16:00 Taunton

Monday 30 December 2019

All12:4513:1513:5014:2514:5515:3016:00

2 For 1 Entry 7th January Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 4m 51.03s

Lightly Squeeze⁴^{(ex 7)}

Age: 5| Weight: 12-5| J: Bryan Carver⁽³⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 110

1/1

Had been expensive to follow, but finally put it all together when winning at the eighth attempt over hurdles at Wincanton (2m; heavy) on Boxing Day. Turned out quickly again so escapes a penalty, and he has strong claims in his follow-up bid.

Form: 4/43-231

Twenty Twenty^v²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-13| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁸⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 111

4/1

Posted yet another consistent effort when runner-up to Pagero (who has since gone in again) at Huntingdon (2m4f; good to soft). Back up 3lb (6lb above last winning mark), but should remain competitive and is definitely a major player.

Form: 1-39332

Starsky^t²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 110

9/2

Some smart form to his name in novice hurdles, and he was placed in a bumper at this track back in April. Makes handicap debut as he steps up to 2m3f for the first time. Should do well at this level.

Form: 23-637

Farm The Rock⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Tabitha Worsley| T: Katy Price| OR: 109

33/1

Things have gone badly wrong the last twice after he was enjoying a good run of form. Pulled-up on his final start last season, and returned to action with a similarly poor performance when 10th at Exeter (2m7f; soft).

Form: 1342-P0

Breffniboy³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Ben Jones| T: J Farrelly| OR: 109

14/1

Handicap debutante who finished sixth over 2m at this track last time out. Should have a bright future in this sphere, but needs to improve first before he is recommended as a solid proposition for races of this nature.

Form: 0-57586

Queen Of The Wind³⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁸⁾| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 109

16/1

Still not fully exposed, and she was going for the hat-trick when an underwhelming ninth in this race last year. Not seen since so she does have some questions to answer. Yard are in good form though so a market check is advised.

Form: 16/7119-

Mead Vale^p1⁶¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Tom Buckley⁽³⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 108| C

25/1

Patchy record of late, and has failed to complete on each of his last three starts, including over 2m here last time out when he unseated his rider. Now reverts to hurdles, and his only career success came over 2m at this track last year. Risky.

Form: 2-67BFU

Seasearch^t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Rex Dingle| T: C J Gray| OR: 108

40/1

Not disgraced at this track in November when fourth, but was then tailed-off again when taking another backwards step earlier this month. Now enters the handicapping ranks, and should have a future at this level. This is competitive though.

Form: 046

Briac¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 103| D

33/1

Finished last of seven when tailed-off at Ffos Las (2m; heavy) on his seasonal reappearance. Dropped 5lb for that but he was never at the races. May improve but will need to do so markedly if he is to have any chance.

Form: 1333-47

Daytime Ahead²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: R Patrick| T: R J Hodges| OR: 103

50/1

Tailed-off at Sandown (2m4f; heavy) on her return from over a year off the track. Now just 1lb above her last winning mark, but she needs to show more encouragement before faith is placed into her once again.

Form: U13/69-0

Lets Go Dutchess^t²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Max Kendrick| T: K Bishop| OR: 102| CD

33/1

C&D winner back in November 2016, but is now 6lb above that mark. Didn't offer any encouragement on her return from a long absence at Wincanton (2m; good to soft) at the start of the month. May step forward a fair bit from that though.

Form: 5/F432-0

Unblinking⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁶⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 102

14/1

3lb below his last winning mark, but he is really struggling for form at the moment which was exacerbated by the manner of his defeat when last of eight at Market Rasen (2m4f; heavy) on seasonal reappearance. Major revival required.

Form: 556-008

Get Wishing^p,t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Edward Austin⁽³⁾| T: V R A Dartnall| OR: 99

8/1

Has ran exclusively at Exeter on each of his last three starts, finishing fourth on each occasion. Finished a remote fourth on comeback run at the start of the month. Still 7lb above last winning mark as well.

Form: 33P4-44

Mr Magill^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Godfrey⁽³⁾| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 86

40/1

Drops back markedly in trip after finishing ninth of 10 over 3m at this track on seasonal return earlier this month. Needs to step up on recent showings which haven't been good enough. Others look much more solid.

Form: 51820-9

Flow With Eve^p³⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Shane Quinlan| T: K Bishop| OR: 81

40/1

Well-beaten on return to action in a lower grade than this at Wincanton (2m4f; good to soft). Dropped another 5lb by the handicapper but doesn't look ready to take advantage of dwindling mark. Record over hurdles now reads 0-18.

Form: 30F-500

Candyman Can^h¹⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Page Fuller| T: L Hurley| OR: 78

66/1

0-12 over hurdles and makes seasonal return to action after not being seen since finishing a tailed off last of three at Newton Abbot (2m5f; good to firm) on chase debut back in July. Look elsewhere for more realistic alternatives.

Form: 05-7603

Non-Runners

Miss Gemstone³²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: K Bailey & M Nicholls J: C Brace

Forecasts

Lightly Squeeze (1/1), Twenty Twenty (4/1), Starsky (9/2), Get Wishing (8/1), Miss Gemstone (8/1), Breffniboy (14/1), Unblinking (14/1), Queen Of The Wind (16/1), Mead Vale (25/1), Farm The Rock (33/1), Briac (33/1), Lets Go Dutchess (33/1), Mr Magill (40/1), Seasearch (40/1), Flow With Eve (40/1), Daytime Ahead (50/1), Candyman Can (66/1)

After he shed his maiden tag with an authoritative success at Wincanton just four days ago, LIGHTLY SQUEEZE can go in again with the step up in trip offering the chance of further improvement to come from this relatively unexposed five-year-old. The chief danger to the selection looks to be Twenty Twenty who, like the selection, has also been in consistent form this year. He bumped into the upwardly mobile Pagero when runner-up at Huntingdon recently and should be thereabouts once more. The Paul Nicholls-trained Starsky is likely to win races at this level and can run a promising race on handicap debut as he steps up in trip beyond 2m1f for the first time.