15:20 Fakenham

Sunday 19 December 2021

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

Happy Christmas Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:23 | Winning time: 4m 15.02s

Dinsdale^b,t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Luca Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: M Scudamore| OR: 112| D

8/1

Chase/hurdle winner in summer 2018. Proved he retains most of his ability after a pipe-opener on the Flat when fourth at Newcastle last month. Blinkers replace the usual cheekpieces.

Form: 51122/4

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Astroman²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: Harry Eustace| OR: 110

8/1

Fair winner on the Flat (stays 1½m) and progressed again over hurdles when runner-up at Huntingdon in May. Had a pipe-opener at Wolverhampton last month so he could feature on handicap debut.

Form: 5-22

Vocal Duke¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: K Brogan⁽³⁾| T: T Lawes| OR: 107| CD

11/4

Bagged 2m handicap wins at Uttoxeter and over C&D in October before good tenth of 18 in 2m handicap at Cheltenham. Similar form at Sandown since but bit more needed to get involved.

Form: 441105

Millies Mite^t⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Best| T: K Jewell| OR: 104

25/1

Still a maiden, but she posted good fourth of 17 in handicap hurdle at Roscommon (15.4f) 83 days ago on her final run for Eoin Doyle. Worth a market check for new yard.

Form: 527454

El Jefe^h¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-6| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: A B Hamilton| OR: 104

7/2

Finally put it all together at Sedgefield earlier this month, value for a bit more than the winning margin having conceded ground at the last 2 flights. Up 8 lb and can feature now up and running.

Form: 764F41

Peckinpah³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 103

5/1

Fair maiden on Flat (stays 9.5f) and showed ability in 3 runs over hurdles in 2019/20. Found just a well-treated sort too good at Leicester on reappearance and can build on that effort here.

Form: 434/34-2

Glutnforpunishment³⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Bryony Frost| T: L Wadham| OR: 102

6/1

Four Flat wins in 2019 and found only one too good on hurdles bow at Worcester in August that year. However, disappointing since and needs to bounce back on reappearance/first start for his new yard.

Form: 23/06-

Al Kherb⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Miss S L Bowen⁽⁷⁾| T: Sarah Bowen| OR: 97| D

11/1

Signed off for John Quinn with victory in 2m Stratford selling hurdle 9 weeks ago. Not handicapped out of things for new trainer and worth a look.

Form: 422261

Jack Ryan²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: David Noonan| T: J Ryan| OR: 95

50/1

Modest on Flat and similar merit over hurdles. Makes handicap debut in this sphere and looks up against it.

Form: 4P-3

Risky Business^b1,t⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 10-0| J: Ben Godfrey⁽⁵⁾| T: Martin Smith| OR: 86

50/1

Poor maiden on the Flat. Tailed off on handicap debut at Huntingdon last month so easily ignored, even with blinkers applied and tongue tie back on.

Form: 6647

Non-Runners

Rhebus Road³⁵

Weight: 10-9| Age: 3

T: O Sherwood J: Non Runner

Gavin²

Weight: 10-4| Age: 3

T: Joe Ponting J: Non Runner

Letsbe Avenue¹⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 6

T: W G M Turner J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Vocal Duke (11/4), El Jefe (7/2), Rhebus Road (4/1), Peckinpah (5/1), Glutnforpunishment (6/1), Gavin (6/1), Astroman (8/1), Dinsdale (8/1), Al Kherb (11/1), Letsbe Avenue (20/1), Millies Mite (25/1), Jack Ryan (50/1), Risky Business (50/1)

EL JEFE rates a serious player having finally got off the mark at Sedgefield last time, and an 8-lb rise should be manageable given he had something in hand that day. Peckinpah is another one to consider, along with Al Kherb.