16:05 Fakenham

Friday 19 March 2021

All13:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:40

Country Food Trust Fakenham Silver Cup Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 4m 1.35s

Rowland Ward⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 124| DWS

4/1

Fairly useful on Flat and similar form over hurdles, though below-par third at Warwick last month. More needed after wind op.

Form: 15-3023

Playa Blanca¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Daniel Sansom⁽³⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 122| D

14/1

Completed hurdles 4-timer on return at Kelso in October. Below form of late though so has work to do.

Form: 1-12067

Dave And Bernie^p1¹¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: G Sheehan| T: O Signy| OR: 120| D

20/1

Ended time with Michael Barry in Ireland in good form and made winning start for this yard in Ludlow handicap. Well below par at Taunton last time though so needs to bounce back. Cheekpieces tried.

Form: 221310

Xcitations⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 120| BF| D

10/3

Raised his game when getting off the mark at Huntingdon (2m) in November. Rare poor run at Doncaster only start since when race possibly came too quickly and taken to bounce back after a break.

Form: 37-2717

Floating Rock^p,t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 119| D

12/1

Has improved again for new yard this term, scoring at Stratford and Sedgefield. Below par on Flat at Southwell last time but not ruled out returned to this sphere.

Form: 0-31911

Glan Y Gors^t⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: D Thompson| OR: 118

12/1

Fairly useful Flat winner (successful 5 times on AW) and struck over hurdles at Cartmel last summer. In decent form on the level so not dismissed back hurdling here.

Form: 32-1444

Sarasota Star⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: James Best| T: M Keighley| OR: 117

9/1

Low-mileage hurdler who landed back-to-back 17f handicap wins at Carlisle. Well held at Cheltenham last time though and races off career-high mark now.

Form: 43-3110

Timeforaspin^p1,h²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: James Davies| T: M D I Usher| OR: 116

16/1

Landed a maiden hurdle for Olly Murphy in late 2019. Took a step back in right direction for current yard when fourth at Uttoxeter last time. Cheekpieces on now and worth considering.

Form: 3/51-P54

Can't Stop Now^h⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Nick Scholfield| T: C Gordon| OR: 122| CD

16/1

Fair maiden on Flat who came good at third time of asking over hurdles when making all at Fakenham in November. Bang there when fell heavily last at Taunton a month later. Off since but in the mix.

Form: 3P1F

Shantung^p⁵⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: James Bowen| T: L Wadham| OR: 111| CD

3/1

Gained first win since 2018 when bagging C&D handicap in January, jumping better than is often the case. Up 4 lb but still not taken lightly.

Form: 5-43421

If Karl's Berg Did¹¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Kevin Jones⁽³⁾| T: M F Harris| OR: 107

33/1

Remains a maiden, and she followed good Ludlow handicap second with poor effort there last time. Back from near 4-month absence with bit to prove.

Form: 45352P

Forecasts

Shantung (3/1), Xcitations (10/3), Rowland Ward (4/1), Sarasota Star (9/1), Floating Rock (12/1), Glan Y Gors (12/1), Playa Blanca (14/1), Timeforaspin (16/1), Can't Stop Now (16/1), Dave And Bernie (20/1), If Karl's Berg Did (33/1)

A few with chances so at the likely odds it could be worth siding with XCITATIONS, who displayed a good attitude when scoring at Huntingdon and is fancied to get back on track now freshened up after a break. Timeforaspin hinted at a revival when fourth at Uttoxeter and can make his presence felt along with January C&D scorer Shantung.