15:20 Fontwell

Sunday 30 January 2022

All13:2013:5014:2014:5015:2015:5016:20

Virgin Bet Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 5m 46.67s

King Arise³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁵⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 106

7/2

Won sole point and has shown fair form when runner-up in a couple of maiden hurdles. Longer trip will suit and partnered by a useful claimer, so obvious player switched to handicaps.

Form: 1-32

Bembridge⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Burke| T: O Sherwood| OR: 105

17/2

Opened his account at Ffos Las (20f) in May but isn't straightforward and ran out fifth after taking strong hold at Southwell 2 months ago. Up in trip with a bit to prove.

Form: 502-15R

Cafe Pushkin³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 105

8/1

Showed promise when fourth on debut at Wincanton last season. Failed to repeat that form on heavy ground since but dangerous to dismiss reverted to a sounder surface.

Form: 450-7

Midnight Glance²⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 101

13/2

Dual winner last term but signed off with a poor run at Market Rasen and requires a career-best returning from 9 months off. Others are more persuasive.

Form: 113528-

Constant Friday⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: N F Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: R Rowe| OR: 101

22/1

Winning Irish pointer who has improved with each run over hurdles and, although the assessor has taken no chances with his opening mark, he holds more realistic claims now handicapping.

Form: 1-066

Good News^v⁸⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: M Goldstein| T: Mrs L Richards| OR: 100| CD

16/1

Goes well over C&D and wasn't disgraced when fourth of 5 over 25.8f here in November. Could feature if he's tuned up on the back of a break.

Form: P41-PF4

Elleon^p1⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: W Greatrex| OR: 100

16/1

Bumper winner who has offered only modest form over hurdles to this point. Might well come on for his handicap debut at Uttoxeter 44 days ago, however, so can't be ruled out with cheekpieces tried.

Form: 8195/2-9

Flying Nun³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 94

4/1

Bred to be much better than she's shown to date and there was more promise (not knocked about) than the bare result suggests when eighth in a novice at Ludlow 39 days ago. Notable handicap debutante.

Form: 24-898

Darcys Hill⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Page Fuller| T: Joanne Thomason-Murphy| OR: 92

100/1

Failed to pull up any trees for Gordon Elliott and offered no encouragement on debut for current stable at Uttoxeter 54 days ago. Easily passed over.

Form: 5P5909

Belle Jour^p⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Nick Scholfield| T: C Gordon| OR: 88

22/1

Didn't shape at all badly when third on Rules debut in a Plumpton maiden hurdle last April, but well held completed starts since. Cheekpieces go back on.

Form: 4F8790

Vinnie's Getaway^v¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽³⁾| T: C Hobson| OR: 88

22/1

Modest handicap hurdler who failed to build on a mildly promising start for this yard when a below-form seventh at Doncaster last time. Others preferred.

Form: 15P457

Message Man²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: James Best| T: H Brown| OR: 82

28/1

Little impact in a trio of points and similar story so far over hurdles.

Form: 5-45P4P

Adherence¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Ben Jones| T: D Burchell| OR: 82| D

7/1

Lost his way for Tim Vaughan but went with more zest before shaping as if the run was needed at Huntingdon on stable/seasonal debut. Can't be dismissed from much-reduced mark.

Form: 5U/7P6-7

Iron In The Soul⁹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Mrs H Cobb| OR: 82

125/1

Winning pointer who hasn't shown much under Rules. Hard to fancy on handicap bow.

Form: 13F/4-4P

Towtheline^p1²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: David Noonan| T: H Brown| OR: 69

200/1

Runner-up sole start between the flags in April but has offered precious little so far under Rules. Hard to fancy from well out of the weights.

Form: 26574P

Non-Runners

Antony⁴⁰

Weight: 11-7| Age: 12

T: G & J Moore J: J E Moore

Forecasts

Antony (3/1), King Arise (7/2), Flying Nun (4/1), Midnight Glance (13/2), Adherence (7/1), Cafe Pushkin (8/1), Bembridge (17/2), Good News (16/1), Elleon (16/1), Belle Jour (22/1), Vinnie's Getaway (22/1), Constant Friday (22/1), Message Man (28/1), Darcys Hill (100/1), Iron In The Soul (125/1), Towtheline (200/1)

FLYING NUN is bred to be useful and has been brought along gradually to this point, so it would be no great surprise were she to prove better than an opening mark of 94. She gets the nod ahead of fellow handicap debutant King Arise, while Antony should make his presence felt if he's in the same form as last time.