12:45 Ascot

Friday 18 December 2020

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:35

ITV7 100k Jackpot On Boxing Day Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:47 | Winning time: 5m 28.91s

Air Horse One^b,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 130| C

14/1

Successful at Ffos Las last year and matched that form when third in a big-field handicap at Taunton 3 weeks ago. Same mark here but meets some unexposed rivals.

Form: 4360-53

First Lord De Cuet^p,t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 128| BF

11/2

Heavily backed each time when finding one too good in a brace of handicaps at up to 23f in recent weeks. Nudged up 2 lb but he's not fully exposed.

Form: 120-322

Castle Robin^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul O'Brien| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 126

8/1

Point winner who is going the right way over hurdles, off the mark with a make-all success at Carlisle (20f) and responded really well when supplementing that in a big-field race at Cheltenham.

Form: 273-311

Emir Sacree^h1⁶³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Joe Anderson⁽¹⁰⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 125

11/1

Fairly useful maiden chaser, runner-up 4 times over fences, including when beaten neck by Violon de Brejoux in handicap at Auteuil in 2018/19 for R. Chatel. Long absence to overcome but in top hands.

Form: 33222F/

Chazza^t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Chester Williams⁽³⁾| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 124

13/2

Point/bumper winner who made second completed hurdles start a successful one in at Bangor (16.6f) in September, showing a good attitude. Promising second on handicap debut and this trip will suit.

Form: 1/12-F12

Zyon²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 124

11/2

Bred to be useful and well prepared to get off the mark in novice company at Wincanton last month. That race is working out and he can do better providing he stands training.

Form: 03/3-1

The Eaglehaslanded^p,t³⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Rex Dingle| T: J Scott| OR: 124

50/1

Fairly useful hurdler who shaped as if retaining ability on belated return/yard debut when mid-field in a Uttoxeter handicap (23.3f) in October. Crashed out at Uttoxeter last time.

Form: 5734/7F

Dhowin²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: C Brace| T: W Greatrex| OR: 120

11/1

Confirmed promise of hurdling debut when off mark in Hereford novice a year ago. Left Jonjo O'Neill ahead of reappearance/handicap debut but he shaped quite nicely at Wincanton. Up in trip.

Form: 52/614-6

College Oak⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Page Fuller⁽³⁾| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 119| C

11/1

Progressive sort who resumed winning ways on second start in a handicap here over 19.3f in October. Up 6 lb in a better race but runner-up has advertised that form since.

Form: 124-151

Steal A March³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: N J Henderson| OR: 118| D

9/2

Off the mark at second attempt over hurdles at Hereford (21.7f) a year ago and matched that when filling the frame in handicaps 8 months apart. Better than result behind Castle Robin, too.

Form: 4414-3

Game Socks¹¹^{(ex 7)}

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁶⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 110

9/1

In the frame on all 3 starts in maidens at up to 21f in Ireland for Paul Power and another to show improved form immediately upon joining Dr Richard Newland when a game winner at Plumpton.

Form: 4421

Be My Sea²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Max Kendrick| T: A W Carroll| OR: 108

125/1

Fair winning stayer on Flat and over hurdles. 2m an inadequate test on reappearance but he still didn't show a great deal.

Form: 1/6318-P

Non-Runners

Shang Tang²⁷

Weight: 11-12| Age: 6

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: Ben Jones

Jacamar²⁰

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: M F Harris J: Mitchell Bastyan

Forecasts

Steal A March (9/2), First Lord De Cuet (11/2), Zyon (11/2), Chazza (13/2), Castle Robin (8/1), Shang Tang (8/1), Game Socks (9/1), Emir Sacree (11/1), Dhowin (11/1), College Oak (11/1), Air Horse One (14/1), Jacamar (16/1), The Eaglehaslanded (50/1), Be My Sea (125/1)

STEAL A MARCH caught the eye finishing with running left having been left poorly placed through no fault of his own at Cheltenham last time, and granted more luck, is taken to reverse the form with Castle Robin. Of the others, Zyon and Game Socks are last-time out winners with the scope to rate higher in handicaps.