle the heavy ground.

Form: 04-13

Aintree My Dream^h,t⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 128

20/1

A fairly talented hurdler/chaser for Dan Skelton earlier in his career; hasn't fired in that discipline for Milton Harris so far this season, so was switched back to hurdles when a safely held third to Lord Of The Island (Sandown 2m4f, heavy).

Form: 83P573

Mr Muldoon^p²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁸⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 127

6/1

With the benefit of hindsight he didn't exactly beat the strongest bunch of rivals when successful at Kelso (2m4½f, soft) in October; has shown marginal improvement since - beaten 10L by Big Shark in a three-runner affair latest (3m1½f).

Form: 12-1132

Bootlegger^t1⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 123

25/1

With Edward O'Grady when winning a 2m6½f maiden at Thurles (good) in February; sold for £18,000 in May; was heavily eased following a mid-race mistake over fences at Worcester (2m7f) in October; tongue-tie now applied.

Form: 9510-59

Invincible Cave^p²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁵⁾| T: C Gordon| OR: 122

33/1

Easy winner of a 3m maiden for Gordon Elliott at Thurles (good) in February; disappointing over fences thereafter and is yet to show positively in three starts for Chris Gordon; unsurprisingly the handicapper has shown some mercy.

Form: 5355P0

Alcock And Brown¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Sean Houlihan| T: M F Harris| OR: 122

66/1

Won twice for Dan Skelton on good ground at Worcester (2m4f) during the summer, rising sharply in the weights as a result; nowhere near that form of late and has moved on at a knockdown price (of £1,500).

Form: 9/611-P0

Fortunate George¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Platt⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 122| C

9/1

Now rated 9lb lower than when winning on soft ground at Wincanton (2m5½f) in February 2018; merely plugged on past beaten horses to make the frame in a Class 2 handicap at Sandown (2m7½f, heavy) 13 days ago.

Form: 773P-73

Ashfield Paddy^h¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 117

5/2

Lightly raced and remains unexposed; built upon a promising effort at Uttoxeter (third) when a game winner on handicap debut at Haydock (2m7f, soft); 5lb higher with Jonjo O'Neill Jr taking over in the saddle from Ed Austin; of interest.

Form: 31-431

Kozier³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁶⁾| T: A King| OR: 116

13/2

59-rated Flat winner (Chepstow 2m, good to soft); runner-up on both starts over hurdles so far, including when making a mistake at the last behind Eclair Surf (Evs fav) at Exeter (2m5½f, soft) 37 days ago; handicap debut.

Form: 2/2

Forecasts

Ashfield Paddy (5/2), Versatility (4/1), Saint De Reve (4/1), Mr Muldoon (6/1), Kozier (13/2), Fortunate George (9/1), Aintree My Dream (20/1), Bootlegger (25/1), Invincible Cave (33/1), Alcock And Brown (66/1)

With a 10lb claimer booked, Nicky Henderson's VERSATILITY makes considerably more appeal than the Paul Nicholls-trained Wincanton scorer Saint De Reve. The selection was a beaten favourite over this trip at Kempton last month but that form has substance with the winner Boss Man Fred doubling-up at Southwell and the second Ofalltheginjoints finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Winter Novices' Hurdle. His main danger could emerge from the foot of the handicap where Ashfield Paddy lurks. Raised just 5lb for a recent Haydock (2m7f) handicap debut win, it's also perfectly relevant to acknowledge that the talented Jonjo O'Neill Jr takes over in the saddle.