16:40 Sandown

Thursday 17 February 2022

All13:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:40

Virgin Bet Novices' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:40 | Winning time: 5m 30.70s

Wicked West¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 122

7/1

Improved model for new stable, winning maiden/novice events last year. Placed last 3 starts and, while he has little in hand, he should give another good account.

Form: 105323

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Amenon^t⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 118

9/1

Fair maiden hurdler in France (fairly useful over fences). Better effort for new yard when second of 4 at Doncaster 69 days ago, but he seems rather fragile based on his profile.

Form: F335/32

Moonlight Flit³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 117

28/1

Runner-up in Warwick novice on his hurdling bow before falling last (still close up) in 20f Ffos Las novice. Latest run was disappointing but too soon to write him off now trying handicaps.

Form: 79-2F5

Essential Jaco²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 117| D

6/4

Easily landed a novice at Lingfield on Rules debut, then bumped into a couple of good prospects on both subsequent outings. Back up in trip, he's still very much one to take seriously.

Form: P-2122

Grangeclare Glory^b1,t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 117

15/2

Fairly useful hurdler who arrives on te back of a respectable third at Doncaster 19 days ago. Runner-up has boosted that form since, and blinkers could extract some improvement.

Form: P-12533

Contemplatemyfaith³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Fergus Gregory| T: O Murphy| OR: 116| D

5/2

Well-bred individual who opened his account at the third attempt over hurdles at Bangor last month. That form received a huge boost at the weekend, so he may have been let in lightly.

Form: 33-341

Lettie Lutz^t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Ben Jones| T: Ben Clarke| OR: 101

18/1

modest form at best to date over hurdles and arrives on the back of a rather dismal display at Exeter, so he's firmly up against it in this grade of handicap.

Form: 2-3453P

Colonial Empire⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 99

25/1

Bumper winner who has offered a glimmer of promise over hurdles to date. Could do better now handicapping after a break, so not completely discounted.

Form: 1-4449

Non-Runners

Robin Des Smoke³³²

Weight: 10-10| Age: 7

T: R T Phillips J: Daniel Hiskett

Forecasts

Essential Jaco (6/4), Contemplatemyfaith (5/2), Wicked West (7/1), Grangeclare Glory (15/2), Amenon (9/1), Robin Des Smoke (12/1), Lettie Lutz (18/1), Colonial Empire (25/1), Moonlight Flit (28/1)

CONTEMPLATEMYFAITH got off the mark at the expense of a subsequent wide-margin winner last time, so it's worth taking a chance that he can prove too good for a mark of 116 on his first go in a handicap. Essential Jaco has made a positive start under Rules and may yet have further improvement in him, so he's feared most ahead of Wicked West.