15:05 Wincanton

Saturday 9 January 2021

All11:5212:2512:5813:3014:0514:3515:0515:45

MansionBet's Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 3m 51.49s

Argus³¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: C Gethings| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 103WS

33/1

Won twice on the fibresand at Southwell for current yard in 2019. Operating below best on the level last winter and this his first hurdles start in over 3 years. Has had a wind op.

Form: 66910/

Anightinlambourn³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 103

3/1

Big career best when second in a handicap at Southwell in November (20f). Weakened out of things over 21f at Warwick a month later and now back in trip.

Form: 942-524

Ambion Hill⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 102

11/4

Dropping in the weights and positives to glean from all 3 starts in handicaps to end 2020. Remains of interest.

Form: 374-064

First Class Return²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 101

18/1

Long-standing maiden when trained in Ireland and didn't shape with any obvious encouragement both starts for new yard. 2m looks an insufficient test.

Form: 344-009

Baignard^h²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: Nick Mitchell| OR: 101

9/1

Seventh of 14 in a Taunton novice in November and matched that form when third over C&D 3 weeks later. Retains potential ahead of this handicap debut.

Form: 323-873

Pengo's Boy^h⁴⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 11-5| J: R T Dunne| T: R G Hawker| OR: 100

22/1

Very lightly raced for this yard and hard to know how much ability he retains.

Form: 123F9/6

Chief Brody^p⁴⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁵⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 99

16/1

Cashed in on a reduced mark and the waywardness of a rival when back to winning ways at Exeter in October. Unable to match that form later in the autumn.

Form: 668178

Blazing Saddles^t⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Rex Dingle| T: J Scott| OR: 98

9/2

Fair 1½m Flat winner for Ralph Beckett. Improved on handicap debut after breathing op when second of 6 in 2m hurdle at Huntingdon in March. Likely needed the run at Fakenham in November.

Form: 07602-9

Finisher^p³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Fergus Gillard⁽⁵⁾| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 97

10/1

Fair maiden hurdler last term but ended 2020 with a brace of heavy defeats in handicaps.

Form: P924-80

Sing Out Loud²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁷⁾| T: M Madgwick| OR: 95

28/1

Just modest on the Flat these days and never a factor on handicap debut over hurdles last month.

Form: 7-548

Ingenuity⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Miss H C Tucker⁽⁷⁾| T: B Barr| OR: 95

14/1

Runner-up on the Flat in September, but efforts over hurdles last year were pretty underwhelming. Since left Milton Harris.

Form: 0/6-4476

Non-Runners

Now Children¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: Alexandra Dunn J: Cillin Leonard

Forecasts

Ambion Hill (11/4), Anightinlambourn (3/1), Blazing Saddles (9/2), Baignard (9/1), Finisher (10/1), Ingenuity (14/1), Chief Brody (16/1), First Class Return (18/1), Now Children (20/1), Pengo's Boy (22/1), Sing Out Loud (28/1), Argus (33/1)

Not a particularly convincing bunch, but AMBION HILL was shaping up nicely in handicaps to end last year so he could be the answer. Anightinlambourn and Baignard head the opposition.