15:30 Newton Abbot

Wednesday 4 May 2022

All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3016:0016:3017:05

St Austell Brewery Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 6m 36.99s

Ratfacemcdougall^b,t¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Max Kendrick| T: F O'Brien| OR: 127

8/1

Won 5 times for Graeme McPherson in 2020/21 but rather went through the motions last season and now has something to prove, despite attractive mark.

Form: P42655-

Skatman^t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Lorcan Williams| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 120| C

9/4

Won novices here and at Musselburgh in 2021 but has found life tougher in handicaps and doesn't look to have been given enough relief by the handicapper to become of major interest.

Form: 81/1646-

Wearapinkribbon²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Mrs H R J Nelmes| OR: 117

80/1

Maiden hurdle winner in Ireland in autumn 2020 for Willie Mullins but didn't go on from that and offered little on stable debut at Wincanton last month.

Form: 10/3007-

The Macon Lugnatic^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Luca Morgan⁽³⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 117

11/8

Laboured over fences last term but has found the switch back to hurdling in his favour, another good effort when fifth of 14 at Haydock last month. Shortlisted.

Form: 4F4325-

Ennistown^t¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-13| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A Wintle| OR: 115| C

25/1

Won a Fakenham hunter chase in March 2021 but veteran is surely best watched back hurdling for new yard after 12-month absence.

Form: 2/5P32P-

Valentino¹⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 96| BF| CD

10/3

Successful in handicaps over C&D and at Taunton in the autumn but this looks a much sterner task racing from out of handicap after a 5-month absence.

Form: U5/2114-

Non-Runners

Emitom²⁵

Weight: 12-0| Age: 8

T: W Greatrex J: Non Runner

Quick Draw³³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: N J Henderson J: N de Boinville

Forecasts

The Macon Lugnatic (11/8), Skatman (9/4), Quick Draw (3/1), Valentino (10/3), Emitom (5/1), Ratfacemcdougall (8/1), Ennistown (25/1), Wearapinkribbon (80/1)

QUICK DRAW remains with the potential to improve beyond this mark as a hurdler, and having been well-backed over fences on debut for Nicky Henderson last time, he's one to keep on the right side returning to his preferred sphere. The Macon Lugnatic can pose the biggest danger.