15:20 Fontwell

Tuesday 7 December 2021

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

John And Maryanne Birch Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 4m 47.5s

Ray's The One³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 12-1| J: N F Houlihan⁽⁵⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 107

17/2

Fair maiden hurdler who arrives on back of 13f handicap win on level at Lingfield 35 days ago. In the mix back in this sphere.

Form: 4V4-6

Lockdown Leader⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 103

5/1

Runner-up in 2m Southwell novice in March and caught the eye on his return when seventh in 20f Aintree novice, set a lot to do. Into handicaps now with more to offer. Player.

Form: 4P2-7

Amelia's Dance^h¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁵⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 102

6/1

Gained breakthrough win at Stratford in October but only fifth of 8 in handicap at Wincanton (15.2f) 19 days ago, doing too much too soon. Sort to bounce back.

Form: 0-31335

Kepy Blanc³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 102

4/1

Off 6 months before remote fourth of 6 in novice hurdle at Newbury (16.3f) 33 days ago. May do better now handicapping, so he's no forlorn hope.

Form: 2/34

Cards Are Dealt^t1²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: R P McLernon| T: G Brown| OR: 93

50/1

Lightly-raced maiden hurdler. 250/1, tenth of 15 in 2m novice Warwick 20 days ago. Tongue strap on with lots to prove on his handicap debut.

Form: 0050

Good Bye^b⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny Burton⁽⁵⁾| T: A E Jones| OR: 91

7/2

Took a step back in the right direction after a wind op when third of 13 in handicap hurdle at Exeter (18.5f) 49 days ago. Well worth considering eased 2 lb now.

Form: 352-873

Legal Rights²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 90

15/2

Fair 12f Flat winner but yet to match that form in three runs over hurdles, jumping none too fluently when third of 6 in 2m novice at Lingfield 21 days ago. Likely to improve now going handicapping.

Form: 64-3

Cold Shoulder²⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 85| BF

14/1

Winless since 2018, and pulled up in Plumpton handicap on sole run for Dan Skelton 8 months ago. Returns for new yard with something to prove.

Form: 6/5U80P-

Deep Inferno^b1,t1¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Miss H C Tucker⁽⁷⁾| T: L Hurley| OR: 81

22/1

Maiden hurdler, who resumed with below-form twelfth of 19 in handicap at Exeter (21.6f) 16 days ago. Blinkers/tongue strap on with more required.

Form: 53-7700

Hier Encore³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Luke Scott⁽⁷⁾| T: N Dunger| OR: 80| C

16/1

Course winner but it's now fourteen runs since his last win in 2019. Only tenth of 11 in handicap at Lingfield (16f) 37 days ago, so others appeal more.

Form: 47P66-0

Sparkling Dawn^t1⁶⁸⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: R G Hawker| OR: 75

28/1

Reluctant maiden hurdler for Johnny Farrelly who makes her comeback after 22 months off here. Very hard to fancy from 3 lb out of the handicap.

Form: 8UU798/

Non-Runners

Millies Mite⁷¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: K Jewell J: James Best

Titaneasy²⁸

Weight: 10-9| Age: 6

T: J J Bridger J: Mr Joshua Newman

Forecasts

Good Bye (7/2), Kepy Blanc (4/1), Lockdown Leader (5/1), Amelia's Dance (6/1), Millies Mite (13/2), Legal Rights (15/2), Ray's The One (17/2), Cold Shoulder (14/1), Hier Encore (16/1), Deep Inferno (22/1), Sparkling Dawn (28/1), Titaneasy (33/1), Cards Are Dealt (50/1)

LOCKDOWN LEADER was considerately handled on his return at Aintree and looks to have got in lightly for his handicap debut so gets the nod in a race where plenty arrive with question marks against them. Good Bye hinted at a revival after a wind op when third at Exeter and rates the chief threat with Kepy Blanc also worth considering now he steps into handicap company too.