13:25 Fakenham

Monday 4 January 2021

All12:2512:5513:2513:5514:2514:5515:25

Fakenham Racecourse Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:25 | Winning time: 5m 21.7s

Foreign Secretary^v1³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 125

6/1

Hurdles winner in Ireland and placed on 2 of his 5 starts for new connections. However, latest effort in blinkers at Taunton (19f) wasn't one of his better ones and now tried in a visor.

Form: 5-83027

Paricolor^b,t²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Fergus Gillard⁽⁵⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 125| C

13/2

Completed quick hat-trick in selling hurdles at Taunton (16.5f) last month. Conditions to suit once again, but this is fair bit tougher back in handicap company.

Form: 565111

Not A Role Model^t⁵⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁵⁾| T: S Thomas| OR: 123| D

4/1

Left low-key reappearance well behind when landing a 10-runner handicap chase at Wincanton (20.2f, good) in November. Couldn't rule out back over hurdles off a 1 lb lower mark.

Form: 41P2-51

Group Stage^p1²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Adrian Heskin| T: A King| OR: 121

7/2

Winner of Ludlow juvenile hurdle last season and latest effort in Doncaster handicap (19.4f, soft) was fair. Down 2 lb and definite claims if first-time cheekpieces have the desired effect.

Form: 420-893

Shantung^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Bryony Frost| T: L Wadham| OR: 107| BF| D

10/3

Winless since 2018 but, having undergone a wind op, her first 2 efforts this season were creditable. Unsuited by drop back to 2m and the brush obstacles at Southwell latest and better expected here.

Form: 955-434

No Quarter Asked^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 100

11/2

Hit the crossbar in handicap hurdles at Ffos Las and Chepstow in October. Below par on Hereford chase debut last time, though, and more needed if he's to open his account here. Cheekpieces refitted.

Form: 257226

Hier Encore²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Rex Dingle| T: N Dunger| OR: 99

18/1

More miss than hit last term and while he was a good second off this mark at his favoured hunting ground, Fontwell, in October, his 2 subsequent efforts there have not been inspiring.

Form: 64-2247

Non-Runners

Show Promise²⁸

Weight: 11-5| Age: 7

T: P A Kirby J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Shantung (10/3), Group Stage (7/2), Not A Role Model (4/1), No Quarter Asked (11/2), Foreign Secretary (6/1), Paricolor (13/2), Show Promise (12/1), Hier Encore (18/1)

In the hope that the application of cheekpieces has the desired effect, GROUP STAGE gets the vote in this tricky-looking handicap. He wasn't disgraced in a better race than this at Doncaster last month and a further 2 lb drop in the weights leaves him on an appealing mark. Shantung's latest effort is best overlooked and she is feared, while recent chase winner Not A Role Model also has claims.