mylittletip.co.uk Sussex Champion Hurdle (Handicap Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 3m 47.6s

Diego Du Charmil^t⁹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 145| D

11/8

Listed handicap chase winner at Ascot last term. Poor run in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day but previous thirds read well back in a race like this and interesting under 7 lb conditional.

Form: 122-335

Sebastopol^p1,t²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Burke| T: T Lacey| OR: 136| D

16/5

2-3 in handicaps hurdles around 2m last term before stretched tackling extended 20f trip at Kelso 4 weeks ago (on back of a wind op). Return to 2m promises to suit. Cheekpieces on. Respected.

Form: 141-658

Brandon Castle¹³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: D A Jacob| T: N B King| OR: 136| CD

6/1

Made all on his first 3 starts over hurdles in C&D events in 2018-19 and added a couple of Market Rasen handicaps to his tally last summer. Player if getting a soft lead returning from a break.

Form: 411955

Fugitives Drift¹¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 135| BF| D

16/5

Returned with a couple of wins around 20f before struggling in warmer handicaps. Back from a break and still relatively unexposed but not sure this sort of test will be ideal now.

Form: 12-1106

Sacre Coeur^h⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 124

16/1

Fairly useful ex-French chaser who won twice over 17f in early summer. Running up to best before unseating on return at Leicester and out of depth in Grade 2 latest. Could surprise back over timber.

Form: 5-411U4

Non-Runners

Natural History²²

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: J E Moore

Limelighter¹⁹⁶

Weight: 10-0| Age: 5

T: Miss S West J: M Goldstein

Forecasts

Diego Du Charmil (11/8), Natural History (13/8), Sebastopol (16/5), Fugitives Drift (16/5), Brandon Castle (6/1), Sacre Coeur (16/1), Limelighter (33/1)

This could be tailor-made for Gary Moore's NATURAL HISTORY. A smart performer on the level, he hacked up in a C&D handicap at the start of March before floundering in the mud when sent off a short price for the Imperial Cup on just his fourth start in this sphere. Quickly dropped 3 lb and back on better ground, he can resume winning ways. Sebastopol and the classy Diego du Charmil are feared most.