16:30 Exeter

Tuesday 3 March 2020

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Stablesoft Europe Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 4m 33.10s

Top Gamble^b,t¹³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 120| D

14/1

Top-class handicapper a couple of seasons ago but now looks on the downgrade and his mark is falling quickly as a result; takes another drop in grade here, which will help, but not really finishing his races off with a lot of gusto.

Form: F0-F366

Morning Spirit⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 120

9/2

Improving with each start and his second to future Grade 2 Dovecote winner Highway One O Two at Plumpton last time looks all the better now; trip and ground fine, and opening mark looks fair enough, so is a big player today.

Form: 3752

Buster Moon⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott| OR: 120

50/1

More letters than numbers in his form over the past 12 months, never a good thing, and barely went a yard with any enthusiasm at Wincanton last time (reportedly bled); needs to recapture his novice form to hold any chance.

Form: 43/6P-UP

Show On The Road^h⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: David Noonan| T: Mrs F M Shaw| OR: 115| CD

28/1

C&D winner (for Philip Hobbs) back in 2018 and in heavy ground too, so has that going for him, but has been on the downgrade for a while and didn't show enough on debut for this yard last time to make him of interest here.

Form: 565-477

Nelson's Touch³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 115

7/1

Starting to look nicely treated on the best of his form but has been a bit below par this winter and his last of nine at Leicester last time out rang a few alarm bells; one to watch when the ground quickens up a bit this spring.

Form: 02-2678

Sabbathical²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 108| BF

9/1

Getting the hang of things now and was a ready winner in heavy ground at Leicester two starts back; bit below that at Sedgefeld (when made favourite) last time out but will enjoy these conditions and could bounce back.

Form: P70314

Stage Summit²²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: James Best| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 107

20/1

Was ultimately disappointing for Ben Pauling and now has first start for new yard, but not seen out since last July and will surely needs this run to put him a bit straighter. Seems to prefer better ground too, so others make more appeal today.

Form: 32F-804

Demopolis^t⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 105

6/5

Improving and has won last two starts, pulling it out of the fire at Ludlow last week after looking beaten at the last; had a hard enough race there and this comes quick enough, but clearly on the upgrade and has to be taken seriously.

Form: 0-P9411

Daytime Ahead¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁵⁾| T: R J Hodges| OR: 105| C

6/1

Pops up now and then and did so here at Exeter back in Janaury, but has thrown in two lesser efforts since then, which demonstrate his inconsistency. Chances if on a going day, but comes with plenty of risk.

Form: 9-00175

Giga White¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 104

33/1

Looks thrown in on this mark if you take his Irish Flat form as a guide, rated in the 80's, but three hurdles efforts to date have been moderate. Could improve a bundle for going handicapping though, so if there's money for him, he'd be interesting.

Form: 360

Forecasts

Demopolis (6/5), Morning Spirit (9/2), Daytime Ahead (6/1), Nelson's Touch (7/1), Sabbathical (9/1), Top Gamble (14/1), Stage Summit (20/1), Show On The Road (28/1), Giga White (33/1), Buster Moon (50/1)

Probably only a handful to concentrate on. Demopolis comes into this in excellent form and still has what appears to be a workable mark, but he did have a hard race at Ludlow just a few days ago and it isn't impossible he will fell the effects of that. MORNING SPIRIT ran a cracker at Plumpton against one that went on to Grade 2 success and if he improves a little on that, surely has to go close here. Sabbathical has already won for Adam Wedge but he switches to the potentially well-handicapped Giga White, and any money for him needs noting strongly.