16:10 Ascot

Saturday 15 February 2020

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45

Ascot Local Sports & Social Clubs Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 6m 23.0s

Maypole Class⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 124

10/1

Ploughed through the mud when winning at Lingfield (2m3½f, heavy); didn't quite get home when runner-up at Wincanton (2m5½f) subsequently; sits 5lb higher with stamina to conclusively prove; second preference is at Wincanton (3.23pm).

Form: 07-3212

Thegallantway²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 123| D

9/1

Progressive in defeat since comfortably taking an early season Exeter novice (2m2½f, good); was bang in contention until approaching the final flight when fourth (beaten 4L) to Falco Blitz here (2m5½f, heavy) four weeks ago; 1lb higher.

Form: 38-1344

Normandy Soldier⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁵⁾| T: R Mitford-Slade| OR: 123| BF

8/1

Hereford novice scorer (2m3½f, soft); made a pleasing handicap debut when going down fighting to Kansas City Chief at Taunton (3m, soft) over the festive period; sits 4lb higher in the weights.

Form: 51-5712

Vaziani^p¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Stan Sheppard| T: R Walford| OR: 121

14/1

Prominent racer who appears to be most effective when the mud is flying; kept on gamely from the final flight to repel Hideaway Vic in a five-runner affair at Taunton (3m1f, heavy) three weeks ago; 5lb higher; needs a career best.

Form: F-02931

Silent Assistant³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 119| D

12/1

Tralee point winner prior to joining Emma Lavelle for £50,000 (May 2018); brought along steadily since, showing signs of improved form in novice events (distant fourth to Kalooki at Ludlow (2m5½f, soft)); is making his handicap debut.

Form: 104-4

Who Shot Jr³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: S Bowen| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 118

66/1

Sprung a 20-1 surprise in a novice contest at Taunton (2m½f, good to soft) in November; hasn't shown the same level of form in two subsequent starts, including on handicap debut at Newbury four weeks ago; stamina to prove at 3m.

Form: 3-07187

St Barts⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 118| D

2/1

Lightly raced 6yo; hacked up in a modest maiden in the mud at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) prior to Christmas; stayed on to take third in a stronger race at Wincanton (2m5½f novices') a fortnight later; a noteworthy handicap debutant.

Form: 14-613

Los Alamos^t,v⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 118

100/1

All out winner of a Thurles maiden hurdle (2m6½f, good to firm) for Joseph O'Brien in November 2018; left that trainer after appearing on the Polytrack at Dundalk in February 2019; no promise in a visor (66-1) on recent debut for Tim Vaughan.

Form: 05/145-7

Coillte Eile³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 117| CD

16/1

Always in the front rank when scoring by 2½L in a Class 3 C&D mares' handicap hurdle (soft) in November; although less proficient elsewhere since (Kempton & Ludlow) she remains feasibly weighted from just a 4lb higher mark.

Form: 517188

Frisson Collonges^t⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 117

14/1

Cost £100,000 out of the Irish point-to-point scene (Apr 2019); brought along steadily by Dan Skelton, producing a career best in defeat (beaten a nose by Steal A March) in a Hereford novice (2m5½f, heavy) in December; interesting handicap debutant.

Form: P2-P42

Endless Flight²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 114

7/1

Left some modest novice hurdle form behind when winning with any amount in hand on handicap debut at Exeter (2m2½f; heavy); 12lb higher competing over an extra 5f; has been re-routed from yesterday's abandoned Sandown fixture.

Form: 47-P571

Easyrun De Vassy^p,t1⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 114| D

9/1

Just held (beaten a neck) at Taunton (3m, good to soft) on his penultimate start; couldn't recover (fourth) after clipping heels on the final bend over C&D (heavy) prior to Christmas; tongue-tie applied with further improvement thought probable.

Form: 155-624

Jully Les Buxy^b,t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Kieran Burke| OR: 113

40/1

Inconsistent; was never going well when beaten out of sight in this race 12 months ago and threw in another laboured effort (behind Tambura) at Plumpton latest; sits 6lb higher than when winning at Lingfield (2m7f, heavy) in early January.

Form: U-5F618

Talktomenow¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: D A Jacob| T: W Greatrex| OR: 110| D

40/1

Seven-race maiden with a fairly regressive profile (handicap mark is easing noticeably); held no chance with the front pair when a remote third of five to Teescomponents Lad at Catterick (3m1½f, soft) 15 days ago; look elsewhere.

Form: 054-473

Be My Sea⁴⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 110

25/1

Dual purpose performer (69-rated on the Flat); 2-8 over hurdles, including when holding on determinedly over 2m7½f at Fakenham (good to soft) on New Year's Day; 3lb higher in a more competitive contest (Cl 3); stable in-form on the AW.

Form: 221/631

Non-Runners

Taj Badalandabad²²

Weight: 12-1| Age: 10

T: D Pipe J: T Scudamore

Orchard Thieves⁴⁵⁸

Weight: 11-8| Age: 8

T: D Pipe J: Non Runner

Tambura²⁶

Weight: 11-8| Age: 10

T: N B King J: Mr Zac Baker

Forecasts

St Barts (2/1), Endless Flight (7/1), Normandy Soldier (8/1), Thegallantway (9/1), Easyrun De Vassy (9/1), Maypole Class (10/1), Silent Assistant (12/1), Vaziani (14/1), Frisson Collonges (14/1), Orchard Thieves (14/1), Coillte Eile (16/1), Taj Badalandabad (16/1), Tambura (20/1), Be My Sea (25/1), Jully Les Buxy (40/1), Talktomenow (40/1), Who Shot Jr (66/1), Los Alamos (100/1)

Both Maypole Class and Normandy Soldier boast progressive profiles despite having stamina reserves to conclusively prove at 3m. Meanwhile, a similar accusation can be levelled at the re-routed Endless Flight who absolutely hacked up on his handicap debut at Exeter (now rated 12lb higher). Paul Nicholls is responsible for the unexposed Easyrun De Vassy while St Barts makes appeal as a handicap newcomer with heavy ground winning novice form. However, for small stakes we'll chance the lightly-raced FRISSON COLLONGES who has been brought along steadily since joining the Skelton's for £100,000 in April 2019.