14:17 Fontwell

Sunday 26 December 2021

All11:5712:3213:0713:4214:1714:5215:27

Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:17 | Winning time: 4m 44.08s

Smurphy Enki⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J E Moore| T: C Gordon| OR: 127

3/1

Bumper winner who bagged Plumpton novices on 2 of his final 3 starts of last season. Failed to fully fire on return/handicap bow at Lingfield (19.5f) and he'll need to settle better this time.

Form: 421P1-7

Hystery Bere^t²⁹⁴

9/2

Fairly useful hurdler in France and opened British account over C&D in February. Not seen to best effect on final start of last term and open to improvement now handicapping/on back of wind op.

Form: 221213-

Dorrells Pierji^p1⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: C Honour| OR: 120

20/1

Dual bumper/hurdles winner for Willie Mullins, but he hasn't shown much spark, albeit in far stronger company than this, in 2 starts for new yard since returning from a lengthy absence.

Form: 8035/08

Pyramid Place¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Reed| T: M F Harris| OR: 120

2/1

Hit the target 3 times as a juvenile last season and right back to form when third in a 9-runner Doncaster handicap (16.6f) 15 days ago. 1 lb lower now and he is certainly one to consider.

Form: 68-2743

Vive Le Roi²³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Slatter⁽⁵⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 117

20/1

Losing run stretches back to November 2018 and while the handicapper continues to relent, this 10-y-o is not the force of old judged on his exploits earlier this year. Returns from a break now.

Form: 5565-64

Kuraka^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: David Prichard⁽⁵⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 114

9/2

Sole hurdles success was gained in a Limerick maiden for Gordon Elliott back in April 2018. However, he has shown enough on these shores to suggest that there's a race in him off this sort of mark.

Form: 3053-35

Touchthesoul^t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Page Fuller| T: Miss J S Davis| OR: 104

12/1

Dual French Flat winner and placed 3 times in maiden hurdles for Gary Moore last term. Pulled up in handicap chase on return/debut for new yard following a wind op, but bounce back not ruled out here.

Form: 6322-4P

Non-Runners

Royaume Uni¹⁶

Weight: 11-9| Age: 4

T: G & J Moore J: J E Moore

Forecasts

Royaume Uni (7/4), Pyramid Place (2/1), Smurphy Enki (3/1), Hystery Bere (9/2), Kuraka (9/2), Touchthesoul (12/1), Vive Le Roi (20/1), Dorrells Pierji (20/1)

Twice a winner as a juvenile last season, HYSTERY BERE wasn't seen to best effect when third in a novice event on his final start at Huntingdon in February. Arriving here on the back of a wind op, he rates the type to do better again now handicapping and could be worth siding with. Royaume Uni and Pyramid Place are others fancied to feature.