16:15 Chepstow

Monday 17 January 2022

All12:3013:0013:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:15

Cazoo Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 16:18 | Winning time: 5m 12.1s

Kenny George¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: M Goldstein| T: Miss S West| OR: 100| D

25/1

Back in good form last winter, hitting the crossbar in a couple of handicaps over a similar trip to this at Fontwell. However, C&D reappearance effort left much to be desired.

Form: 4F/622-P

C'Est Quelqu'un^p⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: David Bass| T: S Curran| OR: 98

17/2

Fair maiden chaser in France and step back in right direction on third start for new connections when fourth of 11 in a 21.8f Fontwell handicap hurdle last time. Still, more will be needed here.

Form: F22-054

Beau Haze¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: P C Dando| OR: 94

4/1

Bagged a trio of handicaps at around 2½m handicaps in the first half of last year. Easy to forgive rare poor effort upped to 25.5f at Hereford recently and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 113437

After The Fox^p⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Chester Williams⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 92| D

3/1

Yet to add to last season's Warwick breakthrough success, but has acquitted himself pretty well over contrasting trips at Bangor (16.6f) and Doncaster (24.4f) the last twice. Place possibilities.

Form: 26-0824

Puzzle Cache^p³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: C J Down| OR: 89

16/1

Quickly bounced back from a low-key display at Taunton when getting on top close home in an amateurs' event at Exeter (21.6f) 7 days later. 4 lb rise tolerable, but her profile is rather patchy.

Form: 9P-8301

Vians Hill³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 88

16/1

Hasn't cut much ice in 3 starts in maiden/novice company at Ffos Las, but this 5-y-o appeals as the type to leave those qualifying runs well behind now upped in trip for this handicap debut.

Form: 885

Shutthegate¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: J E Moore| T: J L Spearing| OR: 87| D

3/1

Seemingly exposed as a poor maiden prior to cosy reappearance success at Warwick (19f) on New Year's Eve. Back up 8 lb and couldn't be sure he'll build on that, but will be a threat if he does.

Form: 856-6P1

Noter Le³²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 83

9/1

Profile is pretty much identical to that of stablemate Vians Hill, having failed to shine in 3 qualifying runs but just a 5-y-o and armed with potential now handicapping. One to note in the betting.

Form: 886

Mickyh^p,t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Page Fuller| T: A West| OR: 78

10/1

Decent NH pedigree and combination of first-time cheekpieces, drop back in trip and a more positive ride seemingly contributed to his improved breakthrough win at Plumpton (20.5f) recently. Up 4 lb.

Form: 4PP-781

Pollards Fen^p,h⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: G Howell| OR: 55

50/1

Winning pointer, but no show under Rules so far and he's a long way out of the weights for this handicap debut.

Form: 64-1575

Non-Runners

Amlovi¹⁷

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: A Wintle J: Benjamin Poste

Forecasts

After The Fox (3/1), Shutthegate (3/1), Beau Haze (4/1), C'Est Quelqu'un (17/2), Noter Le (9/1), Mickyh (10/1), Amlovi (10/1), Puzzle Cache (16/1), Vians Hill (16/1), Kenny George (25/1), Pollards Fen (50/1)

Though ultimately well held on each of his three starts to date, VIANS HILL has shown clear signs of ability and could be about to take a sizeable step forward now handicapping off a lowly mark and with this step up in trip a likely plus. Stablemate Noter Le possesses a virtually identical profile and is also of interest, but Amlovi is feared most. Beau Haze and Shutthegate are others with claims.