14:38 Taunton

Thursday 3 March 2022

All14:0814:3815:0815:3816:0816:3817:08

S Roberts & Son Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 14:38 | Winning time: 5m 7.74s

Don Alvaro^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 99

9/2

Placed on both starts in handicaps, most recently at Exeter (23f) 29 days ago. Those races are working out well and he's likely to give another good account at this shorter trip.

Form: 2-55323

Groom D'Oudairies⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 96

4/5

Went off a big price for his handicap debut at Ludlow last week but showed significant improvement, overcoming positional bias to finish a narrow second. Fancied to go well again in this weaker grade.

Form: 34-4772

Major Robinson^t,v¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 94

5/1

Remains 0-13 over hurdles but ran well when third of 18 at Wetherby in January. Below form over 25f at Plumpton last time though, typically finding little. Continues to fall in the weights.

Form: 654536

Minella Voucher^t¹²³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁷⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 90| D

33/1

Ended last season in good heart over fences but pulled up on seasonal return at Lingfield in October. Probably best watched reverting to hurdling for the first time since 2018.

Form: 322-22P

Akkapenko^p³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Ben Jones| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 88

20/1

Won a weak event at Uttoxeter at November and has struggled from higher marks since. Edging back down the weights but probably needs a career-best effort to take this on first run for new yard.

Form: 251080

Justshortofabubble²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 81

16/1

Hasn't found any improvement in 3 starts since joining this yard and is hard to fancy.

Form: F08879

Foillmore³⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: J D Frost| OR: 79

100/1

Little impact in Irish points and well held over hurdles. Dropped 9 lb from harsh-looking opening mark but remains opposable on all evidence so far.

Form: 570009-

Miss Harriett^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: P Gundry| OR: 75

22/1

Runner-up for the third time over hurdles following a wind op at Exeter in December, but remains 0-15 in this sphere and was pulled up on chase debut here 23 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 3-2820P

Gaelic Thunder²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: David Noonan| T: C Honour| OR: 73

16/1

Continues to show very little, always behind when ninth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Ffos Las 21 days ago. Up in trip here.

Form: 6-0P969

Clarendon Cross⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 69

33/1

Disappointing maiden on Flat and well held in juvenile and maiden hurdles. An unlikely candidate on handicap debut.

Form: 789

Non-Runners

Rubys Reward¹

Weight: 10-2| Age: 6

T: A J Honeyball J: Rex Dingle

Forecasts

Groom D'Oudairies (4/5), Don Alvaro (9/2), Rubys Reward (9/2), Major Robinson (5/1), Justshortofabubble (16/1), Gaelic Thunder (16/1), Akkapenko (20/1), Miss Harriett (22/1), Minella Voucher (33/1), Clarendon Cross (33/1), Foillmore (100/1)

This isn't a particularly strong race and those at the head of the weights are of most interest, with the vote going to GROOM D'OUDAIRIES, who shaped well on handicap debut in a much deeper race at Ludlow last week, Don Alvaro has also ran with encouragement in handicaps, whilst Major Robinson should be capable of making the frame.