12:45 Uttoxeter

Tuesday 8 December 2020

All12:1512:4513:1513:4514:1714:4715:17

Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:46 | Winning time: 4m 8.47s

Pop The Cork³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 118| CD

3/1

Juvenile hurdle winner here last autumn and ran up to best on the back of a wind operation/9 months off when fourth in a 9-runner handicap at Wetherby (2m) 39 days ago. Needs considering.

Form: 2172-4

Courtland³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 111

6/1

Bumper winner who shaped encouragingly when third on Hereford hurdle debut in October. Looked less than straightforward when filling same spot at Ffos Las but may do better now handicapping.

Form: 76-2133

Temple Man^p1²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 109| D

7/2

Won a pair of Kelso handicaps last term and proved his effectiveness away from that track when third at Sedgefield (19.8f) 26 days ago. Back down in trip in first-time cheekpieces and considered.

Form: 30/61-23

Fort De L'Ocean^t¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Alan Johns| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 108| BF

6/1

Form: 166522

Lord Of The Rock³⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Ross Chapman| T: D Brooke| OR: 107WS

50/1

Sedgefield novice hurdle winner who was well held on Newcastle chasing debut when last seen 11 months ago. Has since Lawrence Mullaney and had a wind operation.

Form: 144/3-

Authorizo^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Ross Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 107| D

4/1

Drop to selling company saw him return to winning ways at Stratford in October, but below form both starts back in handicaps subsequently.

Form: 577177

Barrys Jack²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 102| D

8/1

Veteran who is winless since 2019 but given a chance by the assessor and returned from a long lay-off with an excellent second at Carlisle in October. However, wasn't in same form at Southwell since.

Form: P543/28

Officer Drivel³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: T Scudamore| T: J & S Best| OR: 98| D

16/1

Poor on Flat nowadays but showed he still has something to offer in this sphere when runner-up over C&D on penultimate start. Not in same form in a better race at Plumpton last time, though.

Form: 437/826

Non-Runners

Song Of The Hunter²⁶⁶

Weight: 11-8| Age: 6

T: Miss G Haywood J: Rex Dingle

Forecasts

Pop The Cork (3/1), Temple Man (7/2), Authorizo (4/1), Courtland (6/1), Fort De L'Ocean (6/1), Barrys Jack (8/1), Song Of The Hunter (8/1), Officer Drivel (16/1), Lord Of The Rock (50/1)

COURTLAND didn't look altogether straightforward when third at Ffos Las, but that form reads okay, so he's worth the chance to do better now venturing into handicaps from what appears a fair opening mark. Pop The Cork ran up to his best on return at Wetherby and is a potential threat, along with handicap-debutant Song of The Hunter.