14:10 Plumpton

Sunday 5 January 2020

All12:4013:1013:4014:1014:4015:1015:40

Download The Free At The Races App Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 5m 19.2s

Nessfield Blue²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M D Grant| T: P G Murphy| OR: 100

16/1

5L fourth at Chepstow penultimately looked a promising effort but pulled up subsequently at Warwick although that the first time he'd encountered heavy ground. Conditions here then again a concern.

Form: 6-3704P

Kalarika^b,t³⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 100

16/1

Still quite lightly raced and gained second career score over hurdles at Exeter latest (2m2½f, heavy). Upped 6lb for that win but appears to be an improver now and high on the shortlist in this most competitive of handicaps.

Form: 612/5P1-

Zoltan Varga³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: M Goldstein| T: Miss S West| OR: 100

10/1

0-16 for Mick Channon but looked somewhat revitalised when a 2L second of 13 at Taunton on stable debut. Not as easy to discount after that effort at 33/1 and now enters calculations.

Form: 232-F72

The Premier Celtic^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Phelan| OR: 99| C

6/1

0-11 since breakthrough win last February although his second at Fontwell (2m5½f) latest probably his best run since. No guarantee given his profile he'll back the effort up but capable of going close.

Form: 59-85U2

Ede'iffs Elton¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Rex Dingle⁽³⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 97

11/1

Hinted at some ability on his Exeter hurdling debut but failed to progress from that outing in subsequent midfield efforts at Taunton and Hereford. Handicap debut but opening mark high enough.

Form: 8F-676

Vicenzo Mio^p,t²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: L P Aspell| T: C Gordon| OR: 97

16/1

Twice second over fences here this year but hasn't won a race since 2013 and well held in most recent hurdle races so overall an unappealing proposition.

Form: 7526-62

Thats My Rabbit¹⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: R Johnson| T: J & S Best| OR: 96

10/3

Improving with racing since returning from a lengthy absence and registered a second hurdles success when victorious by 5L over 2m4f at Uttoxeter (heavy) recently. One for the shortlist despite 8lb rise.

Form: 768/041

Sauvignon³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Coleman| T: George Baker| OR: 95

20/1

1-19 record overall and three underwhelming efforts since stable debut second suggests her one to avoid despite tumbling handicap mark.

Form: 922-775

Cassivellaunus³²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Steele| OR: 94| BF| C

50/1

Winner for this yard in early 2018 but disappointed here (soft) in a first time visor (absent here) in February. Drops markedly in distance on seasonal debut having rejoined this stable in the interim.

Form: P03237-

High Up In The Air⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 93| BF

9/2

Placed in a point-to-point on good ground in June 2018 but has disappointed in five starts under Rules and dropping markedly in distance having finished 16½L eighth here over 3m1f latest.

Form: 2695-78

Affaire D'Honneur^t⁵⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Bannister| T: A W Carroll| OR: 92

7/1

Often held back by his attitude the last win on his CV came over a year ago and that was only in selling company. Very easy to back when last seen (without a tongue-tie) at Uttoxeter (2m, heavy); produced no more than a laboured effort.

Form: 1665-86

Schap^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Bridget Andrews| T: C Fryer| OR: 91

100/1

13-race maiden placed once in 11 races over hurdles and tailed off on reappearance at Fakenham last month. Hard to have any optimism.

Form: 86450-5

Kalabee^p,t³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 84

50/1

Tailed off in all three bumpers and all three hurdles so far. Opening handicap today but can only recommend a watching brief.

Form: 70-8589

Bostin²³⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Thomas Garner| T: D C O'Brien| OR: 82| CD

100/1

Won twice in 2017 but more miss than hit in four starts after a subsequent 539 day absence and latest effort further evidence that he may be regressing.

Form: 38/036-8

Royal Concorde^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Brendan Powell| T: Mrs L C Jewell| OR: 78

20/1

Massively improved effort here on handicap debut last March when a close third over 2m. Below that effort at Fontwell on reappearance but could have needed the run there and this low-mileage nine-year-old is an interesting contender.

Form: 5/6803-5

Forecasts

Thats My Rabbit (10/3), High Up In The Air (9/2), The Premier Celtic (6/1), Affaire D'Honneur (7/1), Zoltan Varga (10/1), Ede'iffs Elton (11/1), Vicenzo Mio (16/1), Nessfield Blue (16/1), Kalarika (16/1), Sauvignon (20/1), Royal Concorde (20/1), Kalabee (50/1), Cassivellaunus (50/1), Bostin (100/1), Schap (100/1)

Colin Tizzard won this race 12 months ago and in KALARIKA who won well at Exeter in the manner of an improving mare he has the most likely winner here too. Of course there are plenty of decent alternatives with fellow last time out winner Thats My Rabbit probably the biggest danger. A potentially value alternative for each-way backers in lightly-raced well-bred Royal Concorde.